Apeer Doors’ Asa McGillian challenges the trade’s casual use of one of its most overused terms.

‘Quality’. It’s stamped on brochures, dropped into sales conversations and added to product descriptions almost by default. But the uncomfortable truth is that genuine quality is harder, slower and more expensive to achieve than many manufacturers are prepared to admit, and it demands a level of honesty that not every manufacturer is willing to embrace.

“At Apeer, quality has to be earned repeatedly across every part of the business, from product design to factory processes to how problems are handled when they arise,” says managing director, Asa McGillian.

“Quality isn’t about saying the right things. It’s being prepared to look closely at your business, admit where you’re falling short, and then invest time and money to fix it. That’s uncomfortable, but it’s the only way it actually means anything.”

This mindset is shaping a period of significant change at Apeer’s Ballymena manufacturing facility. Over the past year the factory has been undergoing a major programme of process improvement, with lean manufacturing principles introduced to tighten consistency, reduce waste and tackle quality issues head-on. The results are tangible: 98.7% of Apeer orders are now delivered and installed without issue.

“That number matters to us because it reflects what installers actually experience on site,” Asa explains. “It’s not about what leaves the factory in theory – it’s about what gets fitted first time, without callbacks, without awkward conversations with homeowners.”

It’s a refreshingly direct approach in a market grappling with some very public problems. Few issues have generated as much frustration across the trade as door bowing, with installer forums and social media groups awash with complaints and warning images.

“Bowing costs installers time, money and reputation,” says Asa. “And too often they’re left carrying the blame for a problem that was built in long before the door even reached the site.”

In contrast, Asa is confident bowing is one issue Apeer has engineered out. The construction of Apeer’s doors is specifically designed to resist distortion, combining robust door blanks, reinforced cores and tightly controlled manufacturing processes.

“We didn’t design our doors to look good on a data sheet,” he says. “We designed them to stand up over time, in real homes, in real conditions.”

To reinforce that confidence, Apeer is preparing to launch a dedicated anti-bow warranty, aimed at tackling negative perceptions around composite doors and restoring installer trust. It’s a move that reflects the company’s willingness to put its name behind its claims.

That confidence is underpinned by long-term investment and an unusual level of in-house control. Apeer’s story began in 1995, when Asa started manufacturing PVC door panels on the factory floor of his father’s business in Ballymena. A supply chain issue prompted a leap into manufacturing, setting a pattern that has endured.

“From the start, we learned the value of controlling what you can,” Asa says. “That ethos of self-sufficiency has never really left us.”

Today, other than hardware, sheet glass and profiling, almost everything is made in-house. The operation now includes nine CNC machines, multiple fibreglass skin and foam lines, two toughening furnaces and twin paint lines. The product range spans a 44mm entry-level door, a 70mm A++ rated door and a 120mm quadruple-glazed door, alongside its Silka aluminium window and door brand.

This breadth matters in a challenging market. Rising labour and material costs, coupled with cautious homeowner spending, are putting pressure on margins. Meanwhile, homeowners who are investing increasingly demand more: better performance, stronger reassurance and improved aesthetics.

“That plays to our strengths,” says Asa. “When customers want proof, not promises, and installers want reliability rather than shortcuts, the value of real quality becomes clear.”

For installers, partnering with a manufacturer that has both history and momentum offers long-term reassurance, Asa believes. He says Apeer’s continued investment, its willingness to address uncomfortable industry issues (Asa has been vocal about the misleading U-Value claims made by prominent door manufacturers) and its focus on process rather than slogans all point to a definition of quality rooted in persistence, transparency and accountability.

“Quality isn’t a claim you make once. It’s something you have to justify every day. For us, that means investing, being honest when things aren’t perfect, and doing the hard work to make them better. That’s what we mean when we talk about quality – and why we don’t use the word lightly.”