Aluk gears up for 2025 FIT Show

It might seem like a long way off, but I have a feeling that next year’s FIT Show could be a standout event.

Scheduled for 29 April – 1 May 2025, reverting back to the usual two-year gap between outings, it should be better timed to coincide with new product development within the industry, meaning more companies taking stand space to showcase the fruits of their labours.

Aluk is one of the first big names out of the blocks to announce its support for FIT ’25, although over 70 brands have also signed on the dotted line, according to show organisers.

The Chepstow based aluminium system house has enjoyed a new lease of life in recent months now that Russell Yates is back on board as MD, and is determined to use FIT as a platform to underline and enhance its position in the UK marketplace – including plans to launch new products and service initiatives.

With a bit of luck, it will inspire other system companies to follow suit. It would be great to see a return of the big money ‘double decker’ stands that have been a feature of previous FIT Shows, and a welcome boost for the industry.

Speaking of systems houses, Veka has shared details of its future plans, and unveiled its latest products and services at a recent customer event.

According to Neil Evans, Veka’s managing director, the company’s latest developments and products will ‘introduce a new era to the window and door sector’ – you can read the full story here.

And while all this is very positive stuff, it’s tempered by a comment in this week’s newsletter from Alex Page, director of Stedek.

As Alex points out, it’s all very well that system companies invest millions in new and exciting products, and in increasingly sophisticated ways to sell them, but in more challenging times, the temptation to sell on price – the classic ‘race to the bottom’ – becomes harder to ignore.

The industry has worked hard to develop outstanding, premium brands so undermining all that by giving them away for rock bottom prices, is only serving ‘short-term gains for long-term pain’.