As the fenestration sector welcomes in 2025, it also greets an exciting new company, Illuminex. A brand-new fabricator entering the industry, starting with one product and one focus – fully foiled flush fit windows and doors.

Operating from a new purpose-built specialist production facility in Lincoln and delivering nationwide, Illuminex will be fabricating Rehau’s Rio flush fit range of windows, single doors, front doors, and French door sets.

Crucially, Illuminex’s offering will be fully mechanically jointed, and will be available in 10 colourways of either colour on colour, or colour on white woodgrain. Incorporating Yale and Mila security hardware and delivered to site in just three weeks, Illuminex is set to make big waves in the window industry in 2025.

Donna Watts, owner and co-founder at Illuminex, explained: “We are very excited about what we have created. Due to the partnership, support and backing of Rehau we can bring fully mechanically jointed, double foiled, flush fit frames from order to delivery in just three weeks. A timeframe currently unheard of within the industry.

“Being a specialist factory means it is all we do, and we do it well. Achieving a high-end finish on both the window and the service we provide is paramount to us.

“The Rio range of products are already aesthetically pleasing, but couple that with a fully mechanical frame, 10 beautiful colourways with white foil inside as standard, and Mila’s traditional and contemporary hardware ranges, we feel we have a winning formula.”

A unique offering

Key to Illuminex’s success within the crowded PVC-U marketplace is its unique foil product offering and delivery timeframe.

Ethan Jones, head of production, commented: “Foiled windows are growing exponentially year on year, with this market now making up nearly 40% of the fenestration industry as a whole. We identified a gap in the marketplace for a fully mechanically jointed system that would enhance the finish and look of the already aesthetically pleasing flush fit frame.

“When coupled with a white woodgrain interior, the product is simply stunning. We have been fortunate to work closely with Rehau on stock meaning we really can deliver a coloured woodgrain foil on white woodgrain foil from order to site nationwide in just three weeks. This is an achievement that we are very excited about as a company. It truly is a unique product and a unique offering.”

Illuminex owners Donna Watts, Ian Patterson, Mike Taylor, Ethan Jones and Ayrton Jones bring 74 years of combined knowledge and experience from within the fenestration industry to the new venture.

Donna added: “We are proud to say we will be offering a full house of matching fully suited products using the Rio flush fit system. This will include windows, single doors, French door sets and we are excited to announce the launch of nine high quality front doors, so the entire house can be suited to our flush fit system.

“Rehau’s assistance has been invaluable in achieving this full suite of products. We are very impressed with the support they have provided so far and will continue to give as Illuminex goes from strength to strength.”

Hannah Smith, area sales manager for Rehau, continued: “Donna, Ian, Mike, Ethan and Ayrton have become familiar faces at Rehau over the last few months as we have worked closely with them to bring this new venture to fruition. We have really enjoyed helping them take Illuminex from an ambition to a reality.

“The whole team have extensive experience in the fenestration sector, so the fact they have solely chosen to manufacture Rehau’s Rio profile is a huge vote of confidence. We are very much looking forward to the year ahead with Illuminex and watching sales multiply.”

Keen to position themselves at the top of the market as a fabricator of premium, high-performing frames at affordable prices, Illuminex has set out to be synonymous for quality and affordability, and adds that this is why manufacturing with the Rehau Rio profile ‘was an obvious choice’.

The company’s products achieve an A Window Energy Rating (WER) as standard with a U-value of 1.2W/m2K and PAS24 enhanced security accredited.

Ian Patterson, Illuminex’s owner and co-founder, said: “From point of order to site delivery and everything in between our mission is to create a hand finished, high-quality flush window and door range that our customers can be proud to install. We think ongoing sales and marketing support coupled with a beautifully finished window and door will grow sales expediently in 2025 and beyond.”

Collaborative marketing support

Illuminex’s marketing plan for 2025 is said to be comprehensive and will see the introduction of five brand new websites.

A large social media and advertising campaign, strong branding and homeowner tools, as well as a website purely dedicated to before and after photos and case studies will also aim to help boost sales.

Offline marketing will be available in the form of product focused brochures, colour sample sets, flyer cards and product specific media giving their customers everything they need to turn potential customers into sales.

A strong online presence will create leads for Illuminex’s trade customers through a stockist network that will be passed on free of charge. Their customers will also be given the option to co-brand any of the media and marketing materials, brochures, colour and spec sheets to create a fully comprehensive marketing package designed to deliver ‘an enhanced homeowner experience’.

Sample packs that contain brochures, colour foils, flyers and order forms can also be requested and sent directly to the homeowner.

Donna continued: “We want to support our customers as much as possible through strong branding, marketing, advertising and leads with a comprehensive marketing plan throughout 2025.

“We are confident we can create a unique experience for both our customer, the trade supplier and their customer, the homeowner. We think this will result in extra leads, recommendations and ultimately more business for our customer, the installer and us as the fabricator, it’s a win-win.”

A bright future

Illuminex has ambitious plans for 2025 and beyond. Determined to become the UK’s largest specialist fabricator of foiled flush fit windows and doors, Illuminex is already making plans for expansion to increase production speeds as well as adding a further 8,000ft2 facility.

Donna explained: “With such a wealth of industry knowledge within our team, from marketing expertise to extensive machinery and production knowledge we are confident we can achieve the ambitious plans we have set out for the company going forward. Specialist machinery and a second production facility will allow us to produce up to 500 frames per week, a goal we intend to reach in 2026.”

Hannah, area sales manager from Rehau, added: “Alongside Illuminex’s unique product offering and extremely fast turnaround times they have created a truly impressive business proposition for the top end of the fenestration market. We have every confidence they will go from strength to strength in their new venture, and I’m looking forward to working closely with the team to achieve this aim.”

To order a free dealer pack with exclusive offers, discounts and samples or for more information, call: 01526 800950 or email [email protected]