By Mark Powell, sales director, Direct Trade (Yorkshire).

The PVC-U window and door market has never stood still, but as we move through a period of rapid change driven by homeowner expectations, design trends and performance demands, one thing has become increasingly clear: simplicity, consistency and confidence matter more than ever.

At Direct Trade, that belief has guided a major milestone for our business. We are now fully set up and actively fabricating the complete Omnia product suite – casement windows, tilt & turn windows, French doors and residential doors. More importantly, this means we can now offer Veka installers a single, cohesive system capable of completing an entire project from start to finish.

One system. One suite of products. Designed to work together, perform together and look exceptional doing it.

Completing the full project with confidence

Installers today are looking for more than individual products. They want joined-up solutions that remove complexity from specification, fabrication and installation. Omnia delivers exactly that.

By fabricating the full Omnia suite, Direct Trade enables installers to specify windows and doors that ‘talk to each other’ – aesthetically, technically and in performance terms. Sightlines align, finishes match, and performance credentials remain consistent across the whole home. The result is a cleaner proposition for installers and a more compelling, premium outcome for homeowners.

This approach is not just about convenience; it’s about futureproofing businesses by offering a system that responds directly to how homeowners are choosing, comparing and buying.

Insight-led decisions through partnership

Our ability to make confident product decisions is strengthened by our long-standing partnership with Veka. Being part of the Veka network gives us access to meaningful industry insight that goes far beyond informal patterns.

Recent research conducted by Keystone Market Research in partnership with Veka, surveying over 5,000 homeowners, provides a clear picture of where the market is heading. The findings show that 53% of homeowners are actively planning a home improvement project in 2026, underlining the scale of opportunity ahead for installers who are correctly positioned with the right product offer.

Just as importantly, 74.6% of homeowners expressed a strong interest in superior insulation and energy efficiency when considering window and door improvements. This reinforces a clear shift in priorities – performance is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it is a fundamental expectation.

The research also highlights a significant rise in demand for flush-finish products. Interest in flush aesthetics spiked confidently during the spring and summer of 2025 and has maintained those higher levels through the end of the year – a clear signal that this is no longer a niche preference, but a mainstream expectation.

Tilt & turn windows also showed an increasing trend, reflecting homeowners’ growing appreciation for versatility, ventilation and ease of maintenance. This is where Omnia truly stands apart. It remains the only double flush, double rebate system on the market to offer a tilt & turn option – a unique advantage that we can only access by strengthening our relationship with Veka as our PVC-U systems house.

Colour trends that convert

Colour continues to be a key differentiator at the point of sale, and once again, insight has been invaluable. The data confirms that dark and light greys remain dominant across homeowner preferences, with black making a strong and confident entry during 2025.

Interestingly, black shows even higher popularity when specified for doors – a trend that aligns perfectly with Omnia’s ability to deliver a complete, design-led solution. When combined with Feinstruktur, Veka’s newly launched, exclusive foil finish, installers can now offer a premium finish across both windows and doors, without compromising on PVC-U performance or value.

Feinstruktur is already making its mark in the fenestration industry, and its availability within the Omnia suite reinforces a key message: a Veka installer can complete an entire project with one offering, one look and one trusted supply chain.

Performance still comes first

While aesthetics and trends are vital, homeowner priorities throughout 2025 clearly show that quality, security, energy efficiency and trust in the installer remain at the top of the decision-making process.

For us, quality starts with the systems house we choose to partner with and continues throughout our own fabrication process. Direct Trade operates from a facility of over 100,000ft2 supported by significant ongoing investment in high-tech machining centres and manufacturing capability. This allows us to fabricate Omnia products with consistency, precision and scalability.

Energy efficiency remains a defining factor, and Veka’s continued evaluation and development in this area gives installers confidence when specifying Omnia. With the ability to achieve U-values as low as 0.75 when triple glazed, Omnia meets the demands of today’s energy-conscious homeowners while preparing installers for future regulatory change.

Supporting installers beyond the product

The strength of the Veka partnership extends beyond systems and fabrication. Installers working with Direct Trade also benefit from the Veka Installer Programme, including access to the Veka Installer badge – a recognised mark of trust that resonates strongly with homeowners.

In addition, installers gain access to Veka Edge, a comprehensive platform of marketing assets, insights and tools designed to help them promote Veka products effectively, with the right features and benefits clearly communicated. In an increasingly competitive market, this level of support can be the difference between winning and losing the sale.

Ready for 2026 and beyond

As we look ahead, Direct Trade is entering 2026 with confidence. We have a strong PVC-U product offering in Omnia, a fabrication setup built for quality and growth, and a loyal, expanding network of installers nationwide.

By aligning insight-led decision-making with investment, partnership and performance, we believe we are not just responding to where the market is today – we are positioning ourselves, and our installers, for where it is heading next.

One system. One partnership. One clear direction forward.