THE door industry journal summer 2025 20 Industry News Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk As summer slows, uncertainty grows: What’s next for the UK’s fenestration sector? Neil Evans, Managing Director at VEKA plc, gives his thoughts on the current market and explains what VEKA is doing to help its customers steady the waves. It’s a clichéd yet almost obligatory way to start any discussion at the moment, but we really are living through unprecedented times. The global outlook is not short on volatility, with geopolitical happenings, economic pressures and shifting consumer behaviours all reshaping markets daily. And while some of these forces often appear far removed, their effects ripple quickly into local industries like ours. After years of steady, if unspectacular, performance, the UK’s fenestration sector has unfortunately entered a phase of stagnation, creating pressure that is difficult to ignore. Order volumes are reported as flat at best, discretionary household spending continues to decline and sadly, insolvencies have started to surface. Even those in the sector that have a knack for overclaiming their performance have gone quiet. For transparency, our volumes are in line with 2024. In contrast to previous years, few can now confidently claim that the sector is outperforming. Privately, even long-standing operators are referring to the current landscape as ‘dire’, expressing their concerns about where the market is. The usual optimism we tend to sense in the summer months ahead of the September to November ‘peak season’ seems muted, and fabricators, installers and suppliers alike are occupied with what comes next. The most pertinent challenge is that households remain reluctant to commit to big-ticket purchases like new windows and doors. The latest GfK Business and Consumer Confidence research[1] shows that overall consumer confidence continues to sit in negative territory, and although personal savings remain high, spending has shifted. According to Barclaycard’s data, consumers are choosing experiences over major home improvements, even when funds are available. There is also little sign of external stimulus. Government focus has been on greener technologies like solar panels and heat pumps. Window and door replacements, despite offering proven energysaving potential, remain largely absent from subsidy or voice. As a result, demand is heavily dependent on discretionary spend – hard when homeowners are adopting a ‘wait and see’ attitude in response to a volatile economy. It would be wrong to suggest that the outlook is universally bleak, but a lot hinges on the months ahead. As we know, Autumn is traditionally a key period for the industry, as projects scoped and priced during the summer go ahead. This year, quoting activity won’t have picked up as hoped for everybody, meaning that everybody will have to work harder and smarter to convert. Yet, there are many businesses still making ground. We see it in our business with some customers who have found double digit growth so far this year, and others who have grown for eight consecutive years. Regardless of overall conditions, some businesses are outperforming the market. The differences between those who are growing or stable and those who are not are becoming more defined. The firms doing well have a clear strategy, they’ve invested in capability, whether production technology, marketing or customer services, and they are actively managing risk across markets. Critically, they are not over-exposed to a single customer group or channel, and have diversified customers across retail, commercial and public sectors – because it’s rare to see all sectors in decline at once. Manufacturers and systems houses are also being asked for more, such as technical input, commercial support, help with marketing and even operational advice. At VEKA, we have seen this shift first hand. Increasingly, our most successful partners are those who approach us as collaborators. They share their challenges and plans and ask us to add value beyond ‘just’ hugely reliable supply. In return, we are candid about what’s achievable and where we can add value. “Increasingly, our most successful partners are those who approach us as collaborators”
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