Supplier support that’s key to success

KLIC Home Improvements has formed a robust partnership with Emplas, the fabricator providing essential support, strategic resources, and a three-year sole supplier agreement that has driven KLIC’s growth and market position.

Based near King’s Lynn, KLIC Home Improvements was established in January 2021. It was founded by Brett Wittam and Phil Dorrington, who leveraged their experience in the home improvement sector to build a company focused on quality and customer service.

Stewart Grand, director at KLIC, commented on the partnership with Emplas: “We engaged with Emplas from day one. In the early days, Emplas provided all the marketing materials and accreditations we needed to help grow our business from the ground up.”

Stewart officially joined KLIC as a director last year, bringing with him a wealth of experience from his previous roles. “I spent 13 years as the business manager for a home improvement company, helping them grow from a small local firm to one of the largest national installers in the UK,” he said.

KLIC’s growth trajectory has been impressive. From its inception, the company has achieved an annual turnover of £1 million, with projections to reach £4-5 million in the current year.

Most notably, KLIC recently signed a three-year sole supplier agreement with Emplas, a significant milestone that is said to have bolstered its competitive advantage.

Emplas provides a wide range of support services that have been instrumental in KLIC’s operational efficiency and growth. “Emplas supports us every step of the way, providing samples, brochures, and marketing collateral,” said Stewart.

“This comprehensive support allows us to focus on what we do best—installing windows and doors—without worrying about the logistics of marketing materials or sample products.”

Real-time delivery tracking
A key component of Emplas’s support is its IT-led innovation, particularly the real-time delivery tracking system. This has been developed and tested over 18 months, ensuring precise delivery scheduling and enhanced customer communication. Emplas’s real-time tracking capability offers two-hour delivery slots based on predictive analysis of journey times, accounting for congestion and other variables.

Stewart continued: “The real-time tracking provided by Emplas has been incredibly beneficial for us. Knowing exactly when our deliveries will arrive allows us to plan our installations more efficiently and keep our customers informed. It’s a game-changer for our operations.”

Emplas’s system includes comprehensive data analysis, encompassing 200-300 customer drops, 75 delivery routes, and 20,000-30,000 km of the UK road network each week. Integration with live traffic data ensures accuracy and reliability. When a lorry reaches the preceding drop, the system sends a text notification to the assigned customer point of contact, indicating their delivery is 30 minutes away.

Stewart highlighted the impact of this feature: “Receiving delivery notifications helps us manage our workflow more effectively. The early morning alerts, while sometimes a bit early, are a small price to pay for the increased efficiency and customer satisfaction they bring.”

Market position
Despite market downturns and the collapse of major players like Everest and Safestyle, KLIC’s lean operational model and low overheads are said to have positioned the company favourably in the competitive home improvement market

Stewart explained: “We take a different approach. We’re a small business and we focus on doing a good job and providing exceptional customer service. While other companies might aim for rapid expansion, we prioritise quality over quantity. Our goal is to maintain a manageable scale that allows us to deliver the best possible service to our customers.

“We are the most trusted company in our area on Trustpilot, and that’s where we want to stay. Our customers’ feedback is invaluable, and we strive to exceed their expectations with every project.”

Strategic vision
KLIC Home Improvements maintains a clear vision for the future: to remain a regional leader without pursuing national expansion.

“We want to take more of the market share in our area,” said Stewart. “We’ve got no desire to chase turnover for the sake of expansion. This approach allows us to maintain close control over our operations and consistently deliver the high standards our customers expect.

“Our relationship with Emplas has been crucial,” he concluded. “From the very beginning, they’ve provided us with the tools and support we needed to establish and grow our business.

“We couldn’t have done it without them.”