Trade counter launch

Dortech Direct has secured three new distributor agreements, prompting the launch of a dedicated trade counter in West Yorkshire.

The online retail brand – part of the £9 million Dortech architectural glazing and maintenance group – has sold building supplies via its ecommerce shop since 2012.

But having recently reconfigured the firm’s 24,000ft2 site (to break down departmental barriers, promote company-wide knowledge transfer and strengthen the company culture), managing director James Sutherland also made way for an 8,000ft2 warehouse and customer-facing storefront.

Retailing more than 3,000 product lines, Dortech Direct is now the official northern distributor of fenestration products manufactured by Sika, including: Sikasil WT-480 (window fabrication adhesives), SikaMembran (EPDM), SikaForce-335 GG (pourable, self levelling balustrade adhesive), SikaForce-7720 (gun-grade, thixotropic adhesive for slope glazing), and Sika Activator-100 (adhesion promotor).

Agreements have also been signed to make Dortech an exclusive reseller for blu performance hardware in the Midlands, Yorkshire, north west and northern counties, and a key distribution partner for Tremco Illbruck.

Located in the heart of Huddersfield and open to the trade and general public, the retail facility aims to attract people from along the M62 corridor. If revenue targets are met – £2 million in the next 12 months – the plan is to invest in two or three further depots in the next three years.

“We’ve always had a keen eye on business improvement, but the economic climate and market demand has encouraged us to look carefully at our group’s activities,” James said. “We’re keen to stabilise our architectural division, invest in maintenance as the success of that division is sky-rocketing, and plough further resources into Dortech Direct too.

“This is an exciting step that will take us from an online-only building supplies retailer to one with bricks and mortar for the trade and general public. It’s a bold claim but I’d love to think we can become the ScrewFix of the glazing industry. We know these products inside out, so people come to us for our expertise as well as our stock.”