Clearview National January 2015 - Issue 158 | Page 44

aluminium

All Set for more
Aluminium Growth
Garrard Windows in Pitstone, Bedfordshire, was
ranked last year as the 23rd largest fabricator
in the UK, based on turnover, according
to Insight Data’s industry report 2013.
»»The company also
recently consolidated its
fabricating operations under
one roof with the rental of
additional factory space next
door to its existing facilities.
Clearview chatted to Ben Cleaver,
Marketing Manager at Garrard
Windows for three years, to find
out more about what must have
been a great year for the company
and discover what the New Year
might have in store…

us to relocate our aluminium
fabricating facilities from where
they were previously in Grendon
Underwood, about 15 to 20 miles
away, so that all our production is
now under one roof. In doing so
we have been able to reduce the
costs of the business and improve
factory efficiencies and logistics.
By consolidating production
we are aiming to reduce our
overheads, which should help
ensure future growth.

Extensive Range
“Garrard Windows is a large
uPVC and aluminium window
product manufacturer based in
the South of England, fabricating
and supplying to the trade for
about 15 years,” explains Ben.
“We offer a number of options for
aluminium windows, Alitherm
300 and 800 and Evolution.
For residential doors we offer
Alitherm plus and Heritage
47, Shopline and Smartwall
for commercial entrance doors
and shopfronts. Visoglide and
Slide 2000 for our Patio door
range, as well as a choice of
four aluminium bifold doors,
1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000.
The Evolution range of windows

Optimism and Growth
“Last year proved a good
one for Garrard Windows,”
Ben continues. “The company
experienced decent growth
and hit the targets set by our
Managing Director, Steve Leek.
But it was our aluminium bifolding doors that really took
centre stage. They really are
something to behold. They not
only look great but also perform
really well. We witnessed growth
in this area in 2014 and we expect
that growth to continue this
year.
“We are witnessing an
increase in the level of optimism,
both among the homeowner
and in the commercial arena.

provides the ideal solution for
heritage applications, such as
listed building renovations and
large scale replica refurbishment
projects where planning
constraints may be an issue.
Expanding Horizons
“Last year the company took
on a new factory that shared an
adjoining wall with our uPVC
manufacturing operations. We
have since knocked through into
the new factory, creating one
large building. This has allowed

44 » JAN 2015 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M

Commercial projects are being
brought forward and residential
buyers are also now buying into
the benefits of aluminium that
commercial have long favoured.
It is the U-values that can
be achieved and the thermal
efficiency of aluminium products
that have really changed public
perception.
“In fact, we have had a record
few months where aluminium
is concerned and it looks set to
continue into this year. Triple
glazing will also be an area of
growth for Garrard Windows
this year as homeowners are
exposed to more adverts about
triple glazing upgrades and
subsequently request it from their
installers. Fortunately Garrad
Windows is in a good position to
fulfill the demand.
Exciting
Announcements
“We are also developing some
exciting new aluminium products
for launch in 2015 but that’s
all I can say at the moment I’m
afraid. And we will make a rather
big announcement very soon,
so watch this space,” Ben adds
intriguingly.