Resurgence in popularity

As the sliding patio door market continues its resurgence, Paul Benn, national sales manager of Exlabesa, says it’s important to choose your product wisely if you want to capitalise on the opportunities available.

Not so long ago, the sliding patio door was a reliable stalwart of the average portfolio. You could guarantee it would perform solidly year-in, year-out, justifying its place in your portfolio but no more than that.

Now we’re in 2017, the sector no longer looks like that. In fact, the sliding patio door is seeing a resurgence in popularity and sales are stronger than they have been for some years.

At Exlabesa, we’re delighted by the turnaround in the sliding patio’s fortunes. Our only surprise is that it’s taken the market so long to spot the advantages the door offers.

We believe it’s the aesthetics of the sliding patio door that are driving the growth. The fashion at the moment is for huge expanses of glass that link the inside and outside, which has driven the bifold door market.

However, the sliding patio door is better because its construction means you can have bigger panes and fewer uprights, giving you the expansive views you want.

Recent market research tells us the window and door industry is heavily reliant on sales in the replacement of the replacements sector of the market, and an increased focus on aesthetics. This focus on aesthetics is in turn driving sales in the aluminium sector, with sales set to reach a 17-year high by 2020.

We would argue that these two factors mean the sliding patio door in your portfolio should be an aluminium door with exceptional aesthetics. We would also say you need to partner with a company that values the quality of its products and support so you can be sure you’re adding value to your business.

Exlabesa’s KLS patio door suite, which has a lift-and-slide option and a new slide-only option, has been specifically designed to maximise the glazed area and is the door you need. It is available in two, three and four pane configurations with a maximum door weight of 400kg and door height of 3,200mm. It’s available in all RAL colours, and dual colour options are offered too. What’s more it suites with our KWS window systems and curtain walling system for projects where glass is the focus.

The door features a sliding mechanism that means the panels move effortlessly, smoothly and quietly. Security is assured through the multipoint locking system and internal beading, while the door meets and exceeds current building regulations for thermal efficiency.

Fabricators will appreciate the mechanical corner cleat that makes manufacturing easy while installers will value the gasket design that makes it easy to glaze and install.

Like all our products, the KLS sliding patio door is extruded in our state-of-the-art Doncaster headquarters which is equipped with two extruders and two ageing ovens, giving us more capability and capacity than many of our peers. Our in-house powder coating plant and in-house anodising plant mean we can guarantee the quality of all our items and also give us an advantage when it comes to delivery times.

Mill finish items typically take four working days, paint finish items typically take seven working days, and all orders are delivered using our own transport. Our experience means we are able to support our customers with technical support and product expertise so we can add value to any set up as needed.