Can expansion transform Scotland’s trade windows market?

The launch of CMS Trade gives trade window and door customers access to high performing products from one of Scotland’s most acclaimed fabricators, plus the opportunity to cut waste disposal costs. At the helm is the experienced Colin Torley, who tells Glass Times how the company’s fresh approach challenges convention.

In just 13 years, the PVCU and aluminium designer, fabricator and installer – CMS – has grown to become one of Scotland’s largest and most respected window and door companies within the public, housebuilding and commercial sectors.

A raft of awards and accolades, ranging from a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2017 to a European Business Award for the Environment, and making it into the influential Top 1,000 ‘Companies to Inspire Britain’ report, illustrate the drive and ambition of the company.

Now, with the creation of CMS Trade, the company is embarking on its latest venture, underpinned by a wealth of fabrication expertise and led by former Veka director Colin Torley.

CMS Trade operates from a new 25,000ft2 state-of-the-art factory in East Kilbride to the south of Glasgow, which is configured and equipped specifically around the needs of trade customers. Supporting Colin is Stuart Glen, who will be tasked with managing the new factory. Together they bring 70 years’ combined experience to the business.

“CMS Trade is a dedicated new division of CMS Window Systems built from the ground up to serve the needs of trade customers,” Colin said. “This means trade customers get the best of both worlds: a team that is highly experienced to ensure orders are processed and manufactured efficiently to the highest standards, plus a product range that perfectly suits their needs.

“Unlike some trade suppliers who manufacture using a profile system that wouldn’t necessarily be the first choice for the majority of installers, we have instead partnered with Eurocell and Rehau who we know are the top choices for many trade customers.

“But we know this is only part of what makes a good trade supplier, which is why we have invested in a great service-focused team that is flexible, responsive and understands the challenges that our customers face. We’d encourage any trade installers to visit us and take a look behind the scenes to see the quality of what we are doing here in East Kilbride for themselves.”

The Eurocell and Rehau window and door options, competitive lead times and a 24-hour turnaround on re-makes puts CMS Trade in great shape to attract new trade customers from all over Scotland. But it is also giving customers another important cost-saving reason to choose CMS Trade, according to Colin.

“One of the things that CMS have done so well is to make recycling of post-use windows and doors the norm as part of their service, and we are now bringing this to trade customers,” he said. “We will be using the waste collection, separation and re-use facilities available at CMS’s main site in Cumbernauld, which are so effective that they have helped the business to completely eliminate landfill waste.

“It means CMS Trade customers can bring us the windows and doors that they are removing from properties when they pick up their latest order, and we will make sure they are recycled – completely free of charge.

“It will give installers who are working on replacement jobs the opportunity to save money on their waste disposal costs – which are rising all the time – and we think it will appeal to their customers too as the public appetite grows for suppliers with good green credentials.

“Ultimately, CMS Trade offers a new proposition for the trade window and door market which is about providing a wide product range while being flexible, customer-focused and more sustainable. The service that clients in the public sector, housebuilding and commercial markets have enjoyed for 13 years is now available to everyone, and that has the potential to transform the quality and sustainability of many more of Scotland’s properties.”

www.cmswindows.com/trade