From:
Rob McGlennonn ,
SD, Deceuninck UK & Ireland

In his recent letter, Peter Dyer MD Dempsey Dyer http://www.the-glazine.com/archive/glaz708.html argues that in the exploding popularity of colour we shouldn’t forget white.

I think it’s premature to call the end of white, as Peter acknowledges. Colour is growing from one in four to one frame in three in England & Wales. Ireland (55% colour) and Scotland (45%) are ahead. Colour is even more popular on the continent.

Although Deceuninck is No 1 for colour, as an industry England & Wales is only now catching up. If your systems company doesn’t keep a big selection in stock, along with matching trims, cills and ancillaries, in doors, patio sliders, and windows, then fabricators cannot risk selling a decent colour range to installers. And retail installers will be reluctant to sell colour if their trade fabricator can’t supply it in real time.

Colour is growing as more Systems companies follow our lead and make it easy for fabricators to make it and installers to sell it. Our vast warehouse is full of always-in-stock colour, so fabricators like Peter can get whatever they want on their next delivery.

Peter argues for the use of white in sensitive and attractive combination with colour. He’s right. Luxury selections like Deceuninck’s Heritage range with foiled white inside and fashionable Farrow & Ball type finishes outside not only sell colour, they sell more windows and doors too. Homeowners, and developers, can’t get enough of them.

Colour is a relatively young market here. Installers are learning how best to sell it, what colours go with what, along with more considerate designs to suit a particular building and architecture. Good marketing literature and POS aids help them advise their customers, just as knowledgeable decorators subtly advise homeowners and developers what to use where.

As an industry, we’re going down a colour road and picking up speed. We’re learning how to sell it and make homeowners and developers happy.