Stuga has entered a new chapter following the acquisition of parent company, Stürtz, by Voilàp Group – the Italian-based global leader in automation and digitalisation. Luke Wood, editor of Glass Times Magazine, talks to Stuga UK’s managing director, Ed Williams, to find out what this means for Stuga, its customers, and the future of automation for UK fabricators.

LW: Ed, this is a new chapter for Stuga – can you tell us a bit more about what this means as a business and for your UK customers?

EW: It’s actually a huge and very positive step for us. Becoming part of Voilàp through Stürtz gives us a much stronger long-term foundation.

Voilàp isn’t a financial investor – they’re a manufacturing and technology company, just like Stürtz and Stuga. That makes a world of difference because their drive is engineering and innovation, not short-term financial gain.

In contrast to private equity models that focus on quick exits, Voilàp’s industrial approach ensures the kind of long-term stability our customers need. This means we can plan years ahead with confidence, reinvest in our people, stock and technology, and focus on designing and supporting world-class machinery for UK fabricators – which is what they expect from Stuga.

LW: You’ve said customers can expect essentially the same team but with a stronger foundation. What does that look like day to day for fabricators who rely on Stuga machinery and support?

EW: Really, everything familiar continues exactly as before – the same engineers, technical support, production team, and the same people testing and commissioning our machines. The same faces will be on the phone and the same focus on uptime and after-sales will remain.

The difference now is that we can do it all with greater stability and more resources behind us. Being part of an innovation-led manufacturing group like Voilàp allows us to invest long term – in training, spares, systems, and new technology – knowing our future is secure.

The key message to customers is that their investments in Stuga are safe. They’ll continue to receive the same high level of service and care we’ve provided for over forty years, but with even stronger commitment and faster response.

LW: What new opportunities or advantages will come from being part of the Voilàp and Stürtz family, particularly in relation to product range or innovations within the group?

EW: This is where the real opportunity lies for us. Voilàp brings enormous capability in automation, building on what Stürtz already offers in logistics, handling, welding and cleaning.

Voilàp’s wider portfolio includes robotics, digital factory integration and advanced software platforms for digitalisation. Combining that with Stuga’s PVC experience and our UK customer base means we can offer a much broader, forward-looking product range.

We also gain access to shared R&D – benefiting from shared ideas, expertise and resources – plus a global manufacturing network that brings scale, efficiency and quality. This will allow us to bring new ideas and innovations to the UK faster and more reliably than ever before.

Looking ahead, there’s also potential for Stuga to expand its portfolio to include some of the Voilàp Group’s other UPVC products, complementing what we already do and strengthening our service offering in the UK.

That could eventually mean everything from small entry-level welding and cleaning systems right up to fully automated lines and handling solutions. It’s early days, but the opportunity is definitely there.

Ultimately, we’re now part of a group that allows us to think bigger – combining German engineering precision, Italian digital strength, and Stuga’s deep understanding of the UK fenestration industry. It’s a really powerful combination.

LW: Given your position at the heart of the industry, what’s your perspective on how things have been so far in 2025? And what’s your outlook for the rest of the year and into 2026?

EW: We’ve been speaking to many customers recently, and it’s fair to say the market is tough. The overall volume in fenestration has shrunk by around 10–12% over the past year, which naturally affects investment confidence.

Fabricators are more cautious, not because they don’t believe in automation, but because they’re managing higher labour costs, national insurance, and minimum wage increases at a time when demand has softened.

Those cost pressures are very real – we feel them too with our own team of 45 people. Rising costs are squeezing margins in an already competitive market, so businesses are being careful with their spending decisions.

On top of that, Stürtz’s insolvency earlier in the summer did momentarily impact confidence in Stuga’s long-term position, which was understandable. But since joining Voilàp, customers have seen that we’re fully operational and stronger than ever.

In fact, we’ve seen several major UK fabricators make significant new investments in Stuga since the acquisition, which speaks volumes about returning confidence.

So, while the environment is challenging, it’s also a time of opportunity. The businesses using this period to modernise, automate, and prepare for the next phase of growth will be the ones leading the market when things pick up again.

LW: Finally, going back to the acquisition, what excites you most about Stuga’s future under Voilàp’s ownership? And what message would you like to share with customers as we look ahead to 2026?

EW: We’ve talked about financial security, but beyond that, we’re in a fantastic position to build, innovate, and invest again with real momentum.

We’re already developing an entry-level UPVC and aluminium system to make automation more accessible to smaller fabricators. Alongside that, we’re expanding our overall portfolio by drawing on wider Voilàp Group technologies – creating a true end-to-end offering.

Voilàp, with Stürtz and Stuga, is now arguably the only global manufacturer providing everything from standalone entry-level systems to fully digitised factory automation.

But it’s not just about machinery. We’re investing heavily in after-sales – more engineers, faster response times, deeper technical support, and even AI-driven service tools.

We’ve also launched remote diagnostics and ‘connected service’ systems, enabling factories to monitor and optimise performance in real time.

That combination of innovation, service, and digitalisation will define the next chapter for Stuga.

My message to customers is simple: We’re here for the long term. We’re investing in the future. We’re focused on helping UK fabricators grow stronger, smarter, and more productive than ever before. It’s an exciting time to be part of Stuga.