Major commercial installer cements relationship with Polyframe

A leading commercial installer has toasted to its long-standing alliance with Polyframe and is seizing all the benefits of working alongside the UK’s largest PVC-u fabricator, which now offers the industry’s widest range of PVC-u systems. The Window Company has been sourcing multiple PVC-u systems from Polyframe for more than five years and has driven growth within its business by taking advantage of the unique strengths and skills of Polyframe and its experienced team. The company is now looking forward to greater business opportunities from the recently-enhanced fabricator.

David Thornton, who set up Chelmsford-based The Window Company nearly 20 years ago, says: “We have always been a commercial installer and now have 24 fitting teams installing at least 300 frames a week. In the commercial sector, you have several trades relying on you and there is a huge amount of planning involved to ensure jobs run smoothly. The quality of products and reliability of supply is fundamental to the success of an installation and we only work with suppliers that can meet our exacting requirements and won’t let us down.  Polyframe has worked in partnership with us for many years and has been an enormous asset to our business. We began working with Polyframe because it is a large, well established fabricator with a superb choice of quality PVC-u systems and a solid reputation for delivering a flexible service and a tailored support package that works for customers. We know that we can depend on them to deliver on every job and, even if products are coming from different factories, we know they will arrive on time and in full.  People make Polyframe what it is. The whole team at Polyframe shares a passion for our business and we have a great working relationship with our dedicated account manager which helps ensure that every project runs as it should do. We’re delighted to celebrate our long relationship with them and we’re already making the most of the strengthened Polyframe offering.” 

Since its merger with Customade earlier this year, Polyframe now offers five PVC-u systems from Veka, Halo, Eurocell, Rehau and Duraflex. The Window Company currently sources Rehau and Halo systems from Polyframe, depending on the requirements of the installation. David adds: “For greater security, we have always had a dual-sourcing policy. Rehau and Halo are well-specified systems and our fitting teams like to install them because they are fitter-friendly. With the enhanced capabilities of Polyframe, we can easily source multiple systems if the need arises, which is an advantage for us. By sourcing these systems from a larger fabricator, we also benefit from better economies of scale and we all work to pre-determined delivery days so we can plan installation schedules accordingly.”

The Window Company supplies both PVC-u and aluminium frames to many of the South East’s largest contractors, social housing providers, local authorities, schools, private developers and homeowners. As well as buying PVC-u from Polyframe, the company also sources REAL Aluminium frames from Customade Group and it has welcomed the convenience of sharing the resources of these two well-established industry specialists.  “We were very pleased when Customade and Polyframe came together to form Customade Group because it enables us to tap into a vast product range with all the support of a large group behind it. For me, it is important to work with people who understand the industry and are committed to maintaining high levels of quality and service. The merger has enhanced our productivity because we have one dedicated account manager to look after everything for us. And on the rare occasion that issues arise, they are handled quickly and efficiently,” David says.

Since its merger with Polyframe, the enlarged, full-service Customade Group is now the biggest fabricator in the UK with revenues of more than £100 million. The group brings together some industry-leading brands and an enviable range of products, which spans PVC-u and aluminium windows and doors, composite doors, aluminium glazed roof products, sealed glass units and specialist glazing.  The Customade group now operates nationwide and employs 900 people in multiple manufacturing sites across the UK. The Group includes Polyframe (PVC-u), REAL Aluminium (aluminium), Atlas Glazed Roof Solutions (glazed roofs), Virtuoso (composite and paneled doors), Hourglass Seal (sealed glass units), and Fineline Aluminium (specialist glazing)