F E AT U R E D 4 Building Our Skills Announces Launch Of New Installation And Surveying Qualifications
4 8
5
Why Ultion Developed ALPS Plus
6
HEGLA Group Under New Management
8 Morley Glass Reveals Latest Integral Blind Colour Trends 10
Beating The Heat With Integral Blinds
11 Morley Glass Investment In Fleet Expansion Strengthens Delivery Reliability 12 Saint-Gobain Glass Launches 4.8mm STADIP® PLUS Laminated Glass For Lighter Glazing With P2A Safety And Security Performance 14
2026 Installer Survey
15
Five Record Years For Premier Arches
17 New research highlights widespread issues with home improvement work and growing consumer distrust 18 Companies Ordered To Pay £1.55m After Falling Window Killed Coach Driver 20 Q2 Merchant Sales Down -1.2% Year-OnYear, Prices Rise +5.8%, Volumes Fall -6.6% 22 Grow
Merchants Expect Click & Collect Sales To
24
The Rise Of Heritage Aluminium
26 Natural Light Drives Opportunities For Installers 27 Endurance® Strengthens Operations With New Warehouse Facility
26
28 Endurance Harnesses The Power Of Its People 30 Endurance® Strengthens Installer Partner Support With Dedicated Content Creation Service 32 Built
1.5m New Homes Were Never Going To Be
34 Saint-Gobain H1 2026: Construction Giant Demonstrates Resilience 36 Eurocell H1 2026: Alunet Drives Growth As Core Fenestration Markets Remain Under Pressure 38
Teqnion Acquires Unique Door Panels
40 Rising Oil And Gas Prices Put UK Fenestration Manufacturing Under Fresh Pressure
36
42 Rising Energy Costs Threaten A Prolonged Squeeze On UK Fenestration 48 End
Fake Discount Structures May Be About To
50 Clayton Glass Restructures To Strengthen Its Nationwide Glass Offering 52 Saint-Gobain Signs Microsoft Agreement To Accelerate AI Use In Construction
EDITORS COMMENT Hello and welcome to another edition of the DGB Digital Magazine We are now heading into the final quarter of the year. Time has seriously flown this year. Perhaps we were all hoping that towards the end of this year, the various conflicts around the world might have shown some signs of abating, leading to a reduction in the cost of energy which is now the single biggest and most immediate problem facing our sector. Sadly, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East show absolutely no signs of stopping. The cost of energy has to be our sector’s primary focus right now. It affects absolutely everything we do, in every part of the supply chain. As well as hindering the UK economy as a whole. I would say we need to start measures to mitigate against future rises in the cost of energy, but I am resigned to the conclusion that there is likely very little we can do about it. Sadly, it is the end user, the homeowners that end up paying for it as price increases are fed down the supply chain. Elsewhere, we have seen business results announced from Eurocell, M&A activity in the door sector, analysis on the 1.5m new homes target from the government and much more besides. Oh, and right around Halloween we have a budget from the Chancellor. I’m sure we’re all going to be thrilled with it. We hope you enjoy this edition of the DGB Digital Magazine Team DGB
Double Glazing Blogger www.doubleglazingblogger.com
BUILDING OUR SKILLS ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF NEW INSTALLATION AND SURVEYING QUALIFICATIONS
Building Our Skills has announced the launch of new Installation and Surveying Qualifications for the Fenestration, Glass and Glazing industry by NOCN Group. The qualifications launched at the start of August are: NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Fenestration Installation, and NVQ Level 3 Certificate in Fenestration Surveying. These are the first in a whole suite of new qualifications stemming from the partnership between Building Our Skills and NOCN Group announced earlier this year. Building Our Skills has championed the development of new qualifications for the industry following extensive consultation with and collaboration from leading players in the industry. Speaking for Building Our Skills, Director Chris Globe said, “We were delighted to announce our partnership with NOCN earlier in the year, and are even more delighted now to formally launch the first phase of their new set of Qualifications for the industry. Adding to the work that Building Our Skills has been doing for many years now to attract new talent to the industry, these new qualifications will help us support knowledge and development even further, whilst also affording employees already engaged in the industry an opportunity to hone their skills”. “I also want to take this moment to pay tribute to the major players in the industry who have worked so collaboratively alongside ourselves and NOCN Group to develop these brand new
qualifications. They have also committed to working with us on an ongoing programme of product development to ensure that not only does the industry have the qualifications it needs to meet its needs right now, but also to ensure that there will always be new products in the pipeline designed to meet its future needs”. Speaking for NOCN Group, Laura Randall, Head of Business Development, said, “As one of the biggest construction Awarding Organisations in the UK with over 500 construction qualifications, it makes complete sense for us to also offer the fullest range of qualifications for the Fenestration, Glass and Glazing industry, a sector whose products are integral to all building projects”. “Our partnership with Building Our Skills provides the perfect platform for us to do this. Their connections in the industry and the support they have is really exciting for us to see, and we expect great things from the work we are doing together”. “Anybody who is interested in finding out more about these qualifications, or centres who might want to deliver them, should contact Building Our Skills in the first instance www.buildingourskills. co.uk or email sayhello@buildingourskills.co.uk”. Within the partnership NOCN Group has full ownership, authorship and intellectual property rights across all products, materials, systems and associated documentation. It has full regulatory accountability for all matters.
WHY ULTION DEVELOPED ALPS PLUS When Ultion ALPS launched, it was the first cylinder to pass the updated PAS24:2022+A1:2024 standard and the Sold Secure Diamond 2024 test. At the time, no other cylinder on the market could say the same. The industry has moved on since then. Other manufacturers have caught up with the standard, which is exactly what should happen. Higher compliance across the board is good for everyone, including homeowners. But at Ultion, meeting a standard has never been the finish line.
How testing has evolved The compliance deadline is approaching, and any cylinder supplied into PAS24 applications must meet the updated standard. The same applies to Sold Secure SS312, which has been updated to include the same four additional attack methods. What’s less well understood is that beyond the written standard, the way products are actually tested has also evolved. Accredited test houses in the UK are now applying more sophisticated techniques within the existing test parameters. A cylinder can pass the standard and still not hold up to the methods being used in practice. Scott Brittain, Head of Technical at Ultion, explains: “The standard itself hasn’t changed, but the way products are being tested has evolved. We’ve developed ALPS Plus specifically to withstand the techniques now being used by accredited test houses, not just to meet the minimum required on paper.”
What ALPS Plus offers ALPS Plus is Ultion’s most secure cylinder, built on the foundation of ALPS but enhanced to keep pace with how testing and real-world attack methods are developing. It is fully PAS24:2022+A1:2024 compliant, meets the updated Sold Secure SS312 2024 standard, and comes with KeyControl as standard to block unauthorised key copies. It is available in keyed alike sets, so one key can open every Ultion lock on a property, and features a thick dimple key for added resistance to snapping. ALPS Plus is available to trade now. Contact your Ultion account manager or visit www.brisant-secure.com/login for more information.
HEGLA GROUP UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
With new CEO Christian Decker, the HEGLA Group has completed its transition into the next generation of management. Christian Decker succeeds Bernhard Hötger, who was associated with HEGLA for more than 42 years. “Not many people are lucky enough to be able to look back on such a long and fulfilling career in one company,” says Bernhard Hötger. “It was therefore all the more important for me to initiate the transition well in advance and lay the groundwork at an early stage.
to the individual customer as well as with the challenging requirements of one-off production. At the same time, HEGLA and the team will benefit from his new perspective.”
In recent years, the management structure has been gradually and carefully adapted, with Peter Herrmann, Dr Heinrich Ostendarp, Toni Schön (all HEGLA Beverungen), Thomas Schwabe (HEGLA Maintenance and Service), Marc-Alexander Stachel (HEGLA Fahrzeugbau) in Satteldorf, Kai Hösel (HEGLA Maschinenbau in Kretzschau), Dr Jan Schäpers and Jannes Holborn (HEGLAHANIC in Bochum). On the one hand, the Group grew in international markets. On the other hand, further partner companies joined the group, such as HEGLA-HANIC (software), HEGLA boraident (laser processing) and HEGLA RS technology, considerably expanding its expertise.
He joins Toni Schön (Chief Sales Officer), Peter Herrmann (Chief Operations Officer), Thomas Schwabe (Chief Maintenance and Services Officer) and Dr Heinrich Ostendarp (Chief Technology and Development Officer) as part of the now complete new generation of management at HEGLA. “We would like to express our sincere thanks and deepest respect to Bernhard Hötger for the good, constructive and inspiring cooperation,” says Toni Schön on behalf of the entire HEGLA Group. “The course is set, and we will continue on our journey as a market and technology leader,” emphasises Christian Decker.
“I’m thankful that we were able to work together and turn a small trade business into a global ‘Hidden Champion’,” reflects Bernhard Hötger. “With Christian Decker, we are continuing our development while ensuring a smooth and sustainable transition to the next generation,” adds Bernhard Hötger. “Christian Decker stands out for his longstanding links to the mechanical engineering industry as well as his extensive experience managing an international mechanical engineering company. He is familiar with mechanical engineering projects tailored
Bernhard Hötger will begin his well-earned retirement on 30 September 2026. Christian Decker has already assumed responsibility for the HEGLA Group. “I was given a warm welcome by the team at HEGLA and am looking forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and our customers,” says Christian Decker.
About HEGLA The HEGLA Group was founded in 1976. Today, the HEGLA Group has around 750 employees. HEGLA develops, produces and sells machines and solutions for the storage, cutting and sorting of flat glass. Its other segments include vehicle attachments (HEGLA Fahrzeugbau), systems for glass laser processing (HEGLA boraident), wet processing systems (HEGLA RS technology) and software solutions (HEGLA-HANIC). Read original press release here.
MORLEY GLASS REVEALS LATEST INTEGRAL BLIND COLOUR TRENDS
Around two-thirds of all Uni-Blinds® integral blinds manufactured by Morley Glass are in colours other than white, with black on the ascendancy and silver continuing to prove particularly popular for specific systems, according to an analysis of the company’s latest sales data. Anthracite’s declining popularity is reflected in Morley Glass’s data, although the drop was relatively small. In 2024, anthracite’s share stood at 30.4% of sales, and this has reduced to 28.7% in the latest report. One of the reasons why anthracite
is being chosen by fewer customers compared to previous years may be the availability of more ScreenLine® colours introduced to the UK market by Morley Glass over the past few years – several on an exclusive basis. One of the notable upward trends is black (B160), which is now chosen for 10% of all Uni-Blinds® units, reflecting its current popularity in contemporary interior décor. Silver (S157) continues to be a popular colour choice for both the slimline ScreenLine® SL16 system and the battery-operated W Smart, accounting for 17.5% of sales of both systems. White continues to account for the lion’s share of sales with almost 37% of all ScreenLine® Venetian integral blind units manufactured in this colour by Morley Glass in 2025. Its timeless appeal is demonstrated by the fact that its share is actually increasing, up by 4 percentage points since 2023. While the sales proportions for all the other Uni-Blinds® colour options have remained relatively static, Morley Glass has seen a slight growth in agate grey (S120) – indicating an increasingly popular niche. There is also some variation across the different ScreenLine® systems, with black being the third most popular colour for the magnetic slider-controlled SV and SV+ systems in the standard SL20 range, and both beige and cream each accounting for approaching 7% of sales of the SL20 MB System – the ScreenLine® range’s world-class brushless motorised integral blind.
