How to tune into colour
Fabricators are missing out on a potentially lucrative market by not embracing the colour options available to them, according to Kolorseal director Deborah Hendry.
“While colour is now widely regarded as one of the most important considerations for homeowners buying new windows and doors, fabricators are often unwittingly limiting their offering to their customers,” Deborah told Glass Times.
“Understandably, many fabricators want to keep the entire process in-house, usually relying on the foiled profile from their suppliers if they don’t have a paint line. However, this has created problems in recent months.”
Deborah said that with the recent uplift in demand, some systems companies have had to concentrate on supplying core product, which has meant that niche items – such as foiled profile – have taken longer to produce, causing lead times to be extended further down the supply chain.
“This has put many businesses in a difficult position,” Deborah said. “On the one hand they want to guarantee quality by being very selective with their suppliers, but on the other they risk losing customers because projects come to a standstill.”
Deborah said that a painting service, like the one offered by Kolorseal, presents a valuable opportunity for those fabricators who want to profit from the interest in colour, but don’t want to have their hands tied by supply shortages.
“Quality of painted product, and a guaranteed five-day turnaround is what we live by,” Deborah said. “Once fabricators can trust Kolorseal to take care of their products and deliver exactly what they require, then they can have a whole new world opened up to them.
“For a start, they can take foils out of the equation altogether, which means they are tying less money up in stock, and they can offer a much greater choice of colours to installers.
“Furthermore, because we have 17 years’ experience in this field, we not only know all the potential pitfalls, but we can help with colour matching and basically offer a consultancy service to our customers.”
On the issue of foils, Deborah said that modern products were realistic and appealing, but modern trends were moving towards a smooth finish, maybe as homeowners recreate the finish of aluminium alternatives.
“What’s more, once you get up beyond the ground floor, or you are painting the ancillaries such as rooflines and guttering, then no-one notices if it is foiled or not,” she said.
Kolorseal recently launched a new brochure that it is being sent out to fabricators with other marketing materials that will keep the company front and centre of the fabrication process.
“People aren’t looking for colour every day,” Deborah said. So, we need to grab people’s attention when they need our service.
“Also, fabricators need to realise how straightforward it is to get product painted. Some people worry that it will be difficult to include a painting operation as part of their process. But we give precise timings as to when we pick product up and when they will get it back. We offer a clear route through the paint process including checking all the items that need painting, including the ancillaries.
“Once they embrace that, then meeting increased demand should become a lot more straightforward.”
Kolorseal’s six steps – over five days – for colour are:
- Email Sales@kolorseal with window/door drawings or roofline/trim requirements.
- Receive a quote back.
- Send your purchase order with a date for the goods to be collected by, or delivered to Kolorseal.
- Receive an order confirmation back detailing all items, colour and dates for collection/delivery and return date.
- Kolorseal will collect or you drop off your goods on agreed date.
- Goods will then be delivered or ready for collection on agreed date.