Streamlining for success
By Roger Hartshorn, CEO, Garnalex.
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced plans to cut Civil Service budgets by 15% by 2029-30, saving up to £2 billion annually.
Civil Service World reports that the workforce has grown by 90,000 since 2020 due to pandemic response and Brexit, but a restructuring now lies ahead.
Regardless of your political views, I believe this mirrors what should be best practice within a business: streamlining operations, eliminating inefficiencies, and leveraging technology to enhance performance and reduce costs.
The perils of distraction
Our fenestration industry has thrived on innovation for many decades. While consumers appreciate variety, excessive diversification can hurt profitability for fabricators. I believe many of those businesses in decline have suffered due to overextending their product ranges, diverting resources from core operations and increasing overheads.
Like the Civil Service, unchecked expansion can lead to inefficiencies that undermine financial health.
Staying focused
Since the pandemic, even simple tasks like buying a car or processing land registry applications have become more complex. My business philosophy remains straightforward: ‘Innovative products, designed and manufactured by experts, using advanced tools, delivered on time and in full.’
The smaller niche products required by installers can be a distraction for fabricators. While outsourcing is an option, maintaining quality and speed can be a challenge. Helping fabricators focus on their core business is my mission, and Sheerline’s latest venture supports this goal.
Timing is everything
I recently found that Chris Baron and Chris Cooke, formerly of Prefix Systems and both highly respected and experienced industry leaders, were available. Their expertise was too valuable to pass on, so I’m excited they’ve joined me in launching Sheerline Bespoke — a new service debuting at the 2025 FIT Show.
Simplifying complexity
Sheerline Bespoke provides fabricators with specialist products that can disrupt in-house operations if not managed efficiently. Customers can now order custom arched windows, door frames, and ready-to-install kits for Sheerline’s award-winning S1 Roof Lantern, S2 Glazed Roof, and SheerVent roof ventilation system, along with tiled and flat roofs and flat roof lights amongst other niche products.
Arched Frames
Beautiful but complex, arches require specialist machinery. Fabricators told us they want to offer arched window and door frames without adding production headaches, so Sheerline has invested in a bending machine to create frames in-house – ensuring seamless integration with existing products manufactured by the fabricator.
Glazed roofs
Demand for glazed roofs has risen, yet product development seems to have stagnated, with now only two manufacturers supplying a complete offering of aluminium windows, doors and roofs. Many fabricators have requested bespoke designed, ready-to-install Sheerline roofs, which come with a single guarantee – eliminating middlemen and extra margins.
Flush roof vents
Traditional roof vents have previously been ugly and prone to leaks. Our new range of electrically operated, fully automated vents has been designed from scratch to sit flush with rafter bars, providing proper ventilation for glazed roofs and lanterns with a beautifully engineered, sleek aesthetic.
Maintaining focus
Fabricators can now streamline operations by concentrating on core product ranges while relying on Sheerline Bespoke for specialist solutions. This vertically integrated approach reduces waste, saves space, lowers costs, and ensures perfect product matching.
With industry veterans Chris and Chris leading the initiative and Garnalex investing in cutting-edge technology, customers can expect the same top-tier quality, technical support and service they expect from Sheerline products.
Meet the Sheerline Bespoke team at Stand J57 at the 2025 FIT Show and preview an exciting innovation – the first truly new glass roof in 20 years. Further developments are also on the horizon!
