Tough economic conditions prompt maintenance uplift

The Dortech Group is preparing for a big year of trading, the company has reported.

The company’s glazing maintenance division is forecast to turn over £1 million in 2019, which will take Dortech to a £10 million organisation overall. The expansion has also kickstarted a recruitment drive and a £200,000 investment in the team’s Huddersfield factory.

Dortech Architectural Systems has been designing, manufacturing and installing bespoke glazing solutions for 25 years. Dortech Maintenance was formed in 2015 to help clients prolong the lifespan of their existing installations.

James Sutherland, managing director, said: “The recession had led to a contraction of the construction industry and new build projects had slowed, but as a direct consequence of such market forces, the desire to maintain, repair or even refurbish commercial windows and doors soon emerged, with businesses recognising this as a far more economical alternative to replacing with new.”

Keen to retain as many staff as possible, the management team focused its efforts on diversification – and now the maintenance division is the fastest growing part of the business.

Having completed projects for clients including the NHS, Sheffield Business Park and the Victoria Mills residential complex in Shipley, among others, the division has grown from a team of four to eight aluminium glazing specialists. The hunt is also on for a further four maintenance engineers over the next 12-24 months.

“The maintenance proposition has never been more important,” James said, “and we predict this division will account for 20% of revenue by 2022.

“A ‘preserve and prolong’ mindset was borne out of the last recession, but with further economic uncertainty on the horizon, this will only rise. There are legacy issues to solve including leaks, asset deterioration and energy inefficiencies, and if customers opt to buy cheaply to keep costs down, safety standards could also be at risk. We want to ensure that none of these things happen.”