From the beginning of 2020 onwards, refurbishing the home became as much about the inside as the outside, creating new opportunities for window installers, according to Bohle’s managing director Dave Broxton.

Typically, as one year rolls into the next, trying to forecast the next 12 months often involves holding a moistened finger in the air.

As we start 2023, the economic pressures are well-documented, and companies like Bohle have been able to prepare for changing marketing conditions, creating new opportunities for customers in the process.

“Before looking ahead to 2023, we have to take stock of what has happened in 2022,” says Bohle’s managing director, Dave Broxton. “And we all thought at the start of the year that we were expecting something like a normal year.

“Then, of course, following the invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent increases in prices of fuel and energy, we’ve all found ourselves in a situation where margins have been squeezed, and prices from suppliers have gone up. So, it’s been a very challenging year and, surprisingly, the market held up pretty well.”

But heading into 2023, suppliers like Bohle are starting to see a dip in consumer spending.

“I think we have to prepare ourselves for a 2023 where discretionary spend will be down,” Dave says. “People will be hanging onto their cash, and I think we will still continue to see price increases across the board.”

In response to these forecasts, Bohle has decided to focus its attention on creating opportunities in the home improvement sector, by continuing with its own product development.

“We can now provide home improvement companies with glass hardware that offers them profitable diversification opportunities, allowing them to be less dependent on their traditional doors, windows and conservatories,” Dave says.

Reflecting on how the market shifted during the last three years, Bohle has played to its strengths by focusing on quality, and creating opportunities in the higher-value end of the market.

For example, Bohle launched Lyon towards the end of 2022, a new Juliet Balcony that offers key benefits to window installers including ease of fitting, minimal stock holding, and an almost limitless colour range.

Lyon can extend up to 4,000mm, and is straightforward to fit thanks to its ‘1-2-3 click’ system. No special tools are required, and installation can be carried out either from the front or inside the soffit.

“Juliet Balconies are a fantastic upsell for window installers, offering a great opportunity to add extra margin with minimal additional overheads,” Dave says.

“We already know that those homeowners who are carrying out home improvements are looking for high-value, high-margin products to improve the quality of their properties, especially as increasing numbers of people are spending more time at home.

“With Lyon, installers can capitalise on the trend for high-value, high-margin products without having to invest in extra machinery or equipment. And Lyon is quick to install, which means extra time on site is limited, maximising profits in the process.”

Another high value range offering significant upsell opportunities for installers is the new Juna shower door hinge.

Developed and designed by Bohle, the new Juna hinge for glass shower doors boasts minimum gap dimensions, which give a clean high-quality appearance.

“Part of our long-term strategy for the group is that we are investing in design and manufacturer of our own glass hardware, and we see a market for that definitely in interior design, as well as light commercial,” Dave says. “Everyone knows us for cutting wheels, suction lifters and other glass processing equipment, but we’re less well known as a global brand for hardware, and that’s definitely part of the long-term group marketing strategy.”

MasterTrack FT, for example, is Bohle’s internal sliding door system. Fitted in as little as 10 minutes it allows homeowners to create multi-functional spaces without losing light.

“Working from home has meant people have revisited existing living space,” Dave says. “We offer a wide range of partitioning systems but also internal sliding doors, which allow people to segment space but still make sure that they retain natural light.”

“We will be exhibiting at the FIT Show this year and promoting Lyon Juliet balconies and Juna shower door hinges alongside our MasterTrack sliding door system and other premium hardware,” Dave says.

“That will allow installers not only address the outside of the house, but also the inside, creating opportunities for additional sales as the market cools.”