Ian Short, Managing Director of Morley Glass, commented: “Given how well white integral blinds complement virtually every other colour, it is no surprise that a large proportion of homeowners and commercial customers opt for this. But what is interesting to see is that of all our other colours, anthracite, black and silver are undoubtedly the standout performers, signalling that these neutral options are not only very much on-trend but also compatible with the wider choice of frame colours now available to property owners and developers.” Morley Glass offers a wide range of colours for its Venetian and pleated integral blinds to give end-users an opportunity to match to an existing décor scheme or integrate with their new build or refurbishment project plans. All options are available within the company’s industry-leading turnaround times, with bespoke integral blinds ready from order to site delivery in as little as 10-12 working days, provided they are ordered before the weekly cut-off at 10am on Thursdays. For Venetian integral blinds, fourteen colours are available for SL20 systems, which fit within IGUs with a standard 20mm cavity, and there are nine colour options for the slimline SL16 systems. And for pleated integral blinds, customers can choose from twelve colours for vanity blinds and eight for the pleated blackout. Find out more about Uni-Blinds® integral blind systems with ScreenLine® inside at morleyglass.co.uk.
BEATING THE HEAT WITH INTEGRAL BLINDS As the UK’s increasingly regular summer heatwaves begin, now is a great time for window and door installers to provide homeowners with a solution that will help keep their homes cool in the form of integral blinds. According to Morley Glass, the UK’s largest manufacturer of bespoke ScreenLine® integral blinds, an IGU complete with an integral blind and solar control glass can reduce heat transmission to such an extent that the temperature difference between outside and inside is cut by up to 9° Celsius. This level of heat reduction is maintained over the lifespan of the company’s Uni-Blinds® units, giving homeowners a long-term solution for reducing overheating risk as climate change impacts and summer temperatures gradually rise. All Uni-Blinds® integral blind systems offer heat reflection, with certain colours and types being particularly effective. The blind’s functionality can be paired with the advanced solar control glass option that Morley Glass offers for maximum protection in strong sunshine. This glass has a microscopically thin coating applied to the inner face of the glass to reduce solar gain whilst also preventing heat loss at colder times of the year. As integral blinds are permanently sealed within the IGU, they cannot become damaged or attract dirt or dust, which affects the longevity and visual appearance of traditional blinds, curtains and external solar shading systems such as external shutters, brise soleil and awnings. Ian Short, Managing Director of Morley Glass, said: “June 2026 has seen a large part of Britain and Europe affected by another intense heatwave, which understandably means more and more homeowners are turning their attention to how to keep their homes cool. This is quite a reversal in traditional thinking for many UK consumers who have up to recently been heavily focused on the opposite – insulating our homes to keep warm – especially as we’ve seen energy prices spike. “As the window and door industry is well versed in selling the benefits of heat retention and the promise of warmer homes in deepest winter,
offering solutions for reducing solar gain and preventing overheating for a large part of the year can seem like a contradiction. However, cooling is going to be a bigger part of consumer purchasing decisions in future, and integral blinds offer installers a valuable market opportunity to provide a product that ticks both boxes.” While ScreenLine® integral blinds are best known as a solution to provide privacy, one of the main reasons for their development by Pellini S.p.A. back in the 1990s was to offer an alternative to damage-prone external shutters, which are widely used in houses and apartments across mainland Europe. In addition, such is the effectiveness of ScreenLine® integral blinds at keeping homes cool during strong sunshine that they also negate the need for power-consuming air conditioning systems. These are increasingly being considered for use in domestic properties with potential consequences for the UK’s carbon reduction targets, raising concerns amongst policymakers. Find out more about Uni-Blinds® integral blinds and the benefits of solar control glass at www. morleyglass.co.uk.
MORLEY GLASS INVESTMENT IN FLEET EXPANSION STRENGTHENS DELIVERY RELIABILITY
Morley Glass, the UK’s largest bespoke integral blinds manufacturer, has expanded its vehicle fleet by adding three new vans to further enhance its delivery reliability and customer service.
of outsourced couriers and hauliers, they can never match the reliability that we can achieve in-house because we can closely monitor all aspects of delivery planning, scheduling and availability of vehicles.
The new vehicles take the company’s fleet of delivery vans to 28, all of which are owned and operated by Morley Glass. As the fleet enables the company to have more control of the final stage of the supply chain, it is central to providing window and door fabricators and installers with the industry’s shortest lead times on made-to-order ScreenLine® integral blinds.
“With our own fleet, we can be more responsive to customer needs and maximise the fuel efficiency of our deliveries. It also means we can use our vans to collect post-consumer IGUs that our customers remove during window and door replacement projects so they can be crushed for recycling at our factory.”
Over more than 20 years of manufacturing integral blinds, a key focus for Morley Glass has been to provide rapid, reliable service from the initial quote through to aftersales care. That has enabled the company to maintain lead times of as little as 10-12 working days on Uni-Blinds® integral blinds ordered by its weekly cut-off time of 10am on Thursdays. Ian Short, Managing Director of Morley Glass, said, “Having our own delivery fleet is really important to our business because it ensures we can offer a service with speed and reliability at the core. Despite the best efforts
All Morley Glass units feature ScreenLine® systems manufactured in mainland Europe. This allows products to be delivered by road from Pellini S.p.A. factories in Italy and the Czech Republic, avoiding the delays often associated with sea and air transportation. The systems supplied by Pellini go into as many as 4,000 Venetian and pleated UniBlinds® integral blind units every week, all manufactured at its state-of-the-art factory near Leeds and delivered to customers across Britain. Find out more at morleyglass.co.uk.
SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS LAUNCHES 4.8MM STADIP® PLUS LAMINATED GLASS FOR LIGHTER GLAZING WITH P2A SAFETY AND SECURITY PERFORMANCE Saint-Gobain Glass has expanded its STADIP® laminated glass range with the launch of 4.8mm STADIP® PLUS, an innovative thinner laminated glass designed to deliver P2A2 safety and security performance while offering weight1, thermal3 and environmental4 performance benefits. Suitable for both double and triple-glazed insulated glass units, the new product combines the safety and security credentials of the STADIP® range with a lighter construction that can help fabricators, sealed unit manufacturers and installers optimise glazing specifications without compromising performance. Compared with a traditional 6.8mm laminated glass, the new 4.8mm construction reduces weight while maintaining the P2A2 safety and security classification. The reduced weight can help to make insulated glass units more straightforward to process, handle and install, while also helping to reduce the load placed on window systems, hinges and locking mechanisms. The thinner construction can also help to create new opportunities for insulated glazing design. In a standard 24mm double-glazed unit, manufacturers can replace 6.8mm STADIP® with 4.8mm STADIP® PLUS, improving the U-value performance3 from 1.1 W/m2.K to 1.0 W/m2.K Alongside thermal benefits, 4.8mm STADIP® PLUS can also enhance acoustic performance. In a typical 4/16/4.8 STADIP® PLUS double-glazed configuration, it delivers a 2–3dB improvement in acoustic performance compared with a standard 4/16/4 monolithic glass unit5. The product also offers higher light transmission than thicker laminated alternatives in certain configurations6, helping maximise natural daylight without sacrificing safety or performance. For triple glazing and enhanced thermal specifications, the reduced glass thickness can enable larger cavity sizes within the same overall unit thickness, helping achieve lower U-values in specific configurations7. The product is also available with coated options, including PLANITHERM® NEO, to suit a wide range of residential and commercial specifications. The launch also reflects Saint-Gobain Glass’ continued focus on reducing embodied carbon across its product portfolio. 4.8mm STADIP® PLUS is manufactured in the UK using PLANICLEAR®, lower-carbon flat glass as standard. PLANICLEAR® is now a lower-carbon, clear float glass, based on the product’s new, third-party verified EPD4. The new declaration shows a carbon reduction of more than
34% compared with the previous PLANICLEAR® EPD. PLANICLEAR® now achieves 7.22kg CO2e/ m2 for 4mm glass (Global Warming Potential categories A1-A3). Manufacturing in the UK also helps support supply chain security and product availability, while SaintGobain Glass’ continued investment in glass recycling means that every tonne of cullet used in the manufacture of new float glass prevents the use of around 1.2 tonnes of virgin raw materials and approximately 700kg of CO₂ emissions across scopes 1, 2 and 38. Commenting on the launch, Mike Butterick, Marketing Director at Saint-Gobain Glass said: “As regulations continue to evolve and demand grows for residential glazing solutions, 4.8mm STADIP® PLUS provides the industry with a new option that can help to overcome some of the traditional challenges associated with laminated glazing, particularly with regard to triple-glazing. “The launch of 4.8mm STADIP® PLUS further strengthens Saint-Gobain Glass’ portfolio of glazing solutions. By combining P2A2 safety and security performance with reduced weight1, enhanced acoustic performance5 and lower embodied carbon4, the latest addition to the STADIP® range can help to enable sealed unit manufacturers, fabricators and installers to meet future market requirements without compromising performance.” 1. Compared to 6.8mm STADIP® laminate glass. 2. P2A is a recognised classification under EN 356 for security glazing. To achieve this rating, the glass must resist three repeated impacts from a 4.11kg steel sphere dropped from a height of 3 metres. 3. 4.8mm STADIP®/16mm cavity/4mm PLANITHERM® NEO (face 3) with a U-value of 1.0 W/ m2.K, when compared with 6.8mm STADIP®/14mm cavity/4mm PLANITHERM® NEO (face 3) with a U-value of 1.1 W/m2.K. 4. EPD – environdec.com. Published June 2026. 5. Comparing 4(16mm cavity, 90% argon) 22.2PLUS with a Calumen simulated Rw of 34 (-1; -5) dB, with 4(16mm cavity, 90% argon)4 with a simulated Rw of 31 (-1; -4) dB. 6. Comparing 22.2 PLUS (16mm cavity, 90% argon) 4mm PLANITHERM TOTAL+ (face 3) with a light transmittance of 79%, with a 33.2 (14mm cavity, 90% argon) 4mm PLANITHERM TOTAL+ (face 3) with a light transmittance of 78%. 7. 4.8mm STADIP® PLUS/16mm cavity with 90% argon/4mm PLANITHERM® NEO (face 3)/16mm cavity with 90% argon/4mm PLANITHERM® NEO (face 5) with a u-value of 0.5W/ m2.K, compared with 6.8mm STADIP®/14mm cavity with 90% argon/4mm PLANITHERM® NEO (face 3)/16mm cavity with 90% argon/4mm PLANITHERM® NEO (face 5) with a u-value of 0.6W/m2.K 8. The benefit of cullet use is based on a calculation which uses Life Cycle Analysis level data representing all Saint-Gobain Glass European float lines producing architectural glass. In a standard double-glazed unit (DGU) there are four potential surfaces to which coatings can be applied: surface 1 faces outdoors, surface 2 and surface 3 face each other inside the DGU, separated by a peripheral spacer which creates an insulating air space, and surface 4 faces directly indoors. The Saint-Gobain recommendation is to always toughen the centre-pane of a triple-glazed unit when using silica glass. Performance data calculated using Calumen.com and is correct at the time of publishing (24.06.2026) but is subject to change at any time. All trademarks are registered trademarks of Saint-Gobain Glass or affiliates, part of Saint-Gobain group. Images are for illustrative purposes only.
2026 INSTALLER SURVEY
It has been a while since the last poll or survey of any kind on DGB, so I thought now would be a good time to take the temperature of installers as we approach autumn. There is no doubt that 2026 has proved to be a challenging year. With another war to contend with, and the ripples in the commodity sector, general economic malaise, and continued cost-ofliving pressures on families, fenestration installers have had a lot to contend with this year. This short poll is designed to take a snapshot of where installers feel they are this year. What have been the successes, problems, and where expectations lie for the rest of this year and beyond. Once enough data has been collated to produce results worthy of reporting, I will share them on DGB and my social channels. The poll will run for as long as it needs to.
