Aluplast celebrates 10-year global partnership

Affordable Windows Group in Blackpool became the meeting point for key global Aluplast personnel who gathered in the UK to celebrate a decade of collaboration and discuss Affordable Window’s leading fabrication technique, specially within the flush sash sector.

Aluplast’s UK owner and managing director, Keith White, welcomed Aluplast’s global co-owner Patrick Seitz, head of expanding markets Babak Golriz and managing director of Aluplast Australia, Ben Webster on a three-day fact-finding mission in the UK.

Affordable Window’s head of marketing, Amelia Gaughan and sales manager, Ryan Fisher, facilitated a full guided tour of their three factories and sales HQ.

“We are delighted to welcome our colleagues from Aluplast to the UK,” Keith said. “First and foremost, this is a celebration of a successful 10 years of working together, and how we’ve grown together as a true partnership.”

Keith explained that Aluplast operates in many territories around the world, and regularly meets to develop new products and services, especially those that support the growth into the higher-end niche market.

This prompted the visit to Affordable, which has witnessed significant growth in this sector, thanks to the development of its Timberlook range.

Affordable Windows’ Timberlook windows are made with Aluplast’s Ideal 70 profile and flush sash using their own manufacturing technology. The result is an authentic timber-effect window, with all the advantages of PVC-U, including thermal efficiency, security, and minimal maintenance.

“People always want new technology and better-looking windows,” Amelia said. “And in 2015 we decided to start manufacturing a flush sash casement window to meet these changing demands.”

Keith said: “Affordable is by far and away our largest flush sash producer. Using the Timberlook system, which has a high-end feel – and their own marketing – they have set it apart from absolutely anything else in the marketplace.”

Amelia says that moving into this high-value market was risky, but it was something the company’s owners believed in. Plus, the market for window sales was changing, and Affordable Windows discovered they could directly influence the end user with their designs.

“Homeowners scroll through Pinterest and Instagram and they see lots of different things that they hope the installer will be able to provide them,” Amelia said. “We can take leads from here and pass them on to our trade customers, resulting in sales for us.”

As a result, Timberlook has proved to be so popular that Affordable has opened a new PVC-U manufacturing site in Blackpool to allow for the growth of its Timberlook brand.

Affordable Window Systems’ has utilised the profile available from Aluplast to create flush sash single-doors and double-doors, offering customers a full Timberlook suite.

This UK visit follows news that Aluplast’s new extrusion and distribution facility in Poland is currently being fitted out with 50 high-speed twin extrusion lines, alongside a mixing plant, R&D facilities and foiling lines. This will further support the supply of high-end product to the UK.