Many fabricators chase every order. White or foiled, selling more frames is the goal, even if you take a hit on margins.
When I predicted we’d see the first colour-only fabricators this year, it caused a stir. But it wasn’t a publicity stunt. We’re very nearly there with several fabricators selling colour and supplying white only if asked. Imagine a different business model from the one most fabricators are used to, where you’re not chasing volume and getting knocked down on price.
Imagine you and your installer customers are fully colour-enabled and selling to the ‘Haves’, a large and fast-growing group of affluent, older homeowners. The Haves want the best products to enhance and add value to their properties. They’ve gone off ‘shiny white’ PVC-U and love colour, and they’re prepared to pay for it. What does that mean? Colour means better margins, and higher margins means more profit.
Who’s going to be first to offer colour only, delivered in five to 10 days? Selling to installers who want to profit from this trend, whose usual fabricator is too busy making white frames, and selling to smaller fabricators who deal with small volumes and don’t want the hassle of foiled stock and the usual supplier problems.
Fabricators who want to sell colour are frequently let down because most systems companies (SysCos) are not colour enabled. Most SysCos see colour as the devil and make to order, rather than make for stock. It’s very expensive for SysCos to stock vast amounts of colour, but it’s the only way you can provide a reliable supply. That’s why we invested in world-class foiling, vast warehousing and an anytime online ordering system so our fabricator customers can sell colour with confidence. We keep 26 colourways in stock, including cills, trims and ancillaries, with another 24 colourways available within five weeks.
Not surprisingly, Deceuninck customers’ colour sales are skyrocketing. Our six largest customers are all over 50% colour, and that percentage is growing. We’re number one for colour because we make sure our customers are colour enabled, and we’re committed to leading on colour. We’re reviewing and refining our colour offer now to make it even better – watch this space!
Sincerely,
Rob McGlennon
Managing director, Deceuninck UK & Ireland
