A year like no other

We talk to Avantek’s sales director, Jamie Munday, about how the machinery specialist has helped fabricators manage a surge in demand during the pandemic.

The fenestration industry has seen an unprecedented period of growth, with homeowners investing in their properties to improve the space they live in.

Many office-based employees who were required to work from home during the pandemic quickly realised that this offered a greater work life balance – however, they also recognised that their houses needed additional space if this was to be sustainable.

As a result, many people extended their homes or added a garden room to their properties to maximise their living and workspace.

This put window and door fabrication companies under huge pressure to meet demand, and with a challenging recruitment market in 2021, many recognised the need to invest in additional machinery to increase capacity.

As a result, Avantek Machinery says it has seen a year ‘like no other’, with an increase in both new machinery and upgrades to existing machinery as well as an increase in demand for consumables as machines were worked harder than ever.

UK based, UK engineers

As a UK based business, with UK engineers on the ground, Avantek machinery prides itself in delivering a first-class customer service experience.

Jamie Munday, Avantek sales director, explains how the company has helped many fabricators increase their manufacturing capacity: “When COVID hit in 2020 we had no idea what would happen to our market. We all held our collective breath, listening to the news telling us about the impending financial crisis.

“But after the first lockdown, the demand from the consumer market was beyond anything any of us could have imagined,” he continues. “Fabricators quickly realised that they needed to either upgrade or buy new machinery to keep up with the demand.

“Companies started to expand their fabrication facilities and dedicate more space to fabrication, helping to keep staff socially distanced without the need to reduce productivity. As such, we took an early decision to invest in our held stock of machines and consumables, with the support of our US parent company, Quanex.

“Ordering machines in advance meant we were in an ideal position to be able to deliver the very best customer service, despite the challenges COVID threw at us.”

Innovative machinery

“Our SuperCut 5 and 6 cutting and machining centres have been received incredibly well by the industry and have been designed to save time, reduce wastage and increase productivity,” says Jamie. “The 50^th installation took place in August 2021, and as we go to press, SuperCut machine number 60 has just been sold – they’re more in demand than ever before, many as repeat orders from customers who’ve experienced their value first-hand.”

In addition to the SuperCut, Avantek also stocks Wegoma, Urban, Digi and FOM machinery, as well as spares for a wide range of brands including Graf Synergy.

Jamie continues: “We know that new machinery, whether it be brand new or refurbished, is a huge investment for any fabrication company. From the first discussion, we build relationships with our customers to ensure that we are delivering exactly what they need now and to future-proof their business, helping them see a return on investment.

“The ‘A Team’ takes pride in going that extra mile, giving a dedicated service, and helping our customers be more efficient. That’s why we offer the very best machinery for our industry.

“Together with our parent company, Liniar, safety is our number one operating priority. We believe in this philosophy all the way to our customers too,” says Jamie.

“The training we provide is thorough and we leave all new machines in the knowledge that the fabrication technicians are well trained and can use the machinery safely. But that’s not where our support ends – we’re available for advice and information at any time, giving Avantek customers the reassurance that their investment will bring value long into the future.”