Northern Irish Kömmerling fabricator Malplas UPVC has increased production to its highest ever levels with the support of fastener supplier Rapierstar.
Based near Dungannon and celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2021, Malplas UPVC has seen record demand for products since late spring 2020 when the severe initial pandemic restrictions were relaxed. It is now typically manufacturing between 300 and 400 units every week, up from its usual output by as much as 60%, a level it is has comfortably stepped up to without compromising lead times thanks to the support of its main supply chain partners including Rapierstar.
Malplas UPVC’s Philip Mallon said: “Despite being closed for two months in 2020, the year actually ended up being a record year in terms of sales and volumes. Our whole team has worked extremely hard to keep customer orders on track in what have been some pretty challenging circumstances.
“Like many fabricators, in addition to having to adapt our working environment to ensure our team can continue working safely as the pandemic prevails, we’ve also had to ensure we mitigate the effects of the raw material shortages that we are seeing industry-wide, plus the Northern Irish Brexit arrangements. Thankfully, fasteners haven’t been an issue due to our long-term partnership with Rapierstar, and we are confident that will continue to be the case regardless of whatever happens post-Brexit.
“Fasteners are so important to maintain our productivity and, ultimately, for our long-term success, so we cannot afford to cut corners. We can depend on Rapierstar to deliver every time, with their excellent stock reliability meaning we always have the right window screws when we need them, backed by first-rate technical support that helps us maintain quality consistency.”