FIVE RECORD YEARS FOR PREMIER ARCHES
Bespoke-shaped frame specialist, Premier Arches, is proving the value in consistent quality and service with relentless year-on-year business growth. Since 2021, Premier Arches has seen a 128% uplift in sales, with five record years of steady growth. Joe Trueman, Director at Premier Arches, said: “Premier Arches has grown at an average of 23% every year, showing compounded, consistent growth that’s come from a combination of new customers looking for bespoke shaped frames, and existing customers who benefit from our straightforward supply, meaning they can take on more profitable shaped and bespoke frame projects. “We’re firm believers in making life easier for customers. Just because our manufacturing processes are complex, it doesn’t mean our service has to be. By keeping things simple and delivering on our core principles of great
quality products and consistent service, we aim to be the ideal partner for any company looking to source PVCu frames that are out of the ordinary.” Premier Arches specialises in the manufacture and supply of PVCu arched, round, gableend, D-frames and bespoke-shaped frames in ten of the most popular profile systems, including Optima, Rehau, Eurocell, Liniar, and The Residence Collection. They also supply matching shaped glass units so customers can get everything with one order and one delivery. Joe added: “This steady growth allows us to plan for continued growth over the next five years, increasing factory capacity with new machinery and technology to support more companies with bespoke-shaped frames for more profitable projects.” For more information on Premier Arches, go to: premierarches.co.uk
NEW RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS WIDESPREAD ISSUES WITH HOME IMPROVEMENT WORK AND GROWING CONSUMER DISTRUST One in four homeowners has experienced problems with their most recent home repair project, according to new research published by Citizens Advice, with millions of households facing unfinished work, disputes with traders and unexpected costs. The charity’s latest findings estimate that around 4.8 million homeowners have encountered problems with home repairs during the past 18 months. Home repairs also remain one of the largest sources of complaints received by the Citizens Advice Consumer Service, which recorded almost 37,000 complaints relating to the sector during 2025. According to the research, the problems homeowners experience range from unfinished work and poor workmanship to unsafe installations and disagreements with contractors. The report also highlights the financial impact these issues can have on households. Among those who experienced problems, around 1.7 million homeowners reported having to pay additional money either to rectify previous work or because they had been overcharged. Those affected lost an average of £750, while one in ten of those facing additional costs said they spent more than £5,000 resolving the issues.
were unable to find a trader they considered trustworthy. A further 26% delayed or avoided repairs altogether for the same reason. Citizens Advice found that carrying out more background checks before hiring a contractor did not necessarily reduce the likelihood of experiencing problems. The charity concluded that providing consumers with additional information alone is unlikely to resolve wider issues within the home repairs market. The report also examined the wider impact on homeowners beyond the financial cost. More than a third (37%) of those who encountered problems said the experience left them feeling stressed, while 12% reported that the issues made them feel unsafe. The findings come as demand for home improvements and repair work continues across the UK, with homeowners increasingly relying on tradespeople for renovation, maintenance and energy efficiency upgrades.
The research also suggests that concerns over finding reliable tradespeople are influencing homeowner behaviour before work even begins.
Alongside the research, Citizens Advice has called for stronger consumer protections within the home repairs market, arguing that greater confidence in the sector would benefit both consumers and reputable businesses. The charity says improving trust could help reduce disputes while ensuring more homeowners feel confident commissioning work from professional tradespeople.
Around 28% of homeowners who arranged repairs in the last 18 months said they chose to carry out work themselves because they
Read the full Citizens Advice report here: Home repair problems hit one in four homeowners – Citizens Advice
COMPANIES ORDERED TO PAY £1.55M AFTER FALLING WINDOW KILLED COACH DRIVER St James and Lindner Prater Limited have been fined £1.3 million and ordered to pay £250,000 in costs following the death of coach driver Mick Ferris. Ferris, 53, died on 2 October 2018 when a window fell from a penthouse at The Corniche on London’s Albert Embankment. He was returning to his coach, parked on the opposite side of the road, when the glass fell around 300 feet. The window weighed 130kg. Ferris worked for Clarkes of London, part of National Express, and a colleague said he had been with the business for more than 30 years. The court also heard that a woman pushing a wheelchair narrowly avoided being struck.
Window design and the causes of failure The trial heard that the penthouse windows had initially been designed to open inwards. They were subsequently changed to open outwards to avoid a clash with an internal ceiling coffer containing pipes and wiring. HSE found inadequate risk assessment. Safety relied on one restrictor secured by one screw, while manufacturers had not confirmed the fittings’ suitability for the bespoke curved windows. According to evidence reported from the trial, a restrictor intended to prevent detachment had been removed. Jurors heard that the fatal window was blown off its hinges before construction was complete.
Earlier window fall preceded the fatal incident Another window had fallen from the development in August 2017. The court heard that this earlier incident had not resulted in substantial changes to the design. Jurors were shown an email recording concerns
about a further window falling. Prosecutors argued that opportunities to reconsider the risks had been missed. Construction workers had been instructed to keep the windows closed, and residents were given small warning notices. The prosecution argued that this approach depended on occupants remembering to close them. Inward-opening windows were installed after Ferris’s death.
Family describes the loss In the HSE release, his wife Rachel said: “Mick was just minding his own business. One minute there, one minute gone.” She described the lasting impact: “My life has changed forever.” Rachel recalled their unfinished preparations for an anniversary trip to the Maldives. She also remembered his devotion to his children and grandchildren, his love of coach driving and the 400 people who attended his funeral.
Fines, costs and verdicts Sentencing took place at Inner London Crown Court on 24 September 2026: St James: £1 million fine and £125,000 costs. Lindner Prater Limited: £300,000 fine and £125,000 costs. The £1.55 million total therefore includes costs. Both convictions were under Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. St James Group became principal designer in 2015, with responsibility for coordinating health and safety matters, the court heard. All four defendants had denied the charges. Following more than 11 hours of deliberations, the jury convicted St James and Lindner Prater, while acquitting architect Foster + Partners and design engineer Wintech Ltd. Source 1. Source 2. Source 3.
Q2 MERCHANT SALES DOWN -1.2% YEAR-ON-YEAR, PRICES RISE +5.8%, VOLUMES FALL -6.6%
https://www. doubleglazingblogger. com/2026/09/q2-merchant sales-down-1-2-yearon-year-prices-rise-5-8volumes-fall-6-6/
The latest Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report reveals builders’ merchants’ Q2 2026 like-for-like value sales, adjusted to remove the impact of trading days, were 1.2% lower than Q2 2025. Like-for-like volume sales were down -6.6%, but prices increased +5.8%. With no difference in trading days, unadjusted Q2 total value sales were also down -1.2% year-on-year. By value, only three of the twelve categories sold more: Services (+7.3%), Workwear & Safetywear (+4.5%) and Miscellaneous (+2.3%). Of the two largest categories, Heavy Building Materials fell -2.6%, while Timber & Joinery Products was flat (0.0%). Renewables & Water Saving (-3.8%) was the weakest category. June’s 2026 like-for-like value sales were -2.5% lower than June the year before. June’s like-for-like volume sales fell -10.0% while prices increased +8.4%. With one extra trading
day in June 2026 compared to June 2025, unadjusted total value sales were +2.2% higher year-on-year. Unadjusted volume sales were -5.7% lower, and prices were up +8.4%. Nine categories sold more by unadjusted value, with Services (+11.7%), Workwear & Safetywear (+11.1%), and Miscellaneous (+9.7%) performing best. Heavy Building Materials was up just +0.5%, but Timber & Joinery Products (+3.1%) outperformed Total Builders Merchants (+2.2%). The joint weakest categories were Ironmongery (-1.1%) and Renewables & Water Saving (-1.1%). In the 12 months from July 2025 to June 2026, like-for-like value sales were down 1.5% compared to the previous 12-months (July 2024 to June 2025). Like-for-like volume sales were down 4.3%, but prices increased +2.9%. With no difference in trading days, unadjusted value sales were also -1.5% lower. By
t-
unadjusted value, seven categories sold more, led by Renewables and Water Saving (+8.5%). Timber and Joinery Products grew by +1.0%, while Heavy Building Materials was weakest (-3.7%). Mike Rigby, MD of MRA Research, who produces this report, says: “Overall construction output is anaemic, as the latest ONS data reveals a +0.3% increase in Q2 output compared to Q1 but -2.0% lower than Q2 2025. Five out of the nine construction sectors grew in Q2 2026, with infrastructure new work the strongest up +1.9%. “Despite monthly construction output falling -0.1% in June, following a decrease of -0.8% in May, and a decrease of -0.1% in April, the overall level of output in Q2 was higher than in Q1, the ONS says, because the fall in April 2026 followed a particularly strong March. “Housebuilding continues to meet significant headwinds. The latest National House Building Council (NHBC) numbers put Q2 new home registrations down 4.0% year-on-year, with cost pressures and geopolitical uncertainty affecting house builders’ performance. The prolonged dry weather has also thrown a new issue into the mix – water. Analysis by Public First, commissioned by Water UK, shows that England only has sufficient water for 420,000 of the 1.5 million homes the government wants
built during its parliamentary term. “The appointment of Andy Burnham as Prime Minister has lifted spirits, though. Alongside England’s World Cup success and months of wall-to-wall sunshine, the GfK Consumer Confidence Index is looking more optimistic, with August’s figure showing a three-point overall improvement compared to July, and a five-point increase in people’s views on the general economic situation over the coming 12 months. Better yet, there was a five-point jump in the Major Purchase Index; a good omen for residential RMI projects.” Set up and run by MRA Research, the BMBI – a brand of the Builders Merchants Federation – is a monthly index of builders’ merchant sales, and the most reliable, up-to-date proxy for Repair, Maintenance, and Improvement (RMI) activity in the UK. The index is based on actual sales from NiQ GfK’s Builders’ Merchant Point of Sale Tracking Data, which captures value sales out to builders from generalist builders’ merchants, accounting for 88% of total sales from builders’ merchants throughout Great Britain. An in-depth review, which includes commentary by sector experts, is produced each quarter. The Q2 2026 BMBI report is available to download at www.bmbi.co.uk. Market report via BMBI
MERCHANTS EXPECT CLICK & COLLECT SALES TO GROW
A nationally representative survey of 300 branch managers, undertaken by MRA Reports, shows that 67% of general builders’ merchants in the UK expect Click & Collect sales to increase at their branch over the next 12 months.
delivery is becoming the standard, and a net 29% expected Same Day delivery to increase over the next year. However, 10% expect Same Day delivery to decrease as business picks up and the branch gets busier.
The survey forms a part of a quarterly update report on the UK builders’ merchants’ market, which provides a review of key market events, M&A activity and updated forecasts to 2030 based on new data as well as merchants’ responses to the survey.
Anna Eriksson of MRA Building Market Reports said: “Having run this survey over three consecutive quarters, we are seeing the number of branches offering Click & Collect increase each quarter. Some merchants are actively pursuing the online sales channel and setting ambitious growth targets.
