How ECDS champions people
With skills shortages challenging the glazing industry, Entrance Composite Door Solutions (ECDS) is taking a people-first approach. By investing in apprenticeships and staff development, the company is building long-term resilience, ensuring quality, and giving trade partners the confidence of a skilled, stable and forward-looking workforce.
The UK glazing industry faces an unprecedented challenge. With an ageing workforce and fewer young people entering the trades, skills shortages have reached critical levels.
Yet while many businesses struggle to maintain standards, Entrance Composite Door Solutions (ECDS) is taking a different approach – investing deeply in its people as the foundation for sustainable growth.
The composite door manufacturer has recently launched an expanded apprenticeship programme that represents both immediate practical benefits and a long-term strategic response to industry challenges.
“We are continuously evaluating our current situation to ensure our customers’ quality and service is exceeding expectations, along with bringing them new and innovative products and designs to suit the changing market,” explained Gregory Kelly, managing director at ECDS. “This apprenticeship programme is another step in making sure we’re always moving forward.”
Strategic investment in people
For trade installers, skills shortages create uncertainty through supply chain disruptions, inconsistent product quality, and unreliable delivery schedules. It’s a landscape where stability and dependability carry premium value.
“For our trade partners, this means continued peace of mind – knowing the people behind the products are developing their expertise and contributing to reliable, top-quality manufacturing processes,” Gregory emphasises.
ECDS’s approach operates on multiple levels. Scott Ellward, head of the paintshop at ECDS’ Nottingham premises, exemplifies internal progression potential. Having completed his Level 3 Team Leader and Supervisor apprenticeship, Scott’s development represents organic skills growth benefiting both individual careers and business performance.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see team members like Scott progressing through formal training and making a real impact on the business,” Gregory notes. “The training has helped sharpen his leadership and operational skills, contributing to smoother workflows and consistent production standards.”
Alongside existing talent investment, ECDS has welcomed two new apprentices, Oliver Roberts and Konrad Taraszkiewicz, through Glass and Fenestration Training Solutions (GFTS).
“We’re also excited to welcome Oliver and Konrad as the next generation of talent – their enthusiasm and fresh perspectives are already proving valuable,” Gregory adds.
While many manufacturers respond to skills shortages by compromising on training or accepting higher turnover, Gregory says that ECDS invests more heavily in human capital development.
“Apprenticeships remain one of the most effective ways to tackle the industry’s skills shortage, providing real-world experience and formal training that benefit both businesses and their customers,” he explains.
By developing a stable, skilled workforce, ECDS provides trade partners with consistency and reliability that has become increasingly rare. As the composite door market continues to grow, consumer demand for high-performance entrance solutions requires the kind of skilled workforce many manufacturers struggle to maintain.
“With a clear focus on craftsmanship, consistency and long-term growth, ECDS’ investment in apprenticeships underlines our role as a supplier committed to supporting installers with products they can depend on – now and in the future,” Gregory states.
Long-term advantage
What distinguishes ECDS’s approach is its longer-term perspective. Rather than viewing apprenticeships solely as immediate staffing solutions, the company sees skills development as an ongoing competitive advantage that will pay dividends across business cycles.
This mindset reflects mature understanding of manufacturing excellence – that sustainable quality improvements come from systematic investment in people and processes, not quick fixes.
For trade installers evaluating potential partners, ECDS hopes that its commitment to continuous improvement through workforce development provides reassurance about long-term reliability and innovation capacity.
The success of Scott Ellward’s progression and integration of new apprentices will therefore be measured in the broader reliability and consistency these investments bring to customer relationships.
And for an industry traditionally focused on product innovation and efficiency, ECDS’s people-first emphasis represents recognition that sustainable success depends on human expertise and commitment.