Independence creates choice
We talk to Universal Trade Frames’ Richard Hammond, who explains why the company has created a unique proposition for its Solidor composite door range.
“We want to give our customers something different, but also to bring more flexibility to our service offer to give them the confidence that they can accommodate any job,” explains Richard Hammond, sales director, Universal Trade Frames.
“It’s an approach that we’ve applied across our product portfolio including our composite door range.
“We chose Solidor because we wanted to offer a door slab with strength and quality at its core then leverage that with our fabrication excellence, world class OTIF and dedicated aftercare, to support our customers in winning even more business that delivered differentiation in the market.
“What we’ve done is to build on those core strengths, bringing in further USPs which support our customers in winning even more business.”
Operating from a 30,000ft2 manufacturing facility in Shrewsbury, and fabricating on average 25-30 door sets a week, Universal Trade Frames is reported to be UK’s largest independent manufacturer of the Solidor composite door range, with the exception of Solidor itself.
Universal offers the complete Solidor slab range including Traditional Collection, Italia Collection, matching side panels and stable, French and even panic bar exit door options.
“We supply the full Solidor range, but we also add our own unique spin. That includes our hardware offer, the flexibility that we can bring to colour options – and critically, a matching Spectus outer frame for the rest of the house, not to mention what we can offer on glass,” Richard continues.
The starting point for Universal’s Solidor ‘recipe for success’, other than the slab itself, is the frame.
Door sets are manufactured by Universal in Spectus’ dedicated door outer frame available in both ovolo and chamfered options.
This gives Universal the flexibility to match the door set to its window offer. Alongside the Spectus ovolo and chamfered options, it also fabricates the Spectus vertical sliding window, the Spectus/Epwin flush casement, plus the complete Residence Collection.
“Offering homeowners a door frame to match the windows is a small but important point of differentiation between us and Solidor,” Richard says.
“As a single point of supply our customers can sell a fully suited offer. It won’t always be a critical factor but for those homeowners who want that synergy it is important, and that creates an opportunity for retailers.”
As a specialist manufacturer, Universal has also applied focus to security, offering Solidor composites with Yale multi-point locking, combining three claws and latch and the Yale Platinum TS007 3 Star Kitemarked cylinder as standard, or the latest Ultion ALPS 3* Thermal attack resistant cylinder as an upgrade.
It offers the complete Solidor hardware range plus handles and door furniture from Fab & Fix. This includes handles, hinges, letterboxes and knockers each fully suited including a heritage range of handles in finishes including antique black and pewter.
For The Italia Range stainless steel pull bars and pull knobs from Karcher and Coastal provide elegance and style along with uncompromising quality.
“Solidor is a premium proposition and that has to be reflected in the hardware and locking mechanism,” Richard adds. “It’s about supporting our customers in closing more sales by giving the end-user more choice.”
This approach also extends to glass and unit supply. In addition to carrying the complete Solidor glass range, Universal Trade Frames also offers customised glass designs, bringing additional flexibility to its offer.
“It’s a big plus for a lot of our customers,” explains Richard. “Alongside bespoke colour, it supports a shift in the narrative away from a practical or commodity sale to more of a design consultation.
“Solidor remains a premium product. The approach to sale, in common with Residence Collection or any other premium product can be more consultative, as long as your supplier gives you the backing in its service offer.
“For us it comes back to flexibility,” he concludes. “We can do everything that Solidor does but as a premium manufacturer of doors and windows, align what we do to a bigger product portfolio. At the same time, we have adjusted the recipe a little to give homeowners more choice, and ultimately, to generate more opportunities for installers.”