Merchants were asked what delivery and collection options they offered to customers. Next Day Delivery is now offered by more than 90% of general builders’ merchant branches. Some merchants offer Next Day Delivery as their standard delivery option, while others have a standard delivery time of 3-5 days. Over three-quarters of merchants now offer Click & Collect. Same Day Delivery was offered by a lower percentage of branches; however, delivery times are often highly dependent on how busy the branch is, rather than what the customer wants. If there is capacity, delivery may take place on the same day even where it is not defined as an offer. Asked how they thought the delivered-collected mix might change in the next 12 months, most branch managers (a net 62%) expected Click & Collect to increase as a share of sales. Many commented that they had recently introduced Click & Collect, and this – in combination with increasing online sales – provides substantial growth potential. Not everyone offers Same Day Delivery, but comments suggest that merchants are recognising that customer expectations are increasing in terms of delivery times. Next Day
“The fact that Same Day delivery availability depends on merchants’ workloads could be viewed as an issue. However, in reality, most merchants are highly customer-oriented and will meet customers’ requirements wherever possible. Same Day delivery is often offered as an added extra, rather than a promise. There are higher expectations for weather-dependent work and among DIY customers. “While the long-term trend is towards growth in Click & Collect and faster delivery options, we are currently seeing some opposing movements that we believe to be temporary. With both fuel and material prices at historically high levels, customers are often happy to wait longer if it means avoiding delivery surcharges.” The UK Builders’ Merchants Q2 Update: Pulse & Forecasts is available at www.mra-reports. co.uk as a one-off purchase or as an annual subscription. Aside from a market review, updated forecasts, and survey results, the report contains lots of vivid comments and thoughts on the market, plus expectations from merchant branch managers, delivering real depth and insight into today’s merchant market.
THE RISE OF HERITAGE ALUMINIUM Scroll through Instagram, visit any interiors store, or browse through the pages of a home inspiration publication, and one thing becomes clear: homeowners have fallen back in love with character. From panelled walls to modern-country kitchens, traditional hardware and heritageinspired colour palettes, it’s clear that classic design influences are enjoying a major resurgence. Bringing warmth along with a feeling of timelessness, heritage-inspired interiors combine classic design elements with modern performance to create homes that offer both personality and practicality. Rather than embracing stark minimalism, homeowners are creating spaces that feel established, personal and lived in. Layered interiors with a mix of warm colours, textures and finishes allow those with period homes to embrace the true character of their property, and those living in newer properties to inject personality and create a homely feel from a blank canvas. While the trend for period aesthetics is undeniably strong, homeowners are not willing to compromise on comfort, security or energy efficiency. As a result, products that successfully combine heritage styling with modern engineering continue to grow in popularity. Heritage aluminium doors are the perfect example of this. Just as important from an aesthetic point of view as the panelling and other features, doors lend their aesthetic to the interior and exterior of a property, and so the impact they can have on the overall tone of a home is undeniable. Featuring slim dark frames with transoms to
create a distinctive geometric grid pattern, this style of door provides the ultimate in heritage styling, coupled with the best of modern technology. While their appearance is strongly linked to the steel doors of the past, the modern equivalent delivers all the advantages of modern aluminium, including exceptional strength, low maintenance and outstanding thermal performance. The result is a product that feels perfectly at home in both period and contemporary properties and that offers the versatility for a multitude of uses, including creating statement entrances, open-plan living dividers, or connecting indoor and outdoor spaces. Buying decisions for products of this nature are typically made long before a homeowner speaks to an installer, with inspiration often beginning online through social media, interior magazines and home improvement websites. Recognising this, leading manufacturer of heritage aluminium doors, Endurance® Aluminium, has invested heavily in helping its Installer Partners to not only supply premium products, but also market them more effectively. The company has introduced a comprehensive suite of professionally designed marketing resources to help Installer Partners showcase its heritage aluminium range and generate homeowner demand. These include high-quality lifestyle photography that reflects today’s design trends, allowing homeowners to visualise products within beautifully styled living spaces. The images are available for Endurance® Partners to quickly download and use across their social media and other marketing
resources. Installer Partners also have access to an interactive product configurator, making it easier for homeowners to explore design options before enquiring. This hardworking lead generation tool can be simply integrated into a Partner’s retail website and, like the other items in the marketing package, is available at no cost. Working alongside the imagery and configurator are a range of social media assets that provide installers with ready-touse content to help maintain a consistent and polished online presence, while dedicated landing pages further support lead generation. Together, these resources enable Installer Partners to present a premium brand experience that reflects the quality of the products they install. Commenting on the newly introduced suite of marketing assets to support sales of their heritage aluminium doors, Endurance® Group Marketing Director, Scott Foster, said: “Here at Endurance®, we are committed to helping our Installer Partners not only install premium
products, but also market and sell them more effectively. We’re seeing an increasing demand for heritage aluminium doors and interestingly, this heritage styling appeals to both traditional and contemporary homes – making it a huge opportunity for our customers. “The suite of marketing assets that we have invested in has been designed not only to generate homeowner demand, but to inspire people about how these products are the finishing touch to their homes. Photo shoots and the creation of digital assets are timeconsuming and costly, so we have done the hard work for our Installer Partners. They can now benefit from professionally designed sales and marketing tools that are befitting of the premium products they are selling.” The heritage trend is clearly here to stay for the foreseeable future. For installers, understanding that trend and the opportunities it presents is vital – as is partnering with a supplier that can not only supply premium products, but also the premium marketing support necessary to turn homeowner interest into genuine, high-value sales opportunities.
NATURAL LIGHT DRIVES OPPORTUNITIES FOR INSTALLERS
The increasing homeowner demand for brighter, more open living spaces is creating valuable opportunities for installers to upsell premium aluminium solutions, according to Endurance® Aluminium. Natural light, open-plan living and a stronger connection between the home and garden continue to influence renovation projects, with large, glazed areas, slim sightlines and roof lanterns remaining high on homeowners’ wish lists when considering glazing. Endurance® Aluminium says this increasingly lifestyle-led approach to home improvement presents an important opportunity for installers, as consumers look beyond straightforward replacement products, and towards systems that can transform not only the appearance, but also the enjoyment of their homes. Scott Foster, Group Marketing Director of the Endurance Group, comments: “Today’s homeowners are becoming much more design-aware in the way they approach home improvement. They’re no longer replacing windows and doors just out of necessity; they’re investing in system upgrades that transform the way their homes look and feel. “Natural light is now a major purchasing driver. Homeowners want brighter, more open spaces that make their homes feel larger, more comfortable and more connected to the outdoors. “This creates a strong opportunity for installers to upsell premium aluminium solutions. Consumers
are willing to invest in their homes, particularly when they can clearly see the lifestyle benefits that slimline glazing systems deliver.” Endurance® Aluminium offers a range of aluminium windows, doors and internal screens designed to help installers meet these changing expectations, combining contemporary aesthetics and slim sightlines with outstanding thermal performance. The company also offers a wide range of marketing support to assist installers with selling aluminium systems, including bespoke content creation and access to professional imagery. Scott adds: “Social media and home improvement programmes mean consumers are constantly exposed to bright, minimalist interiors with expansive glazing and slim frames, and naturally they want to recreate that look within their own homes. “Aluminium systems are perfectly suited to these trends. They maximise natural light while delivering the contemporary aesthetics and performance that today’s homeowners expect. “Despite ongoing economic pressures, the extension and premium renovation markets continue to present valuable opportunities. Installers who can offer premium aluminium solutions are well placed to capitalise on one of the strongest trends shaping today’s home improvement market.” For more information about Endurance® Aluminium, visit www.endurance.co.uk.
ENDURANCE® STRENGTHENS OPERATIONS WITH NEW WAREHOUSE FACILITY
Endurance®, the business behind Endurance® Doors and Endurance® Aluminium, has further strengthened its manufacturing and logistics capabilities. The company has invested in a new warehouse facility – named Nexus – which will improve operational efficiency and service levels for its nationwide network of installer partners whilst enhancing on-site safety for employees. The new 11,500 sq. ft. facility at the company’s headquarters in Brigg, Lincolnshire, will provide Endurance® with a dedicated central location for its raw material stockholding, supporting the continued development of the business and creating a more streamlined flow of materials into its production operation. A key benefit of the new Nexus warehouse will be the consolidation of external supplier deliveries at a single point, significantly reducing vehicle movements across Endurance®’s main production site and helping to create a safer working environment for employees. The move will also enable the business to introduce a dedicated linefeed team, responsible for transporting materials from the warehouse directly to the production lines in smaller, more frequent loads. For Endurance® customers, this will translate into an increased FTA rate (first time stock availability), which will allow the business to drive towards an improved delivery OTIF and ultimately provide an enhanced level of service. Commenting on the new facility, Chris Walton, Group Purchasing Manager at Endurance® said:
“Taking on the new Nexus warehouse is about much more than simply adding additional space. It gives us the opportunity to rethink the way materials move through our operation and create a more efficient, controlled process from goods arriving on site right through to production. “Bringing our raw material stockholding together under one roof will give us much greater visibility and control over stock, while the new linefeed team will ensure that our production team has the materials it needs, when it needs them. “Ultimately, all of these improvements are focused on the same goal – creating a more efficient operation that enables us to deliver an even better and more reliable service to our installer partners.” The new approach will reduce the amount of stock held within the existing production facility and support a smoother flow of work in progress through the factory. Greater stock accuracy will additionally allow the business to operate with leaner overall stock levels, releasing capital that can be reinvested into further improvement projects across the business. Concluding, Chris said: “This is an important investment in the infrastructure behind Endurance® Doors and Endurance® Aluminium. While our installer partners may not necessarily see the changes taking place behind the scenes, they will see the benefits through greater efficiency, availability and delivery performance. It’s another progressive step in ensuring that we are equipped to support our customers in the best way possible.”
ENDURANCE HARNESSES THE POWER OF ITS PEOPLE
The Endurance Group is harnessing the power of its people to drive continuous improvement and deliver even greater value to its Installer Partners. Through its ‘You Said, We Did’ programme, the business – whose brands include Endurance® Doors and Endurance® Aluminium – has actively canvassed the views of employees, using their feedback to increase engagement and identify opportunities to strengthen the business. Endurance believes that creating a more engaged workforce has benefits that extend well beyond its employees, helping to support product quality and consistency, customer service, innovation and the retention of valuable skills and expertise. Scott Foster, Group Marketing Director at Endurance, said: “Our people have an enormous influence on the products and service we provide, so investing in employee engagement ultimately represents an investment in our customers too. “By creating an environment where people feel listened to and valued, we can encourage greater pride in their work, give people the freedom to generate new ideas, along with retaining the skills and experience that are so important to our business.” The approach is supported by research from global workplace analytics and advisory company Gallup, which has identified that engaged employees take more pride in their work,
ultimately leading to a consistently higher quality product. Retention is particularly important for Endurance® given the craftsmanship involved in manufacturing its products. Scott continued: “Our windows and doors are not mass-produced, machine-made commodity products. They involve a considerable degree of craftsmanship, which means the knowledge and experience developed by time-served employees has real value. “Retaining that expertise within the business helps us maintain the consistently high standards our customers expect, while ensuring valuable skills can continue to be shared throughout our workforce.” The ‘You Said, We Did’ programme forms part of Endurance®’s wider commitment to continuous improvement and its focus on how identifying opportunities to enhance the experience for employees has a positive knock-on effect for customers. Scott concluded: “We’re extremely proud of the progress we’ve made already with ‘You Said, We Did’, but this is just the beginning. “We will continue to listen to our team and act upon what they tell us because creating a better business for our people helps us become a better partner for our customers too.”
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ENDURANCE® STRENGTHENS INSTALLER PARTNER SUPPORT WITH DEDICATED CONTENT CREATION SERVICE Endurance® Doors has reinforced its commitment to helping Installer Partners win more business with the launch of a dedicated Content Creation Service, led by newly appointed Content Photographer & Videographer, Jordan Buffey. The new service is available exclusively to Endurance® Installer Partners and represents a fresh approach to manufacturer support – going beyond the provision of shared marketing assets that is typical of the sector to provide bespoke and professionally produced content centred around installers’ own projects, customers and businesses.
