Jason Bamford, Managing Director of Regal Aluminium
Fact and Figures:
First job: Regal Conservatories, from 1989 – 1998.
When did you join or set up current company: I set up Regal Doors Limited in 2013. I set up Regal Aluminium in May 2023 when I bought Sapient Commercial Glazing Limited.
Most useful/favourite gadget: It’s a toss-up between my iPhone and my stapler. Both items I personally couldn’t do without!
Favourite/most useful website: Google search engine is the key for me.
Favourite restaurant for business: Angelo’s Bistro in Duffield, Derbyshire. It’s my local Italian restaurant. It has a great atmosphere, the food is first class and they have a good wine list. I’ve been going there for years and have made friends with the owners, who always make a fuss of me when I’m there!
Business person you admire: Geoff Smith. He was the person who set up the company I’ve just bought. He came from a similar background to me – we both grew up on council estates without much money. He’s retired now, but he still pops in to see how we are doing. He’s a great family man and always has an inspirational quote or saying. I really enjoy spending time with him and listening to his stories.
What lesson have you learnt about business over the last 12 months: Diversification and product development are both key. Always know your competitors and be one step ahead of them. Create your own USP.
Best business decision: Moving into aluminium and making better use of pay-per-click advertising opportunities.
Other interests: Gym, golf, travel, shooting, eating out and socialising.
Working Day: My working day always starts very early, as I’ve discovered that I can accomplish more during the initial hours before the phone calls and meetings begin. My routine typically begins with checking my emails, followed by running through my daily tasks. I make it a point to engage with our trade customers on a daily basis. I also like to service our retail and trade leads, because even after all these years I still get a buzz out of it and find it a useful exercise.
A crucial part of my day involves meeting with Shaun Booth, my business partner, to discuss new ideas as part of our strategic planning. This collaborative session ensures we stay aligned and innovative. Additionally, I regularly connect with the team in the factory. Our dynamic and close-knit group feels like one big family, contributing to a fantastic working environment.
Working Location: We are in a great location in Nottingham in the Midlands. We have a 20,000 ft² factory with a modern office space. Currently, we’re in the process of constructing an on-site showroom, a development that promises significant advantages for both our customers and our team. Beyond my office commitments, a substantial portion of my time is dedicated to being on the road. This involves visiting both existing and prospective customers. I find great satisfaction in establishing connections with them and gaining insights into how we can contribute to the growth of their businesses.
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THE INTERVIEW
It makes me incredibly proud to say that the last 12 months have been the best yet for the business, witnessing a remarkable 45% increase in turnover. This robust growth can be attributed to several reasons. You could sum the reasons up by saying we have a strong business foundation built on quality and service. We then add further value with innovation and a distinctive USP.
The value of diversification
One factor underpinning our success is diversification. As a business, we’ve got a presence in the trade, commercial and retail sectors. Our portfolio features high-end aluminium and PVC-U windows and doors, making us a go-to option for installers keen to offer a mix of premium product solutions.
One of the biggest opportunities for us this year has been our Heritage Collection, something that was boosted by our most successful advertising campaign yet. We could see that heritage products were in very high demand, so we used the campaign to capitalise on this popularity. The other benefit of heritage systems is they have good profit margins, so we knew that any investment in raising their profile in our business would always pay dividends.
The Heritage Window, Single Door and Double Door provide the ideal solution for listed building renovations and large-scale refurbishment projects with conservation building requirements or planning constraints. The windows are available in fixed, tilt & turn, side hung or top hung casement options with a choice of heritage or art deco hardware to complement the products.
Perfectly complementing
The Interior Screening System perfectly complements the heritage windows and doors and helps to create light and airy internal environments. It can be used to divide or delineate residential and commercial spaces of any shape and size, while also providing an effective acoustic barrier. With a choice of hinged single and double doors, as well as pivot and sliding options to accompany the fixed glazed screen, the flexible and versatile system provides almost limitless design possibilities. All products in the collection are available in a choice of standard or non-standard colours, including metallic, dual colour, textured and anodised effect finishes. As the success of our campaign demonstrates, I think the heritage sector has huge opportunities for our industry. It showcases all the intelligent innovation that our industry has to offer.
It gives homeowners the beautiful products they want to enhance and add value to their homes. For all these reasons and more, I can only foresee more growth to come. Long may it last, I say! We also continually look to the market to see what our customers need. In the coming months we’ll extend our portfolio by offering flush casement aluminium windows, trade commercial doors and curtain walling systems. This spread of sectors and systems protects our business and it also boosts our market reach. We aren’t too exposed if one sector has a bad year. And we benefit when all are buoyant.
The importance of quality and service
There are two fundamentals for Regal Aluminium: quality and service. All our products are fabricated by highly skilled, highly trained operatives in state-of-the-art facilities, so the quality of our products is second to none. In all my years in the industry, I’ve learned that exceptional customer service is the one thing you can’t compromise on. Outstanding customer service is in the DNA of Regal, and it shows.
I know that the team here at Regal Aluminium thrives on the positive feedback we get thanks to our commitment to these two fundamentals. I also know that it directly contributes to boosting our reputation and growing our business. It’s why we’ll never compromise on quality or service.
The power of a USP
The other factor that sets us apart in the industry is the tailored marketing support and business development input on offer. I’ve developed several businesses over my 34 years in the industry and I’m keen to use my experience to work with installers that want to move to the next level. This puts us on another level for ambitious companies who want to grow their businesses.
The key for installers
I think our recipe for success is one that installers can follow too. Diversify your sectors and your products depending on what the market needs. The market doesn’t stand still, and neither should you. Find your USP too, so people know exactly why they should choose you over any of your competitors. My other big piece of advice is always to go back to basics. Too many businesses still try to compete on price. But it’s always a race to the bottom that no one – not even the customer – can win.
A virtuous circle
Instead of competing on price, I believe there are huge benefits to be had from competing on quality and service. When we do this, we create a virtuous circle from which everyone benefits – you only have to look at our own success to see that. When installers take pride in their work, their performance tends to excel. Positive feedback for their efforts serves as a motivating factor, driving them to continually improve and deliver an even better job. But the virtuous circle doesn’t stop there. When you focus on quality and service you can raise your rates and charge a premium. This boosts your margins and gives you capital you can use to reinvest in the business to raise quality and service even more.
More of the same
As we look forward, our order pipeline suggests that our growth trajectory won’t be slowing down any time soon. We are committed to expanding our product offer in response to market demands. On a personal note, I am excited about the prospect of refining our brand identity more distinctly than ever before. Our aim is to become the go-to hub for ambitious companies seeking personalised support to propel their businesses forward. With a track record of reliability and a reputation for excellence, partnering with Regal Aluminium ensures installers not only stay competitive but also elevate their offer to meet and exceed their customers’ expectations.
If this aligns with what you’re seeking, don’t hesitate to get in touch today.
Tel: 01773 483090
https://regalaluminium.uk
