Keystone market research’s director, Charlotte Hawkes, outlines the current PVC-U landscape and discusses how businesses can stay focused on where the greatest opportunities can be found.

In today’s evolving PVC-U fenestration industry, understanding which market segments to focus on is crucial for businesses looking to drive growth. With economic pressures, shifting consumer behaviours, and changing government policies, the landscape is constantly changing.

Our latest PVC-U Fenestration Market Statistics Report offers a detailed breakdown of the end-market split within the PVC-U industry. Our data estimates that the Repair, Maintenance, and Improvement (RM&I) segment accounts for the largest share of the market, comprising 80% of the overall demand. This is followed by new house building, which holds 11% of the market, and commercial projects, which account for 9%.

The RM&I sector’s dominance in the PVC-U market is clear, as is the impact of the performance of this market segment on the industry’s prospects. After experiencing a decline this year, the RM&I segment is expected to maintain steady growth in 2025 and 2026.

This is underpinned by a combination of factors, including the need for essential property maintenance and the poorly insulated existing housing stock of the UK needing energy efficient upgrades. Homeowners are more aware than ever of the benefits of upgrading their properties, especially as energy costs continue to rise.

Our recent consumer report has also confirmed a notable increase in the amount homeowners are planning to spend on their homes next year. By understanding their priorities – whether it’s replacing windows for better insulation, security improvements, to upgrade to triple glazing, or opting for a more stylish choice – installers and suppliers can strategically tailor their offerings to capitalise on this growing opportunity. With this in mind, our consumer fenestration trends reports provide invaluable guidance, enabling businesses to align their product strategies with consumer needs effectively.

The new house building sector, while currently accounting for a smaller share at 11%, has received significant attention due to the government’s proposed new house building targets.

If implemented, these targets could provide a much-welcomed uplift for the PVC-U market. However, there remains considerable uncertainty around how the government will deliver on these commitments, and so while our market report includes increases of 8.3% in 2025 and 6.3% in 2026 in our private house building forecast, we would expect any substantial growth resulting from these proposals is likely to occur after this.

For those looking to dig deeper into these trends, our market report and consumer fenestration trends reports are available for purchase on our website. We are especially delighted that, thanks to expanded report sponsorship from Endurance Doors, Epwin Window Systems, GGF, Liniar and Veka, customers of these sponsors will receive complimentary access to the consumer reports next year to support companies throughout the industry to target their efforts effectively.

Visit www.keystonemr.co.uk for more information.