Jordan will travel across the UK, visiting Endurance® Installer Partners to capture highquality imagery and video of their completed Endurance® installations. The resulting content will enable installers to showcase their workmanship across their own websites, social media, showroom displays and wider marketing activity. Commenting about the new Content Creation Service, Scott Foster, Group Marketing Director at Endurance® Doors, said: “Our Installer Partners are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re continually looking at new ways to help them grow their businesses. “While many manufacturers provide product imagery and marketing collateral that all of their customers can access, we wanted to go a step further. Our new service offers Endurance® Installer Partners the chance to get completely bespoke, professionally produced content that they can use across a multitude of channels to showcase their expertise. Jordan’s role is all about shining a spotlight on the fantastic work that our Installer Partners do every day and giving them content that will genuinely add value to their businesses. “Every installation has a story behind it, whether that’s an exceptional property transformation, a delighted homeowner or an installer who has gone that extra mile. By capturing those stories professionally and turning them into valuable content, we’re helping our partners demonstrate the quality of their work, strengthen their online presence and ultimately generate more enquiries. “It’s another example of how we’re investing in services that support our Installer Partners beyond simply supplying products.”
As homeowners increasingly research installers online before making purchasing decisions, professionally produced photography of installers’ own work, coupled with authentic customer testimonials, has become a powerful marketing tool. Yet the resources needed to create such content often make this out of the grasp of many installers – until now. The service provides Installer Partners with access to premium-quality content without the time, cost, and complexity of sourcing professional photographers or videographers independently, allowing them to enhance their marketing with minimal disruption to their busy day-to-day operations and at zero cost. Rather than simply focusing on the finished door, Jordan’s content will tell the complete story behind each installation. From the craftsmanship and attention to detail demonstrated by the installer, to the customer’s experience and the story behind the transformation, each piece of content will highlight the people and expertise behind the finished result. Selected projects will also benefit from additional exposure through Endurance®’s own marketing activity. This includes case studies, project features, social media promotion and opportunities to be recognised through initiatives such as Installation of the Month. The launch of the Content Creation Service forms part of Endurance®’s ongoing investment in its Installer Partner programme, providing partners with practical marketing support designed to help them differentiate their businesses, build stronger customer engagement and maximise every opportunity to build their business.
1.5M NEW HOMES WERE NEVER GOING TO BE BUILT As we pass the two-year mark of this Labour government, it is becoming increasingly clear that their key pledge of building 1.5m new homes in five years is not going to be met.
the remaining three years, or 369,200 per year. Frankly, unless there is some miracle in the labour market, we’re not going to get anywhere near those figures.
At the time, many thought that this figure was far too ambitious, with a number of fundamental problems needing to be solved first before this target became realistic. One being the severe lack of skilled workers required actually build these homes.
In all honesty, I don’t believe any of us thought 1.5m new homes in five years could be done. It has been sixty years since the UK was able to build that many. The government has now started to change its language on these figures, slowly coming to the realisation that this lofty target is going to be missed. It will now become a stick to beat them with as we progress further through this parliament.
So where are we at right now?
Lack of pace Up to now, just 392,400 homes have been built since Labour took power up to June 2026. That leaves 1,107,600 homes to be built in (https://www.bcis.co.uk/news/governments-progresstowards-1-5-million-new-homes/)
There are a number of reasons why this target was never going to be met. The cost to build a house has jumped massively due to material costs and additional legislation. The
housing market remains constrained due to rising house prices and a generation of people simply unable to afford them. The planning system needs work, but its not broken either. The main drawback has been, and always was, the lack of skilled labour. Our local Labour MP knocked on our door in 2024 during the election campaign. We had a chat on the doorstep and I asked him about this policy, explaining to him that I was in a connected industry and this would affect me. I explained to him that this target would only be hit if they managed to fix the broken skills market. He waffled his way through some “ums” and “ahhs”, eventually saying that they did not really have a policy on fixing the skills gap and that sort of detail would be worked out by civil servants when they got into power. I said that wasn’t really an answer and that they would fail by some margin to hit 1.5m new homes. He probably regretted knocking on my door.
Missed opportunity Our industry is affected by the housing market. A housing market with plenty of supply means a mobile one. And when people move house, they spend money on upgrades and renovations. That is money in our pocket. And a housing market with much needed extra supply would have been good for us and other connected sectors. Sadly, it looks like this is going to be a missed opportunity. I remember at the time some news
articles from some corners of the sector getting quite giddy at the idea that we were going to have all these new homes in a relatively short period of time. I understood the enthusiasm but I think some failed to register the problem all installers have suffered for the last ten years, the same way the wider construction sector has, in that there are not enough people to get it done. It really is as simple as that. We can talk about apprenticeships. But with a skills gap of 200-300k, and an apprenticeship drop-out rate of 40%, we’d need 400-500k new apprenticeship places just for the construction sector alone. That is simply not going to happen. What we needed to see was the Government get a grip on the skills gap. We needed to see a genuine plan to revitalise a sector which has long been ignored. It has not been forthcoming. Yes, Andy Burnham has announced a new technical education programme to sit alongside academic studies for kids 14 years and older. But that is a plan still to be fleshed out, and the fruits of that programme will be years down the line. We needed something like this 10-15 years ago. But it is a start, and hopefully it proves successful enough for it to be built on in the years to come. As a sector, we’re not going to see the boom we hoped we would. Instead, we’ll look at a nother failed promise, and a policy that lacked any sort of meaningful detail and planning.
SAINT-GOBAIN H1 2026: CONSTRUCTION GIANT DEMONSTRATES RESILIENCE Saint-Gobain has delivered a robust set of firsthalf financial results for 2026 that underline both the resilience of its diversified business model and the gradual improvement beginning to emerge across parts of the global construction sector. While headline revenue edged lower compared with the same period last year, the French building materials giant succeeded in returning to organic growth during the second quarter, maintaining industry-leading margins and continuing to generate exceptionally strong cash flow despite a mixed macroeconomic backdrop. For the wider fenestration and construction industries, the results provide another indication that the prolonged downturn seen across many European residential markets may be approaching its turning point.
A resilient financial performance
For the six months ending June 30, 2026, Saint-Gobain reported sales of €23.6 billion, representing a 1.3% decline on a reported basis. Currency movements and portfolio changes weighed on the headline figure, although sales increased 0.2% in local currencies, while organic growth reached 0.7%. The more encouraging trend emerged during the second quarter. Organic growth accelerated to 3.5%, a significant improvement on the first quarter, with every major geographical region contributing positively. This represents an important milestone after nearly two years in which many developed construction markets have struggled with high interest rates, subdued housebuilding activity and cautious commercial investment. Profitability remained one of the group’s standout strengths. Saint-Gobain achieved an EBITDA margin of 15.4%, demonstrating that pricing discipline, operational efficiencies and product mix continue to offset weaker market volumes in several mature economies. The group also generated approximately €2.1 billion of free cash flow, equivalent to a 65% free cash flow conversion ratio, highlighting the company’s continued ability to convert earnings into cash despite an uncertain trading environment. Recurring net income reached €1.7 billion, while
reported net income came in at €1.4 billion, reflecting various non-recurring items and portfolio adjustments.
Growth becoming broader geographically
One of the more notable aspects of SaintGobain’s results is that growth was no longer concentrated in one or two regions. Europe returned to organic growth of 4.1% in the second quarter, while Asia-Pacific delivered an impressive 7.0% organic increase. The Americas also returned to positive territory with 0.9% organic growth, suggesting construction activity is gradually becoming more balanced across the group’s global operations. This is particularly significant because Europe has remained the weakest major construction market since interest rates began rising sharply in 2022. The gradual recovery now appearing in several European countries may not yet represent a full market rebound, but it does suggest that activity has begun to stabilise.
Construction chemicals continue to outperform Construction chemicals remained one of SaintGobain’s strongest performing divisions. Organic growth reached 5.3% during the first half, accelerating to 8.5% in the second quarter, significantly outperforming many traditional building product categories. This continues a longer-term trend across the global construction products industry. Higher-value specialist products—including waterproofing, flooring systems, façade solutions and technical construction materials—have generally demonstrated greater resilience than volume-driven commodity products, allowing manufacturers to maintain pricing power even during softer market conditions. For Saint-Gobain, this increasingly diversified portfolio reduces reliance on new-build residential activity alone.
What does this mean for the fenestration sector?
Although Saint-Gobain is a highly diversified construction materials group, its performance remains closely watched throughout the glazing
and fenestration industries. The company supplies numerous products used throughout the building envelope, including architectural glass, high-performance glazing, insulation systems, façade products and specialist construction materials. Its results therefore provide valuable insight into wider market conditions. The return to positive organic growth suggests that demand across many construction markets is beginning to improve after several difficult years. However, the recovery remains uneven. Residential new-build activity in many European markets continues to operate below historical averages as higher borrowing costs continue to suppress housing starts. Instead, much of the current resilience appears to be coming from renovation, energy-efficiency upgrades, infrastructure investment and commercial construction. That trend mirrors what many businesses across the UK fenestration sector have experienced over the past 18 months. Companies with strong exposure to refurbishment, premium aluminium systems, commercial glazing and public-sector work have generally proven more resilient than businesses heavily dependent upon volume new-build housing.
Strategic portfolio reshaping continues
Alongside its operational performance, SaintGobain has continued reshaping its global portfolio. During 2026, the company announced around €3 billion of portfolio rotation, comprising 14 acquisitions and nine disposals, further increasing its exposure to higher-growth regions including Asia, North America and emerging economies.
Rather than pursuing growth simply through increasing production volumes, Saint-Gobain continues to focus on improving the overall quality of its earnings by investing in highermargin businesses and reducing exposure to slower-growing operations. This strategy has become increasingly common among major international building products manufacturers over recent years. Market outlook remains cautiously optimistic Despite geopolitical uncertainty and continued macroeconomic risks, Saint-Gobain has maintained its guidance for the full year. The company continues to expect an EBITDA margin above 15% during 2026, reflecting confidence that pricing discipline, cost control and operational execution will continue to offset external pressures. For the wider construction products sector, the results reinforce a growing narrative emerging from several major manufacturers this reporting season. Demand has not returned uniformly, and construction markets remain highly fragmented by geography and sector. Nevertheless, improving second-quarter trading, stronger renovation activity and gradually stabilising European demand suggest that the industry’s cyclical downturn may now be easing. While a rapid rebound appears unlikely, SaintGobain’s first-half performance demonstrates that large, diversified building products manufacturers remain capable of delivering strong profitability even before a full recovery in construction activity takes hold. For suppliers across the fenestration industry, that should be viewed as an encouraging signal that the market environment is becoming progressively more supportive, even if trading conditions remain challenging in the short term.
EUROCELL H1 2026: ALUNET DRIVES GROWTH AS CORE FENESTRATION MARKETS REMAIN UNDER PRESSURE Eurocell increased revenue and adjusted operating profit in the first half of 2026, despite difficult conditions across UK housing and home improvement. However, the results show an uneven performance: a stronger contribution from Alunet and improving branch sales offset weaker trading in Profiles, while restructuring charges pushed the group into a statutory pre-tax loss. For the fenestration sector, the figures illustrate how acquisitions, distribution initiatives and cost control can support growth when underlying demand remains subdued. They also show why rising group sales should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of a wider market recovery. Eurocell H1 2026 report Measure Revenue Adjusted operating profit Adjusted profit before tax Statutory operating profit
H1 2026 £205.2m £11.1m £8.2m £1.7m
H1 2025 £193.2m £10.1m £7.8m £6.1m
Statutory pre-tax result
£1.4m loss
£3.8m profit
£17.9m
£18.4m
−3%
£28.1m
£29.0m
£0.9m lower
Net cash generated from operating activities Net debt excluding IFRS 16 lease liabilities
Change +6% +10% +5% −72% £5.2m deterioration
Source: Eurocell’s half-year report, page 1. Percentage changes use the company’s rounded figures; the £5.2m movement is calculated from the reported pre-tax results. Adjusted measures exclude items classified by Eurocell as non-underlying.
