COULD BE GET EVEN EXPENSIVE

Continue to pass on increases

Our sector has endured an onslaught of price increases no one has likely ever seen before in their time in the fenestration career. Remember the days we’d all get pissed off at a 2% increase once a year? I think we’d all take that right now.

In the early phase of price increase, the supply chain was comfortable in passing those down to the consumer. At that time, inflation wasn’t a problem, there was no cost of living crisis and people were flush with furlough cash and holiday refunds. That money is now gone, inflation is at a 40-year high and the cost of living is as serious a problem as COVID was.

However, our sector has no real option but to continue to pass any further increases down the supply chain. We’re all getting battered from all directions. Energy costs are rising fast, demand at the same time is dropping off at a very inconvenient time and margins are being squeezed. If suppliers decided to absorb price increases there is a significant chance many would close their doors for good.

Ultimately, installers, who are the last to get hit in the chain, will have to pass any glass price increases on to the homeowner. It’s not ideal, and it will make many feel uncomfortable given the economic backdrop. But installers are not charities either, and everyone has to do what they can to ensure that they can ride this storm out.

Remember, our sector has a very powerful USP in that our products can radically improve the energy efficiency of a home. So whilst prices continue to rise, we also have to continue to make the point that only by investing in your home can you ensure that future energy costs are limited to the absolute minimum they have to be.