Framing the future- with colour

White. Cream. Rosewood. Chartwell Green. Irish Oak. Anthracite Grey. The fenestration industry has witnessed a revolution of colour throughout the last decade – and it shows no signs of stopping.

The days of property owners requesting a full suite of white windows with matching white doors and a conservatory are much less prevalent than before. Order forms are now filled with requests for windows foiled in all colours of the rainbow, with woodgrain, patterned or shimmer effects, many wanting two different colours for frame and sash.

We’ve entered the age of personalisation at every level – and homeowners are demanding more choice than ever – so what if we told you one PVCu systems company is able to offer almost 3,330 different colour combinations within just 7 days, with thousands more on longer lead times?

Leading the way

Well-known for its innovation and commitment to meeting customer requirements, industry-leading systems house Liniar leads the pack on PVCu colour – both in terms of range and lead time. We ask Liniar’s Business Services Director Colin Sharpe to provide some insight into the company’s colour programme – and what to expect from it in the future.

Pioneering choice

Liniar recognised the importance of choice from the inception of its 70mm chamfered profile in 2008. Colin describes the thought process behind this stance:

“When we initially launched our flagship profile, we knew how crucial it would be for fabricators to have the opportunity to offer their customers a range of colours and finishes.

“Developing an in-house lamination department with the latest high-tech machinery was therefore an early focus for us; we began with two stocked foils and since then our foil range and ability to fulfil orders have both grown substantially.”

Explaining the numbers

A claim of 3,330 colour combinations is a staggering number to offer – so can Liniar clarify how this number is achieved? Colin explains the maths and also why the innovative systems company has continued to build its colour range through the years:

“Each of our product ranges has a number of stocked foil options; remember we also produce outdoor ranges in addition to windows, doors and roofs. We now offer a whopping 36 colours across the ranges, and these can be applied on one side of profiles across 5 different coloured substrates, as well as the same foil on both sides, or a different colour on each side.

“This means when the options are multiplied out, we can stand behind our claim that any of 3,330 colourways can be supplied within a 7-day lead time – something we believe any other systems company would find difficult, if not impossible to beat.

Colin continues:

“Imagination is a customer’s only limitation when it comes to coloured Liniar products. We’re also very open-minded – for example, if a client requests an unusual colour on a project and it meets our minimum order quantity, we’ll purchase the foil and do it. The sky really is the limit!”

Adapting to Demand

Ensuring a business evolves to cater to changes in customer taste is the key to long-term success – and Liniar is fast to adapt to change.

“How do we do it? One word – investment. Liniar not only dedicates annual investment into top-of-the-line lamination equipment, but also in the stock of coloured and woodgrain foil ‘logs’. This allows us to fulfil orders for fabricators on incredibly short lead times with a 99% ‘On Time, In Full’ delivery service rate.

“Our team has a proactive approach to customer demand, researching trends and allowing us to be quick to react to changes in the market. It’s simply part of our ethos and helps us perform better as a business,” Colin explains.

Current trends

Customers are already making their wishes known when it comes to colour, and it shows in Liniar’s changing supply ratios for laminated foiled profiles.

Colin states, “After compiling the data up to the end of 2019, we see that 7106 Grey has been the most popular foiled colour with nearly 40% of customers choosing this foil for windows and doors. It’s followed closely by Rosewood, a woodgrain foil which has been popular for well over a decade.

“We’re seeing a rise in the popularity of different shades of grey, including Agate, as well as more authentic timber-effect finishes, which are perfect for our timber alternative system, Resurgence. I fully expect as new colours are introduced to the market, we’ll see bolder colour choices for new builds and renovations in the future.”

See Liniar’s full range of stocked and short lead time colour options on its website at www.liniar.co.uk/colours.

Share

Recent Blog Posts

QNX Passive House Secured By Design Corgi Fenestration BSI12608 PAS24 Security ISO 14001 ISO 9001 bhhpa Bali NCC Queens Awards Sustainable Midlands Supporter

Enter Your Postcode To Get Directions!

View Full Map, Share & Print
Contact Us