The distinction between reported and organic growth is central to understanding the results. Excluding Alunet, Eurocell’s revenue and volumes both increased by 1%. Organic revenue moved from a 2% decline in the first quarter to 4% growth in the second, indicating an improvement as the half progressed. Alunet contributed £28.4m of revenue, compared with £17.7m in the previous reporting period. However, the 2025 comparator covers only the four months following its acquisition in March, whereas 2026 includes a full six months. Eurocell reports calendar-based first-half sales growth of 13%, a more meaningful indication of Alunet’s underlying progress than the increase in its consolidated contribution. The same caution applies to profit. Alunet’s adjusted operating profit rose from £1.6m to £4.0m across those unequal periods. Its £2.4m increase exceeded the group’s £1.0m improvement, demonstrating how heavily the headline earnings growth depended on the acquired business. Eurocell report, pages 8–11 Within the established operations, Profiles provides the clearest evidence of pressure on fabricators and their end markets. Third-party revenue fell 5%
to £69.6m, with volumes also down 5%. Adjusted operating profit declined 24% to £6.3m from £8.3m. Eurocell attributes the performance to increasingly difficult new-build housing conditions, reduced repair, maintenance and improvement activity through trade fabricators, and cost inflation. The disproportionate fall in profit illustrates the sensitivity of manufacturing earnings to lower throughput. When sales volumes weaken, a business has less revenue over which to spread its operating costs, while wage and other inflation can compound the effect. The Branch Network performed better. Third-party revenue increased 5% to £107.2m and adjusted operating profit rose from £0.9m to £1.5m. Window and door sales through the network increased 29% to £17.7m. Nevertheless, general RMI volumes in the branches fell 2%, showing that the division’s growth was achieved against continuing weakness in its underlying market. Eurocell report, pages 4 and 9–10 Independent industry data supports that distinction. The Builders Merchant Building Index reported that Q2 2026 sales values were 1.2% below the same quarter in 2025, with volumes down 6.6% and prices up 5.8%. Rising prices were
therefore masking a much larger reduction in the quantity of products sold. BMBI Q2 2026 report Against this background, Eurocell’s modest organic volume growth is encouraging. However, the BMBI covers generalist builders’ merchants and the second quarter, whereas Eurocell’s figure covers its organic business over six months. The comparison provides context, rather than a precise measure of market-share gains or outperformance. The broader construction picture is also uneven. The ONS initially estimated that construction output grew 0.3% in Q2 compared with Q1, with infrastructure providing the largest positive contribution. Output nevertheless fell in each month of the quarter, while new orders declined 11.8% quarter on quarter. That orders decline was principally associated with private commercial and public other work, so it should not be treated as a direct measure of window and door demand. ONS June 2026 construction bulletin More directly relevant to residential fenestration, the Construction Products Association’s summer forecast projected a 10% fall in private housing output and an 8% decline in private housing RMI during 2026. These are full-year forecasts, rather than measured first-half outcomes, but they underline the difficult demand outlook facing systems companies, fabricators and installers. CPA summer 2026 forecasts Eurocell’s margins show the difficulty of recovering higher costs in that environment. Group gross margin fell from 51.0% to 50.0%. Excluding Alunet, it declined from 52.6% to 51.7%, confirming that acquisition-related changes in the business mix were not the only factor. The company implemented price increases and surcharges against higher input costs, but reported continued competitive pressure on branch selling prices. Higher financing costs also absorbed part of the operating improvement. Adjusted finance costs increased from £2.3m to £2.9m, helping explain why adjusted pre-tax profit grew more slowly than
adjusted operating profit. Eurocell report, pages 8–11 The statutory loss requires separate consideration. Net non-underlying charges totalled £9.6m, including £9.4m of restructuring costs, of which £6.7m comprised non-cash asset impairments. Adjusted results help assess trading before those items, but the impairments still recognise reduced asset values and the restructuring carries cash costs as well. The operational response extends beyond the reporting period. Eurocell closed ten branches in July, including its two Irish sites, and temporarily paused new branch openings. Consolidating recycling operations at Ilkeston is expected to deliver approximately £1.5m of annual savings from 2027. A separate restructuring programme is expected to generate around £2m annually, with approximately £1m realised in H2 2026. These are anticipated benefits, not savings already fully reflected in the first-half result. Eurocell report, pages 5–6 and 9 Cash generation offers some reassurance, although operating cash flow should not be confused with cash remaining after all commitments. The £17.9m operating inflow precedes items including capital expenditure and lease payments. Pre-IFRS 16 net debt was slightly lower year on year, but increased from £22.1m at December 2025 to £28.1m at June 2026. Including lease liabilities, net debt was £93.7m. Eurocell report, page 12 Eurocell enters the second half with improving sales momentum, but a demanding task in converting that progress into stronger statutory earnings. Its results suggest that growth remains available through broader product ranges, distribution and customer acquisition. The weakness in Profiles and pressure on gross margins show that a sustained recovery in residential demand would still make a material difference to the quality and breadth of that growth. Read the full Eurocell report here.
TEQNION ACQUIRES UNIQUE DOOR PANELS Teqnion acquires Unique Door Panels in a deal bringing the Manchester-based door manufacturer into the Swedish industrial group and changing the ownership of a supplier to the UK fenestration trade. Announced on 10 September 2026, the acquisition covers all outstanding shares and took effect immediately. Managing director Andy Jones will continue running the business, which will become part of Teqnion Väst. Unique Door Panels manufactures composite and solid doors and distributes uPVC door infill panels. It operates from Radcliffe, serving customers across north-west England. Teqnion reported average annual revenue of approximately £3.8 million over the previous three years. The purchase price and quantified profit figures were not disclosed.
What Teqnion’s ownership model could mean Teqnion describes its approach as long-term ownership without a planned exit. Its subsidiaries operate through decentralised management, with the parent providing support in areas including strategy, organisational development and financial resources. For a specialist door business, that model offers the possibility of retaining local decisionmaking while drawing on a larger organisation’s resources. Potential benefits could include support for production planning, investment appraisal and management systems. These are possible implications of the ownership model, rather than investment commitments announced for Unique Door Panels.
Why the acquisition matters to UK fenestration For installers and trade suppliers, a door manufacturer’s ownership matters most when it affects the service they receive. Reliable production dates help installers organise fitting teams and make realistic commitments to homeowners. Accurate specifications, consistent quality and responsive aftersales support also affect how efficiently a door installation can be completed. The relevant test for customers will therefore be operational: whether the business maintains dependable supply and develops its offering under its new owner. Management continuity provides an identifiable point of stability in the transaction. The announcement does not set out specific changes to pricing, delivery arrangements or production capacity.
Investment details remain to be announced The announcement concentrated on the transaction itself, so more detail on future equipment spending, product development and the scope to serve additional trade accounts may follow in due course. For the wider sector, the transaction illustrates one route through which a specialist UK supplier can move into group ownership. Its significance should be judged through subsequent investment and customer service developments, rather than assumed improvements at completion. Trade customers will be able to assess the new ownership most clearly through lead times, product availability and the handling of their dayto-day orders. See Teqnion press release.
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RISING OIL AND GAS PRICES PUT UK FENESTRATION MANUFACTURING UNDER FRESH PRESSURE Rising wholesale oil and gas prices are increasing cost pressures across the UK fenestration supply chain. For manufacturers, the exposure extends beyond factory energy bills to glass, profiles, components and transport. If higher prices persist, the effects are likely to reach installers and ultimately homeowners buying windows and doors. During trading on 11 September 2026, Brent crude was around $105 a barrel, compared with $88.52 on 14 August: an increase of approximately 19% over four weeks. UK wholesale gas was around 198–201p per therm, roughly a third higher over the past month. The gas comparison uses a rolling monthly measure rather than precisely the same four-week period, and both markets remain volatile. Disruption to energy supplies and shipping routes in the Middle East has been a major source of pressure. Trading Economics reports that restricted LNG flows through the Strait of Hormuz, alongside European gas storage levels of around 67%, are adding to concerns about supplies ahead of winter. These conditions leave buyers exposed to further disruption and stronger competition for available cargoes. For fenestration, the implications depend on how long elevated prices last and when businesses have to purchase energy or renew contracts. The following pressures describe how higher costs could spread through the sector; they do not establish that every supplier has already announced increases. Glass manufacturing is particularly exposed. Float glass production involves melting raw materials at approximately 1,500°C in a continuous process, according to Pilkington. Maintaining that process requires sustained energy input, making fuel costs a fundamental part of production economics. British Glass identifies natural gas and electricity as key
inputs to glass manufacture. Further down the chain, glass processors and insulating glass unit manufacturers face the potential combination of more expensive purchased glass and higher costs for running their own equipment. Toughening, washing, cutting and unit assembly all add processing costs before glass reaches a window or door fabricator. An increase originating at the float line can therefore be compounded by additional pressures at subsequent stages. PVCu suppliers have a different but related exposure. The British Plastics Federation explains that conventional PVC derives from both salt and hydrocarbon feedstocks. Higher oil prices can put pressure on petrochemical inputs, while resin production, compounding and profile extrusion also require energy. However, PVC prices do not move in a fixed proportion to crude oil: supply, demand, feedstock availability and purchasing arrangements also matter. Aluminium supply chains are also sensitive to energy costs. Primary metal production requires electricity, while high-temperature operations elsewhere in the chain can use fossil fuels. Hydro’s account of its manufacturing processes illustrates the use of natural gas in refining and casthouse operations, alongside efforts to replace it. Exposure varies substantially between producers according to their energy sources and contracts. UK fabricators can consequently face pressure through purchased profiles even when their own factories use relatively little gas. Oil adds another route through transport. Glass, profiles, hardware and finished frames may pass through several delivery stages before installation. More expensive road fuel can raise distribution costs and the cost of running installation vehicles, although pump prices also depend on refining margins, exchange rates
and taxes.
movements do not automatically change it.
Manufacturers must then decide how much of these additional costs they can absorb. Businesses with fixed energy prices or hedged purchases may have temporary protection. Those buying at variable rates, or approaching contract renewal, could encounter the increase sooner. Existing stock and supplier agreements can also delay the impact.
Nor does a one-third increase in wholesale gas imply a one-third increase in window prices. Energy is only one element of the finished installation cost, alongside materials, labour, overheads and other expenses. As a purely illustrative example, if purchased products account for half an installer’s total job costs and those products rise by 8%, the direct effect is a 4% increase in total costs before other changes. That is arithmetic, not a forecast for the sector.
This creates an uneven pattern across the sector. One manufacturer may hold prices while another introduces an energy surcharge, changes delivery charges or revises its price list. If elevated costs persist, absorbing them reduces the money available for investment, maintenance and working capital. Businesses holding substantial orders at previously agreed selling prices may face particular margin pressure. The route to consumers is therefore gradual. Higher input costs can lead to more expensive glass units, profiles and fabricated frames. Installers then have to consider those supplier increases alongside their own delivery, vehicle and operating costs when pricing new work. Homeowners could encounter higher quotations, fewer discounts or shorter quotation validity periods. An existing agreed price is a separate contractual matter; wholesale
There is also a potential demand squeeze. Higher household energy and transport spending can leave less money for replacement glazing or renovation projects. Improving thermal performance may become more attractive as heating becomes more expensive, but customers still need to afford the initial investment. Further sustained oil and gas increases would intensify these pressures. Their eventual effect on consumer prices will depend on contract renewals, supplier decisions and the capacity of businesses to absorb costs. For UK fenestration manufacturers, the immediate challenge is protecting margins while maintaining the production capacity and service that installers and homeowners depend on.
