When Premier Arches relocated to a larger unit at the beginning of 2020, the profile bending specialists could not have predicted the unprecedented market conditions they’d soon find themselves in. Soon after more than doubling in size and moving from a 4,700ft² manufacturing facility in Bolton to a 10,000ft² premises in St Helens, the company was forced to shut its doors, thanks to the national Covid-19 lockdown, and it was very difficult to predict what the market was going to do.
Since then, however, the decision to upscale has proved a huge success. Sean Greenall, Premier Arches’ managing director, said: “The initial lockdown in early 2020 was a real challenge for us, as we faced a very unpredictable market. But as soon as restrictions were lifted, we saw a surge in demand for our products, and the additional space allowed us to significantly increase capacity and production.
“Thanks to this increased capacity, we were able to successfully deal with the buoyant market conditions, supply chain woes, price increases and extended lead times. As a result, we’ve seen year-on-year growth, including a 94% sales uplift from 2020 to 2021. This year, we plan on expanding production and capacity even further by installing a new mezzanine floor and investing in new machinery.”
Established in 2015, Premier Arches manufactures and supplies arched, angled, gable, circular and entirely bespoke windows and doors in a range of seven stocked systems including Residence 9, plus another five non-stocked systems, offering a full service to fabricators, trade counters, installers and local builders. Serving over 600 customers across the UK, the St Helens-based company claims to transform the often daunting process of profile bending into a simple and pain-free process, saving fabricators time and money, and helping them win more lucrative projects which would otherwise be turned down.
Sean continued: “When it comes to profile bending, most PVC fabricators simply don’t have the time, the tools, or the expertise to carry this out in-house. Premier Arches manufactures and supplies the awkward products that others don’t want to make, helping their customers to focus on what they’re good at. At Premier Arches, we’re offering something truly unique, and thanks to our successful expansion and a strong focus on technology, we’ve equipped ourselves to continue that service and provide customers with high-quality products and honest customer service for years to come.”
