Asa McGillian shares the key lessons from a year that tested the industry and reaffirmed Apeer’s values.

2025 marked a milestone for Apeer: three decades in business, evolving from manufacturing PVC panels in Ballymena to becoming one of the UK and Ireland’s most trusted composite door brands. But while 2025 was a year to celebrate longevity, it was also one that demanded resilience.

The company found itself at the centre of the industry’s biggest talking point – the U-value controversy – while also doubling down on the values that got it here: quality, honesty and partnership.

“It’s been one of the most challenging and illuminating years I can remember,” says Apeer’s managing director, Asa McGillian. “Turning 30 makes you reflect, but it also makes you take stock of what kind of business you want to be for the next 30. For us, integrity isn’t negotiable.”

U-values test true values

The year began after Apeer revealed that independent testing they’d commissioned had exposed widespread discrepancies in U-value claims across the market. Some doors advertised at 0.7 W/m²K were found to perform worse than 2 W/m²K – in other words, failing to meet even the minimum legal standard.

“We knew that speaking up would make waves,” says Asa. “But silence helps no one. If we want homeowners to trust our industry, we’ve got to hold ourselves to account.”

Apeer’s stance sparked debate, with many fabricators re-examining how performance data is verified and reviewing their own supplier documentation. “We didn’t expose this to point fingers,” Asa adds. “We did it because we all have skin in the game. When false claims enter the supply chain, every installer and every reputable manufacturer gets tarred with the same brush. It damages everyone. The only way forward is full transparency.”

Colour confidence

While the U-value scandal revealed the industry’s darker side this year, colour brought out its brighter one.

Apeer’s in-house colour facility has had one of its busiest years to date, fuelled by a growing appetite among homeowners for bolder, more individual designs.

Pastels, sage greens and porcelain blues have joined the once-dominant greys and blacks, with around one in eight Apeer doors now leaving the factory in a bespoke or premium shade.

“Colour is now a central part of every sales conversation,” says Asa. “Homeowners don’t just want their door to perform well, it has to express something about who they are too. That’s where our in-house colour capability really comes into its own. We can match virtually any shade, offer split colours inside and out, and deliver it all with absolute consistency. Installers love that flexibility because it helps them say yes to more jobs.”

Partnership is the key

Apeer’s focus this year has been as much on relationships as products, as it has looked to strengthen its network of trade partners. The ApeerXclusive partnership programme continues to grow, offering installers exclusive territories, qualified homeowner leads, tailored marketing support and pricing incentives that help to maintain competitiveness without eroding margins.

“It’s not just a badge, it’s a partnership model built on mutual trust,” says Asa. “Our success depends on our installers’ success. That’s why we invest in the tools and promotions that help them win more business and get on with the job at hand.”

This year’s promotions have included free colour upgrades, wreath magnets and A++ energy bundles, all designed to help installers boost conversions without cutting into margins. Partners also have access to Apeer’s online customer service portal that allows them to upload site images, track queries and access fitting guides in real time, as well as the online custom door builder which enables homeowners to design their own door through the installers’ own websites.

As Apeer wraps up its 30th year, Asa says the past 12 months have underscored a few timeless truths:

“The temptation in a tough market is to compromise. Cut the price, skip the optional extras, accept the paperwork at face value without checking and hope no one notices.

“But that’s not how you build a business that lasts. We’ve learned that the only thing harder than earning a good reputation is keeping it, and you can only do that by doing the right thing even when it’s uncomfortable.

“We’ve been around for 30 years because we’ve never taken the easy route. We make what we sell, we test what we make, and we stand by our partners every step of the way. And that’s exactly how we plan to build the next 30 years too.”