RISING ENERGY COSTS THREATEN A PROLONGED SQUEEZE ON UK FENESTRATION Higher gas, electricity and diesel costs are exposing every stage of the window and door supply chain. If the pressure persists, the next six to twelve months could bring further price increases, tighter margins and greater demands on working capital. The UK fenestration sector faces an energy shock that reaches well beyond manufacturers’ utility bills. Energy is used to produce its raw materials, turn them into profiles and glass, manufacture finished products and deliver them to site. At the same time, higher household energy spending threatens to reduce the money available for replacement windows, doors and larger home improvements. The result is a difficult combination: rising costs to supply a product, alongside greater resistance to paying for it. There is already evidence of higher input costs being passed through within the sector. However, the eventual scale of the impact will depend on individual energy contracts, purchasing arrangements, production
efficiency and demand. No reliable sectorwide percentage increase in window and door prices can be calculated from movements in oil or gas alone.
Energy prices have risen sharply, but the markets are moving differently
The Bank of England’s September minutes recorded Brent crude at $106 a barrel and UK wholesale gas at 207 pence per therm at the close on 14 September. Those prices were respectively 36% and 78% higher than in the period leading up to its July report. These are dated wholesale benchmarks, not percentage increases in manufacturers’ delivered energy bills. Bank of England, September 2026 minutes. Electricity has also repriced. Smarter Business’s market report recorded the Winter 2026 UK baseload power contract at £149/ MWh at the opening on 7 September, up from £136.43/MWh on 1 September: an increase of 9.21%. Its day-ahead electricity price fell
between those dates, illustrating why a shortterm easing does not necessarily reduce the cost of securing power for winter. The report is an earlier September snapshot, not a live quotation. Smarter Business market report. Crude oil and diesel are also diverging. Reuters reported Brent at $100.40 a barrel at 11:43 GMT on 23 September, while the premium of European low-sulphur gasoil futures over Brent reached approximately $95 a barrel amid concerns about potential US diesel export restrictions. That spread measures the difference between two wholesale benchmarks; it is not a UK pump price or a refinery’s net profit. Reuters, via Kitco. For fenestration businesses, this distinction matters. A fall in the crude price does not guarantee an equivalent reduction in the price of diesel used by delivery vehicles and installation teams.
Why expensive gas also affects electricity users
Gas-fired generation remains an important influence on the wholesale electricity price in Great Britain. When gas generation is needed to meet demand and sets the marginal price, more expensive gas can increase power prices for businesses whose own equipment is electrically driven. The government acknowledged this exposure in April when it announced plans to offer fixed-price contracts to eligible existing lowcarbon generators. That announcement does not mean the gas-electricity link has already disappeared. Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Business bills also include network and other charges. They are not interchangeable with wholesale prices, and the domestic price cap does not cover non-domestic energy contracts. Ofgem says fixed contracts can delay the transmission of wholesale increases until renewal, while some regulated charges may still change under the contract terms. Ofgem’s explanation for non-domestic customers. Consequently, two competing factories can experience the same market shock at different times. One may face higher costs immediately; another may encounter them when an existing agreement expires. That difference can temporarily influence pricing, competitiveness and margins.
Glass manufacturers: exposure at the start of the chain
Primary flat-glass production is one of the most energy-intensive stages relevant to fenestration. Pilkington describes raw materials entering molten glass at approximately 1,500°C, followed by a continuous sequence of refining, forming and controlled cooling. Pilkington’s float-process explanation. For producers operating gas-fired furnaces, higher gas prices therefore affect a core production requirement. Electricity, rawmaterial processing and distribution add further exposure. A continuous melting operation has less flexibility to avoid an expensive trading period than equipment that can readily be scheduled into a different shift. The commercial consequences could include revised base prices or energy surcharges, depending on contracts and competition. Those measures would carry the shock into glass processors and sealed-unit manufacturers, even where downstream businesses have protected their own electricity prices. Persistent high costs also raise a capacity question. If production becomes less attractive while demand weakens, investment, furnace rebuilds and the economics of individual sites can come under pressure. This is a conditional risk, not evidence that particular plants will close because of the current shock. Here, “glass systems companies” covers primary glass producers and suppliers of coated or processed architectural glass. Businesses within that description have different production footprints and cannot be assigned one uniform exposure.
Sealed-unit manufacturers: bought-in glass plus processing costs
Insulating glass unit manufacturers face the cost embedded in purchased glass and the cost of their own operations. Cutting, washing, handling and assembly all add to the production bill. Businesses with in-house toughening have an additional substantial electricity requirement; those buying toughened glass encounter it through supplier prices. Equipment manufacturer Glaston identifies the furnace and quench as the main energy users in tempering. It also highlights loading efficiency and recommends measuring
consumption per square metre of processed glass. Glaston’s technical explanation. This creates a further vulnerability if order volumes fall. Poorer utilisation can increase energy and overhead costs per saleable unit, even when a factory’s total consumption declines. The effect depends on the machinery, product mix and production schedule. Sealed-unit makers must also buy spacers, sealants, desiccants and gas fills, and transport a heavy, fragile product. These inputs should be monitored individually; an increase in oil does not prove that every sealant or spacer price has risen by the same amount. Triple glazing involves an additional pane and associated processing and weight compared with an equivalent double-glazed unit. That gives it different cost exposure, but does not justify assuming the complete unit or installed window will rise by 50%. In a sustained shock, remakes and breakages become more expensive because replacement production consumes materials, energy, labour and delivery capacity again.
PVCu systems companies: feedstock and factory exposure
PVCu has several routes of exposure. The European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers explains that PVC resin is made from chlorine and ethylene, with ethylene principally derived from oil or gas. Chlorine production involves electrolysis, while subsequent stages involve chemical processing before compounding and
Supply chain exposure map
extrusion. ECVM’s production guide. The inference for window systems companies is that energy costs can arrive both through purchased resin and through profile production. Electricity is required to operate extrusion and associated plant; additives, packaging and transport bring further supplier exposure. Nevertheless, PVC resin is not simply crude oil in another form. Its selling price also reflects supply, demand, plant availability, imports and commercial negotiations. Weak demand can restrain resin prices even while producers’ energy costs rise. Recycled material can reduce reliance on virgin feedstock, but collection and reprocessing still have costs. Its protective value depends on availability, quality, processing efficiency and the relative price of virgin resin. Eurocell’s half-year report provides a current example of cost pressures reaching the sector. The company said it was mitigating higher input costs through surcharges and sales strategies. Its Profiles division reported third-party revenue and volumes each down 5%, with adjusted operating profit down 24% to £6.3 million. Eurocell attributed the profit decline to lower volumes plus labour and other cost inflation; it should not be presented as an energy-only decline. Eurocell H1 2026 report. The broader implication is that recovering higher production costs becomes harder when customers are already buying less.
Conditional timeline if elevated costs persist
Fabricators: multiple supplier increases can arrive together
Window and door fabricators sit at the junction of these upstream pressures. They buy profiles, sealed units or glass, hardware, reinforcement, gaskets and other components, while paying for their own manufacturing and deliveries. Their largest energy-related exposure may therefore sit inside supplier invoices rather than on their own utility bill. A fabricator with a favourable electricity contract can still face higher profile prices, glass surcharges and delivery charges. Conversely, a fabricator might avoid immediate supplier increases but face a sharply higher energy renewal. Looking only at electricity expenditure would miss either situation. Timing is critical. Orders priced before a supplier increase may remain in production afterwards. If their selling price is fixed, the additional cost reduces the margin on that order unless purchasing terms provide protection. Higher material values can also increase the cash tied up in stock and work in progress. If customers take longer to pay, the business may need more working capital even without any increase in the number of windows manufactured. Aluminium products have a related upstream exposure. Hydro identifies primary aluminium production as electricity-intensive, while recycling uses a fraction of that energy. This does not mean recycled profiles are insulated from metal prices, extrusion costs or freight. Hydro’s aluminium life-cycle guide.
Installers: the final price increase meets the customer
For installation businesses, the main channels are likely to be purchased products, vehicle fuel and demand. An installer may use relatively little energy directly compared with a manufacturer, yet receive the accumulated cost increases embedded in finished windows and doors. Survey visits, installations, remedial work and collections all require travel. Higher fuel costs are particularly difficult to recover on dispersed jobs or repeat visits where the selling price has already been agreed. The greater challenge may be the household budget. Ofgem has confirmed a 4% increase for a typical dual-fuel household paying by Direct Debit under the October–December 2026 cap. Its published average gas unit rate is 7.97p/kWh. The cap applies in Great Britain and limits rates and standing charges, not a household’s total expenditure. Ofgem’s October–December announcement. For the replacement market, the analytical risk is slower purchasing decisions, smaller orders and greater price comparison as essential spending takes priority. Developers can also face pressure if higher build costs coincide with constrained buyers’ budgets. Higher energy prices strengthen the cash value of reducing heat loss, all else equal. But the ability to finance an upgrade can deteriorate at the same time. A stronger energy-efficiency case does not automatically produce more orders. The savings from any particular installation depend on the existing windows, the property, heating system and occupancy. A rise in energy prices alone is not a basis for promising that replacement glazing will quickly pay for itself.
A US diesel export ban would add a separate supply shock
The possibility of US export restrictions is a material additional risk. Reuters reported on 23 September that President Donald Trump had backed the idea of a diesel export ban, with European diesel markets reacting. The reporting reviewed for this article describes a potential restriction, not an implemented blanket ban. Reuters, via Kitco. The American Petroleum Institute said on 22 September that restricting exports could force US refiners to reduce throughput because surplus diesel could not simply be redirected throughout the domestic market. API represents the US oil and gas industry, so this is an industry assessment rather than an independent forecast. API statement. For UK fenestration, the likely transmission would be through the international diesel market. Buyers seeking replacement cargoes would compete for alternative supplies. The UK could face higher costs even where a particular shipment did not originate in the US. Raw materials, profiles, glass, completed frames and installation teams all travel. A fuel shock could therefore affect several separate journeys before an installation is complete. Hauliers might recover costs through revised rates or fuel surcharges, depending on their agreements. A full ban, a partial restriction and temporary limits would have different effects. Duration, exemptions, inventories and alternative refinery output would matter. There is no sound basis here for predicting a specific UK pump-price increase or claiming inevitable shortages.
What the next six to twelve months could look like
The following outlook is scenario analysis for the period to March–September 2027, rather
than a numerical forecast of industry selling prices. If energy remains expensive without another major disruption, the principal risk is progressive cost transmission. Businesses approaching renewal would face the prevailing contract market. Suppliers whose earlier protection expires could seek further recovery through pricing. Fixed-price order books would leave some fabricators and installers absorbing increases before new quotations catch up. Over several quarters, sustained pressure could mean weaker margins, tighter credit terms and delayed investment. Lower volumes would make it harder to spread overheads. Financially weaker suppliers could become more vulnerable, although energy costs alone cannot establish whether any individual business will fail. If there is a further shock, such as substantial US diesel export restrictions, prolonged LNG disruption or a combination of cold weather and low renewable output, the pressure could intensify. Depending on the event, transport, heating and electricity costs could rise together. Delivery schedules and manufacturing continuity would become more important if actual supply constraints emerged. High prices by themselves do not establish physical rationing. If geopolitical conditions improve and energy prices fall, relief would still be uneven. Businesses buying at market-linked prices could benefit sooner than those committed to higher fixed rates. Previously purchased materials and supplier contract terms could delay reductions in finished-product prices. Confidence and order volumes might take longer to recover than commodity markets. The Bank of England held Bank Rate at 3.75% in September, with three members favouring an increase. It expected inflation
to rise slightly above 4% in early 2027 on the energy assumptions then available. This adds a financing risk: firms and households cannot assume that cheaper borrowing will offset higher operating and living costs. Bank of England, September 2026 minutes.
