28
JUNE 2016 PRO INSTALLER
PRO NEWS
www.proinstaller.co.uk
NEWBURY
VENTURES
INTO NEW
TERRITORIES
Warwickshire-based company Newbury Commercial
Glazing service a wide range of customers, both in the
private and public sector, and produces a collection of
aluminium windows and doors, and curtain walling, using
Smarts, Kawner, Schuco, and Jack Aluminium systems.
Clearview, Pro Installer’s sister
magazine, visited the company’s
Operations Director, Ian Hannis, after
recently meeting him at Fensterbau
and again at the FIT Show. Ian explained how the business is venturing into new territories through the
trade market, establishing its offering by looking at smarter ways of
manufacturing and developing new
sales avenues.
Tucked away behind a suburban housing estate, Newbury Commercial Glazing
resides on a newly-built selection of units
in the village of Lower Cape, Warwick. The
units house the company’s stock, manufacturing and administration facilities, with a
recently purchased unit standing ready for
Newbury’s latest venture.
Greeted by Ian, dressed in jeans and t-shirts
and comfortable in his own surroundings, it
was evident that this was a guy who likes to
be hands-on in the business.
Within the first ten minutes of our meeting, Ian’s enthusiasm for the company’s
plans for the future shone through, and
getting straight to the point he discussed
how the company has been quite specialised within the education sector over recent
years and how he and the owners’ son,
Oliver Newbury, are driving through a 10year strategic plan that will see the company operate in new markets and change
the businesses approach, setting standards
through the industry.
“We are particularly well-established locally within the education sector working colleges and schools, but we had become too
complacent. Winning tenders for the public
sector, in particularly in education, can be
extremely time consuming in-terms of the
resources needed to deal with season aspect
of the contract and it is easy to take your
eye off the ball when you are immersed in
the middle of an ongoing contract.
“The aluminium sector has always been
very prominent in commercial markets, with
specifiers and architects demanding more
sustainable products. The development of
aluminium from the systems houses over
recent years has seen a direct impact on the
domestic market and this has helped form
part of Newbury’s plan to extend our expertise in the manufacturing of aluminium
products into the domestic market.”
Under a different name, Newbury was first
established some 25 years ago, by Oliver’s
father. The existing company was set up a
few years ago and under the new regime
the company has built up good working relations with both suppliers and local authorities, the business thrived and developed
a product range fulfilling the needs for its
commercial customers.
Ian adds: “Our business still has the foundations of that early company, however we
have had to work smarter at producing our
products to be sustainable and manageable
to our business. What this has meant for us
is a total review of our whole processes,
including the introduction of an internally
developed software programme to enhance
our operations.
“Whilst reviewing and developing our
strategic plan, we knew that in order to set
ourselves apart from competition and become more attractive to clients, we needed
to prove our manufacturing capabilities
were better.
“We are currently developing an internal,
tailor-made system for Newbury with the
overall aim to become a paperless process
from the first point of contact with a customer, right through to delivery.”
Newbury aims to create a seamless production process for Newbury and integrate
with its newly installed sawing and cutting
machine, and other production equipment,
means the company will see improved
production flow and reduced production
lead-time.
“Our aim is to be in a position where we
become automated to be able to produce
products on extremely lean lead-times.
These activities give us the ability to keep
overheads to a minimum and reinvest into
other areas of the business, and ones that
will set standards within the fields we operate in,” Ian adds.
Another key investment, forming part of
the business plan and something Ian is
keen to share, is the opening of a localised
trade counter.
“We are keen to open up an avenue to
support local installers and fabricators
looking to fit an alternative to PVCu. With
the support of our extrusion suppliers, we
are setting up a new trade counter where
customers will not only just be able to order
and buy products from, but will get advice
and the backing should they need more
help,” Ian concludes.
www.newburycommercialglazing.co.uk