Vista Panels has secured an additional 8000ft² unit, to assist with future proofing the businesses supply chain process and mitigating the raw material sourcing issues seen during the Covid-19 pandemic and since Brexit. The award-winning composite door manufacturer moved quickly to lease the unit on the same site as its current state-of-the-art factory on the Wirral.
Composite door sales grew exponentially in the second half of 2020, quickly impacting the supply chain. But with the backing of Eurocell Group, Vista found themselves in a strong position to be able to cope with market difficulties.
“Being able to quickly lease a unit, shortly after returning from lockdown one, close to our current facility, at short notice, provided us with an opportunity to increase stock holding and support our customers’ requirements,” said Ian Smith, Vista’s business development manager. “We already hold a large stock of door slabs, hardware and profile, but with the problems our ports experienced, we knew we had to do something quickly.
“The unexpected surge in sales after lockdown took us all by surprise but we have now taken steps to mitigate anything 2021 might throw at us,” continued Ian. “We have also been working closely with our suppliers, who we know are doing everything to make sure we can keep our production line at its increased capacity.
“We don’t usually have to consider what happens at UK ports when we factor in deliveries, so last year was a real learning curve. Expanding our capacity for storage is, we feel, a prudent move.”
Despite the unprecedented nature of 2020, Vista, manufacturers of XtremeDoor, saw a 30% up take on sales in the last two quarters. The company is now working hard to sustain workable lead times.
Ian added: “While I think we might be a little way off getting doors out in five working days again, we have everything in place to provide our customers with the best lead times we can. And, with the whole market experiencing the same problems, only those in strong financial positions will be able to adapt quick enough to still be here to celebrate another 25 years of trading.”
Founded in 1995, Vista specialises in composite and PVC-U panels and doors, supplying to fabricators across the UK and Europe. For more information, call 01516081423 or visit www.vistapanels.co.uk.