The cost of a window cannot be forecast from the oil price alone The commercial effect depends on the share of a business’s costs that actually changes. As a simple illustration, if energy represents 10% of an operation’s total cost base and its effective energy price rises 50%, the direct increase in total costs would be 5%, assuming unchanged consumption and everything else remaining equal. Supplier increases, freight and lower production volumes would need to be assessed separately. Similarly, if fuel represents 25% of a delivery operation’s cost and fuel prices rise 20%, the direct arithmetic adds 5% to that operation’s costs. It does not add 20% to the price of the finished window. These are illustrative
assumptions, not measured industry averages. Care is also needed to avoid counting the same increase twice. Where a purchased unit already includes the glass supplier’s energy surcharge, that embedded cost should not be added again as a separate downstream exposure. For the coming year, the most useful indicators will be actual energy renewal quotations, supplier price notices, delivered diesel costs, production utilisation and the margin remaining on committed work. Order conversion, payment times and cash requirements will show whether businesses can recover those costs. The highest risk to UK fenestration is a prolonged period in which products become more expensive to manufacture and deliver while customers become less able to buy them. The extent of that squeeze will depend as much on contracts, efficiency and financial resilience as on the next movement in the energy markets.
FAKE DISCOUNT STRUCTURES MAY BE ABOUT TO END The double-glazing industry has spent decades working to shake off a persistent stereotype: the pushy in-home salesperson sitting on a homeowner’s sofa for three hours, starting with an eyewatering £20,000 quote, and then magically dropping it down to £6,000 after “phoning the boss.” While reputable local installers have spent years quoting honest prices upfront, a chunk of the national market has quietly relied on this exact strategy. Now, the practice is facing a direct regulatory threat. Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s announcement of a series of consumer-focused “everyday fixes” includes plans to ban fake discounts, misleading recommended retail prices (RRPs), and artificial pricing reductions. For the UK window and door sector, this legislation isn’t just a minor marketing update—it is set to rewrite how home improvements are priced and sold.
What Does the New Law Entail? The crackdown aims to outlaw pricing tactics that create a false sense of a bargain or urgency. Under secondary legislation to be consulted on via the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA): • Fake “Was” Prices Are Out: Businesses will no longer be allowed to inflate a product’s price for a brief period simply to claim a massive “50% off” discount immediately after. A “was” price must reflect an actual price charged to real customers for a meaningful duration.
Invented Reductions: Retailers cannot advertise “savings” off completely fictional baseline figures or bogus RRPs. •
•
Strict Liability Offenses: Enforcement agencies like Trading Standards will no longer need to spend months proving complex customer detriment; simply failing to prove that an original price was real will trigger strict penalties.
The government estimates this ban will save British shoppers around £400 million a year. But in the double-glazing sector, where order values run into thousands of pounds, the impact per household will be far higher. How Will It Impact the Window & Door Industry? For years, high-pressure sales strategies relied on price anchoring—setting an artificially high starting price to make a standard price look like an unbeatable deal. We saw the consequences of deceptive promotional practices catch up with major players like Safestyle UK, who faced repeated scrutiny over year-round “50% off” or “buy one get one free” claims. The new rules hit the industry in three direct ways: 1. End of the “Sign Tonight” Pressure Pitch: Sales reps often tied huge fake discounts to immediate sign-ups (“If I call my manager, I can get you 40% off, but only if you sign before I leave tonight”). Banning artificial reference prices strips away the fake financial urgency used to force quick decisions. 2. Transparent Fixed Pricing Becomes the Standard: Installers will have to transition to transparent, itemised quotes based on clear labour and material costs. 3. Better Playing Field for Independent Traders: Local, independent installers who historically gave fair, transparent quotes upfront often lost jobs to national marketing machines shouting “60% OFF”. Outlawing fake reductions brings the focus back to workmanship, product quality, and genuine value.
How This Helps Consumers Choose the Right Installer Buying windows or doors is a major financial decision for any household, yet homeowners frequently report feeling overwhelmed by the quote process. This legislation will make choosing a contractor far safer and simpler in three ways: •
True Direct Comparisons: When every company is forced to present realistic pricing without disguised “discounts,” consumers can easily compare quotes side-by-side. You’ll finally be comparing real value rather than trying to decipher who is discounting from what.
•
Time to Think: Genuine quotes will have to stand on their own merits. Without the threat of losing a “todayonly 50% discount,” homeowners get the breathing room they need to read reviews, check trade accreditations, and review guarantees without feeling backed into a corner.
•
Rebuilding Trust: Eliminating sales theatre means homeowners can evaluate companies based on what actually matters—technical expertise, window thermal efficiency (U-values), security features, and customer reviews.
The Bottom Line The era of the “magic discount” in doubleglazing is coming to an end. For installers who have always priced fairly and transparently, this law is a welcome change that removes unfair competition. For consumers, it means fewer sales games on the sofa and far more confidence when investing in their homes.
CLAYTON GLASS RESTRUCTURES TO STRENGTHEN ITS NATIONWIDE GLASS OFFERING Nick Dutton is joining Ryan Green and Clayton Glass as a strategic partner as the glass manufacturer restructures its operations to create a stronger nationwide offering aligned with the changing needs of the UK market. The restructuring will see Clayton reshape its manufacturing footprint and concentrate production across strategically located sites, giving the company the right capacity, in the right locations, to support the products and services today’s glass market demands. Nick, previously of Brisant Secure where he led the development of the Ultion brand, will work alongside Clayton’s existing leadership team, with a particular focus on product innovation, commercial development and growth. His involvement will also see him take a shareholding in the business. Ryan Green, Founder of Clayton Glass, said: “The glass market has changed and Clayton needs to continue to change with it. That means having the right capacity, in the right places, producing the right products for the market we’re actually serving today.” The changes are designed to improve manufacturing efficiency and capacity utilisation while allowing Clayton to concentrate its resources behind the products, service and innovation that will drive the next phase of the company. For Clayton’s customers, continuity is at the heart of the restructuring. The company will continue to manufacture and supply sealed glass units nationwide, serving customers of all sizes through its multi-site manufacturing and distribution network. There will be no interruption to existing product warranties, while customer service and continuity of supply will remain central to Clayton’s operations throughout the transition. Central to Clayton’s future product offering is the hugely successful Triple28™, its 28mm triple glazed unit, developed to make the move from double to triple glazing significantly easier for fabricators and installers. Clayton will remain a multi-site operation, retaining the manufacturing capacity, logistics
and geographic reach required to provide a genuinely nationwide service.
Opinion This is a hard market. The cost of production is rising constantly, and with major energy price hikes predicted in the new year, it only looks set to rise further. As a manufacturing business in this sector, you can either choose to make the hard choices now to give yourself a better chance of success in the future, or you can stick your head in the sand and hope it all blows over. The latter is not a plan, by the way. Blind optimism can be dangerous in business. What should grab the market’s attention is the return of Nick Dutton – this time in the glass sector. His proven track record in other parts of the fenestration sector will be a major asset to the new-look Clayton Glass. Product innovation, marketing prowess, and a sharp eye for new opportunities are going to be incredibly valuable. A key aspect to take note of here as well is the confirmation that all warranties will be honoured, bills will be paid, and there will be continuity of service. This is a physical change of a company to suit the market we are in now, not the market that was. And that is what we should all be taking note of. The market we are in looks a hell of a lot different from that of even just a couple of years ago. The challenges we all face are acute, severe, and require addressing. Plans need to be made and then remade. You either change and adapt to the environment you’re in, or you don’t. If you don’t, well, we know where that ends up.
DGB
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SAINT-GOBAIN SIGNS MICROSOFT AGREEMENT TO ACCELERATE AI USE IN CONSTRUCTION Building materials group targets productivity, sustainability and data centre development through new framework agreement
is intended to help reduce CO₂ emissions and energy consumption across its manufacturing facilities while supporting the development of next-generation sustainable materials.
Saint-Gobain has signed a framework agreement with Microsoft aimed at expanding the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence across the construction materials group’s operations and supporting the development of lower-carbon construction solutions.
These materials are expected to form part of the group’s offer across residential, nonresidential and infrastructure construction markets. The agreement therefore combines internal operational applications of AI with the potential development of new products and solutions for the wider construction sector.
The agreement, announced by Saint-Gobain on 28 July 2026, has two principal areas of focus. The first is the wider deployment of Microsoft’s digital and AI capabilities within Saint-Gobain. The second will explore how Saint-Gobain’s construction solutions can support Microsoft’s expanding data centre infrastructure.
The announcement is the latest indication of the increasing role that artificial intelligence is expected to play across the construction supply chain. For manufacturers, potential applications extend beyond office-based automation and into areas such as product development, manufacturing processes, logistics, energy management and customer interaction.
For a group with major interests across building materials, insulation, glass, construction chemicals and other sectors, the agreement places artificial intelligence at the centre of a wider digital transformation strategy. According to Saint-Gobain, it intends to use Microsoft’s digital and AI solutions to support growth and productivity, improve customer experiences and advance its work on net-zero innovation. The collaboration will combine Saint-Gobain’s operational expertise with Microsoft’s cloud and artificial intelligence capabilities across a number of areas of the business.
For Saint-Gobain, the agreement with Microsoft provides a framework for using these technologies across its global operations rather than focusing on a single product line or business unit.
Focus on Microsoft’s data centre expansion The second major element of the agreement concerns Microsoft’s growing requirement for data centre capacity.
Saint-Gobain has identified several areas where the technologies could be deployed, including productivity, customer service, research and development, manufacturing and supply chain operations.
The two companies will explore how SaintGobain can support the construction of Microsoft’s data centre footprint through its range of integrated construction solutions. Saint-Gobain said its systems could contribute to faster construction, safety and resilience, certified performance and a reduction in the carbon footprint of new facilities.
The company is also linking the use of AI and digital technologies with its environmental objectives. Saint-Gobain said the collaboration
Data centres are becoming an increasingly important area of construction activity as demand for cloud computing and AI
AI across operations
infrastructure grows. Their development creates specific technical requirements relating to fire protection, insulation, flooring, cooling, structural systems and the management of large quantities of cabling and equipment. Saint-Gobain’s existing portfolio for the sector includes prefabricated sandwich panels, structural ceiling grids designed to accommodate large cables, anti-static screeds and coatings, fire-rated glazing and insulation products, cooling systems, concrete admixtures and lower-carbon glass solutions. The framework agreement could therefore create an opportunity for Saint-Gobain to combine its materials and systems expertise with Microsoft’s infrastructure expansion.
Digital technology and sustainable construction Saint-Gobain has positioned the agreement as part of its broader strategy to increase the use of digital technology while maintaining its focus on sustainable construction. The company said the collaboration with Microsoft will support its efforts to develop lower-carbon infrastructure and next-generation materials. At the same time, the use of cloud and AI technologies is intended to improve efficiency within Saint-Gobain’s own operations.
The announcement comes as construction product manufacturers increasingly examine how data and AI can be used throughout the lifecycle of buildings and infrastructure. Potential uses range from the design and specification of materials through to manufacturing, construction, building operation and refurbishment. For the fenestration and wider building products sectors, the development is another example of a major international manufacturer investing in AI as a tool for operational improvement, product innovation and environmental performance. The agreement does not establish specific financial targets or disclose a timetable for individual projects. Instead, it provides a framework under which Saint-Gobain and Microsoft can develop applications and opportunities across the group’s operations and construction markets. With artificial intelligence driving increased investment in digital infrastructure while also becoming more widely adopted by manufacturers, the agreement connects two significant developments in the construction sector: the use of AI to improve industrial operations and the growing demand for the specialist buildings required to support AI and cloud computing.