Annual Predictions
It has been said that a good January means a good year and , as 2017 begins , we have invited companies from around the industry to give their predictions for the year ahead and hint at some of their plans for the next 12 months .
What is evident is that , even in the face of political and economic uncertainty , most businesses ended the year on a high , with only a few reporting any noticeable impact of last year ’ s Brexit vote . Of course , Article 50 is yet to be triggered and what form that will take is still largely unknown . Only time will tell .
But , in the meantime , the industry seems set to storm into the New Year with all the momentum of 2016 , geared up to take advantage of the forecasted growth areas with product innovation and customer service .
Big year ahead
»»
THIS YEAR IS GOING TO be a big year for the fenestration industry . The economy is set to grow faster than expected with a strong manufacturing forecast , despite concerns about the construction industry in general .
So we think 2017 will be the year people invest in their homes , as property investment remains a relatively safe bet and the shortage of houses to buy means many will stay put and think about home improvements .
Tie this in with rising energy prices , and homeowners will be considering products with better thermal performance , while giving their homes a modern makeover at the same time .
One of the big trends we ’ re predicting is more people investing in natural light solutions for their homes . Our fully thermally broken roof lantern , Stratus , solves the age-old issue of rooms like kitchen / diners being dark and claustrophobic , with added benefits of keeping rooms cool in the summer and warm throughout winter . It ’ s a discreet yet stylish choice for any home .
Across both PVCu and aluminium products , we ’ re expecting 2017 to be another great year for colour . Following a £ 400,000 investment we now hold 80 % of our colour foils from stock , meaning we ’ re already prepared to deliver coloured products quickly .
The 21-colour range of our Masterdor Craftsman doors will also appeal to savvy homeowners who recognise the functional and fashionable benefits of highend timber over standard GRP doors .
Across our WarmCore aluminium product range , we ’ re expecting to see a lot of Anthracite Grey , which gives that Grand Designs feel in any home . While 2016 was one of the hottest on record , 2017 is set to be a bit cooler , so people will be relying on products like WarmCore to get modern , dynamic design without compromising on thermal efficiency . With installers increasingly looking for value added products , we ’ re expecting high sales across WarmCore and Craftsman this year .
At the FIT Show in May we will be introducing a brand new member to the WarmCore family , which we expect will be another big trend for 2017 – but we ’ d hate to spoil the surprise by revealing it all now , so watch this space until then .
David Leng , Chief Executive , Synseal Group
26 » JAN 2017 » CLEARVIEW-UK . COM