The soaring popularity of aluminium
Callum Grant, commercial director at AluWood Windows, talks to Glass Times about the growing aluclad timber window market.
Aluminium looks set to reach a 17-year high in the industry. The latest report by Palmer Market Research suggests that at the end of the next three-year period, aluminium will grow to 220,000 frames. It highlights the material’s increasing popularity for use for windows, entrance doors and bifold doors.
Aluminium is making significant inroads in the market because it offers more options on design, colour and style while ensuring that security and energy efficiency are still effective.
The popularity of aluminium is reflected by the number of exhibitors going to FIT Show that either manufacture, supply or sell aluminium products. In fact, there are over 50 companies exhibiting that are involved with aluminium. This includes systems manufacturers, fabricators and installers.
With aluminium’s rise in popularity, niche systems have been brought into the market. Aluclad timber windows is one of the growing markets that can help fabricators win more business.
The current value of the market is £77 million, which is expected to increase further in the coming years. It provides a great opportunity for aluminium fabricators looking to grow their range and win more business. When you take a look at the benefits of combining aluminium on the outside with timber on the inside, you can see why it’s a growing market.
Aluclad timber windows blend together the beautiful natural look of timber on the inside of the window frame, with the stylish modern look of aluminium on the outside.
Aluminium offers lots of design choice with colour and style options. Its strength means it’s long lasting and with slim frames, it makes it the perfect choice to bring more natural light inside and make spaces feel bigger.
When combined with timber on the inside it creates a brilliant system. The timber provides natural insulation to keep any property warm and provides a homely feel. There’s even a choice of different hardwoods and softwoods that can be used to fabricate the inside of the window frame.
For fabricators that want to get their share of the market and sell aluclad timber windows they need to find the right aluclad timber window system and a manufacturer who understands their business.
To enter the market, fabricators need a system that requires little investment, can save them plenty of time and allows them to deliver fast to customers.
AluWood Windows has years of experience manufacturing window systems for aluminium fabricators. Our aluclad timber window system gives fabricators a low-cost entry to the market.
From our conversations with fabricators, we know they want to keep their investment in new tooling and extraction as low as possible. Adding a new system that can be made with existing machinery, saves time and money.
We designed the AluWood system to do just that. Only a small number of components are required to fabricate it. Fabricators need one sash, one mullion and one outer frame to manufacture the entire range which includes casement and fully reversible windows. The aluminium comes in either mill or powder coat finish which, with a clever clip system, fits easily to the outside of the window.
Because we understand how important it is for fabricators to deliver orders fast, we manufacture the AluWood system in Britain using British materials. This lets us have a large stockholding in the UK, so customers can make orders fast.
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