Trade counters and ‘builder-installers’ growing …but small fabricators still in decline
9th June 2015

Trade counters have emerged as the industry’s surprise growth area with some regional depots showing ‘spectacular increases’ and more than 40 new depots opening in the last year, according to the latest report from Insight Data.
It also records a continuing decline in the number of fabricators, led by a sharp drop in ‘lifestyle fabricators’ – those making under 50 frames a week – which fell by 94 throughout the year. At the same time however, those producing over 500 a week increased by 15% to a total of 123.

The report clearly links the ascent of the trade counter to a growing army of ‘builder-installers’ – local builders who offer windows, doors and conservatories as an added string to their bow. These may be mostly small businesses but they now massively outnumber conventional installers with more than 22,000 compared with fewer than 13,000.

There are now 816 window and door trade counter outlets, a rise of 44 in the year, ranging from single independents to national chains, some operating as sell-through of bought-in products, others as vertically integrated outlets run by the manufacturers themselves.

The authors add: “Several major PVC-U fabricators are now recognising the growth potential and benefits of a vertically integrated network and have launched or are launching their own networks.”

They also note that installers are seeking ways to differentiate themselves from the builder-installer, for example with a showroom, and the number of showrooms has risen for the second year to 3,473 after years of decline.

Elsewhere, in conservatories, the report highlights increased demand for replacement roofs for improved performance and aesthetics as well as a trend towards solid roofs, both in new conservatories and in retrofit.

Aluminium, says the report is now firmly established as an alternative to PVC-U and it predicts ‘rapid growth’ in large-span aluminium patio doors. It also forecasts continued growth in higher value PVC-U products such as flush sash, coloured frames and vertical sliders.

Fabricator and Installer Market Report
Insight Data

www.insightdata.co.uk