Sliders UK announces MBO

Sliders UK has announced the formation of a new senior management team as part of a strategy for new growth.

Created through a management buy-out, the new structure sees Alex Murphy, previously operations director, step up to a new role as chief executive officer.

Ian Longbottom and Steve Mines remain in their respective roles, as chairman and sales director, and joined alongside Murphy in Sliders UK’s new senior team by finance director Jonathan Foxcroft. Richard Harris and Russell Pryor also join the business as retained consultants.

Ian Longbottom, chairman of Sliders UK, said: “We have ambitions for significant long-term growth and are already 18 months along the road towards it. This includes not only the creation of our new management structure as announced today but also the major investment which has already been delivered in our manufacturing capability.

“With increased capacity, even better quality and service and with some very exciting product developments on the horizon, we believe that the market offers considerable opportunity for sustained growth – our own but most importantly, that of our customers.”

The restructure, completed in April, sees Mike Spain, who co-founded Sliders UK, leave the business.

Sliders UK reported that year-on-year sales were up 16% on the same time last year at the end of 2016. It said this had been underpinned by new products, including the Ultimate Evolution and Sliders UK’s new Duraflex bifolding doors, plus growth in composite door sales.

Sales of composite doors were also boosted by the specialist manufacturer’s investment in its new line. This means that Sliders UK can offer composite doors in five days or under.

“The restructure of our composite door line early has given us faster turnaround and an increasingly competitive offer at a time when reliability,” Steve said. “This has come at a time of not only growth in the composite door market but at a time when service in the sector has in general, dropped off.”

Product development has also formed a key part of Sliders UK’s growth strategy. This includes the launch of the Ultimate Evolution aluminium bifold door in late summer last year.

Sitting alongside its established aluminium bifold door offer from Aluk, it features a fully adjustable jamb option. This makes it far simpler to align the door, even where apertures are out of square – cutting installation times to as little as 45 minutes.

Caption

Ian Longbottom, chairman of Sliders UK.