Published On: Wed, Jun 25th, 2014

It’s all on show at Duration Windows

A new exhibition centre is just one of the initiatives aluminium fabricator Duration Windows has introduced to help support its trade customers

SAMSUNG CSCYou would be hard pushed to find an aluminium fabricator that does more to support its customers than Duration Windows. With an unrivalled reputation for innovation, its expansive product range has provided fenestration solutions for a host of installers and householders for as long as one can remember. To fully understand and appreciate the magnitude of what is on offer from the Essex-based manufacturer, a trip to its new exhibition centre is well worth the effort.

Open since January 2013, the showroom is located on the Eastern Parade on the seafront of Canvey Island. It is unlike your usual showroom, in that it serves to showcase many of the products on offer, but isn’t there to force customers into signing on the dotted line. Managing Director at Duration is Grant Chelton, the driving force behind the impressive support that Duration gives to its customers. Grant told Windows Active: “The showroom is instrumental in showcasing all our products. Firstly, it enables us to drum up demand for our customers. Consumers want to see and feel the products and a trip to our factory wasn’t really appropriate. Our appetite for demonstrating products really came from our regular appearances at the Grand Design exhibitions. Homeowners come from all over the country to see what we have on offer; for this reason it is imperative our exhibition centre is kept up to date with our latest products.”

Once homeowners have visited the exhibition centre and familiarised themselves with the products they want, Duration then supplies them with a list of three recommended installation companies of their products in their area to quote for the work. As the prospective consumers have been to the showroom they also receive a 5% discount voucher which they present to the installer who in turn presents to Duration when the order is placed and has it deducted from his trade price. The internet and exhibitions such as Grand Designs are also extremely successful for Duration Windows in terms of generating leads for their customers.

SAMSUNG CSCBeing a specialist aluminum manufacturer has enabled Duration to concentrate on innovation. The company has gained an unrivalled reputation in the industry for having a vast range of products that cater for wide and varying design requirements as Grant explains: “From your standard casement windows, to complicated arches and bays we have a solution for every type of replacement. I’m very proud of two of our newer products that are really making waves in the market. The new Royale Steel Replacement range of windows and doors, which includes the Secured By Design ‘Stepped’ window, is a stunning product that features slim sightlines that aesthetically perfectly match old steel windows and doors. Another is the aluminum sash window. This is fully chamfered on the outside which has really softened the look of the window.”

Ground-breaking products are in abundance at Duration and we’ll look at a few more later. It’s easy to see why the company receives such a high number of enquiries on a daily basis. With 120 quotes being sent out each day, the order processing team is kept extremely busy, and the all important fact is that customers return in their droves, swelling the database with over 6,000 of them. Grant does add, however, that if they all ordered at once it could cause a problem or two!! He says: “Our business has been built up supplying small to large sized installers and builders on a ‘cash on delivery’ basis. We are also able to offer simple solutions and you would not believe the number of orders we receive for our 4 secondary glazing systems, so much so that we have now incorporated an online quoting and ordering system on our website specifically for secondary.”

It is new products that excite Grant and it is the bespoke and innovative nature of these that keeps Duration ahead of the competition. The recent appearance at the Grand Design exhibition saw the unveiling of the new aluminum bi-folding door which features slimmer profiles and is exclusive to Duration Windows and its customers: “The response at the exhibition was staggering. Homeowners want slim sightlines and this new bi-fold delivers on that front. In addition, we also received a great deal of interest for our wide-span sliding patio door; it is an area of the market that is seeing a resurgence and we are keen to demonstrate we have market-leading products.”

Before we wrap up, there is one more product that deserves a mention and one that grabs the attention. It is a flat roof-light that is a fantastic alternative to a lantern roof. It fits straight onto timber up-stands and can be deglazed unlike others on the market that are bonded. Grant explains: “It is about 80mm in height and caters for customers who don’t want to pay £2,000 for a hipped roof when they can pay £700 for a flat one that lets in more light. The added benefit is if a sealed unit goes, you just pop out the beads and replace the unit. Water drains on all four sides so no puddles will form when it rains.” Another fine example of the versatility and innovation on offer from Aluminium By Design, which is part of the Duration Windows Group.

It is very difficult to put into so few words the extent of what is on offer from Duration and for that reason you can understand the thinking behind the opening of the exhibition centre. Seeing is believing and if your appetite has been wetted to see more, it’s worth visiting the company’s website at www.duration.co.uk to discover the full portfolio of products. The team at Duration also invite you to pay them a visit at the exhibition centre on any day through the 7-day week. For more details and directions please give them a call on:  01268 681612