How important is it for a systems house to audit and approve its fabricators? Liniar asks Garrard Windows why it values being a Liniar Approved fabricator.
With a turnover approaching £25 million, with more than 200 staff operating out of an 86,000ft² factory in Buckinghamshire, Garrard’s window and conservatory trade customer base spans the south of England.
This firm has grown substantially since forming in 1997, and a changeover to Liniar in 2015 helped business to increase capacity to between 2,000 and 3,000 frames per week.
Garrard’s managing director Steve Leek said: “New products are designed and old ones are developed, and the window industry should be no different.
“There have been massive developments in fenestration technology in recent years – yet many profile companies seem content to sell products virtually unchanged from 20 years ago.
“At Liniar, things are different. I’ve known Roger Hartshorn [Liniar’s group CEO], and many of his team, for more than 20 years. He is very much hands on and always looking for new ways to improve and innovate.
“It was obvious that the Liniar system was technically superior and far more advanced than anything else available and we knew it was the right one for us.
“Liniar actively seeks out feedback and nothing has been too much trouble for them.
“Because Liniar is quicker to fabricate we’ve been able to increase our production, and feedback from our customers has been overwhelmingly positive.
“The windows and doors have been very well received and we’ve had no end of praise about the ModLok bi-fold and ModLok patio doors.”
Steve said that showing that the company is a Liniar Approved fabricator gives Garrard instant credibility.
“As far as I’m concerned, Liniar puts all of its products through the most stringent of tests to provide fabricators with certificates, accreditations and the utmost confidence in those products,” he said. “Why then would you manufacture them differently to how they are designed to be made?
“Varying from the fabrication manual makes no sense. If, for example, a different spec of steel is used in a window which isn’t the same thickness as that specified, then it’s at risk of failing – with potentially disastrous results.
“We live in a ‘where there’s blame, there’s a claim’ culture, so why take a risk like that? Liniar tests its products for a reason – and by following the correct manufacturing procedures, we have the utmost confidence in what we produce.”
Steve said that installers need to believe in the product that they’re selling and fitting, and that choice shouldn’t boil down to what is the cheapest.
“Installers need to be confident that the system is fully accredited and certified, and that what they’re buying is exactly what it says on the tin,” he said. “If it hasn’t been manufactured to the standards that are advertised, then those certificates aren’t valid and neither will the guarantee.
“In my experience, Liniar is very popular among installers as it’s been designed with them very much in mind. The back-up that Liniar provides, and their technical response to any issues, are both 100% better than anyone else out there.”
