Innovation in action – what Liniar doubling in size means for new product development

A thriving business with ambitious plans

For well over a decade leading UK systems house Liniar has experienced significant, continuous growth. A considerable achievement given recent events such as Brexit, Covid-19, and the ongoing war in Ukraine, to name a few!

Now, with the continued financial backing of parent company Quanex, Liniar plans to accelerate its growth on ‘The Road to $2Billion’, a turnover goal set by Quanex CEO George Wilson as part of exciting and ambitious expansion plans.

This is no pipe dream, but a laser focused journey being undertaken by a financially strong, resourceful organisation with a clear strategy in place and Liniar is already breaking ground on doubling the size of its single site extrusion operation in Derbyshire.

We catch up with Liniar’s Design and Development Director, Chris Armes, who tells us how the plans to double in size will impact upon the design team.

New Product Innovation

Chris explains, “Investment in new product development is a crucial part of Liniar’s success, allowing the business to expand the product range, fulfil existing market opportunities, anticipate future regulations and enter new markets.”

Zero|90, Liniar’s Passivhaus-capable window and door system that’s already ahead of any planned Future Homes Standard targets, was launched in early 2023 and serves as a prime example of Quanex being fully supportive of investment in new product innovation.

Discussing the project Chris states, “We had long recognised the benefits a highly energy efficient 90mm window and door system would offer the construction industry, including enhanced energy efficiency, improved noise reduction, and reduced carbon emissions.

“So, when Liniar requested capital to invest in Zero|90’s development, Quanex was more than happy to back the project, and crucially remained committed during a period of global disruption very few people predicted – the Covid-19 pandemic.

He continues, “Whilst the whole fenestration industry was facing uncertain times in 2020, with subsequent surges in demand and associated challenges across the supply chain for the following two years, Liniar took the strategic decision to continue investing in the development of Zero|90. During these uncertain times, many other companies were halting investment and innovation through necessity.

“The rationale was clear; the industry would need products of this nature as we moved towards the Future Homes Standard in 2025 and we knew the development of a full system could take years, so there was no time to lose.

“Investment in such a long-term project (around £2M to date) is testament to Liniar and Quanex and their willingness to put time and resources into developing systems for the future, despite knowing this would be an ongoing commitment.”

Commenting on what this means for the Design and Development department Chris states, “This level of support gives the design team the freedom and confidence to develop and realise its ideas. What’s more, at Liniar we have a culture of open communication with a very flat organisational structure. Every member of the team is encouraged to share their thoughts, especially if they feel they can see a way of doing something better, as part of our Continuous Improvement culture. Combined with being well-resourced, the result is a dynamic, exciting professional environment conducive to creativity and inspiration.”

Facilitating recruitment

Investment in growing Liniar’s headquarters also provides an opportunity for site enhancement. Chris explains, “The expansion of the site means we’ll be able to add more amenities for our team members, which not only boosts morale amongst the existing workforce, it enables us to continue to attract the best candidates to Liniar.

“Product design and development is a very specialised, highly skilled career path and we need to be able to attract talented individuals in a competitive job market.

“Whether candidates are coming in at entry level and learning on the job via an apprenticeship, something Liniar has a long history of doing well, or coming from industry with a wealth of knowledge and experience, we just want to get the best people possible on board, and having a safe, enjoyable, comfortable working environment helps us to do this.”

Advanced product testing

The plans to double our site in size will also allow even closer collaboration between Design and Development and Technical team members.

“Construction of a bespoke testing lab is already well underway and will help us try out fresh, innovative ideas with full-sized products, which will help us get new products to market even more quickly,” states Chris.

He continues, “Rigorous in-house testing also adds value for our customers by ensuring they receive products that are of high quality, safe, reliable, and aligned with their needs. It demonstrates Liniar’s commitment to delivering superior products, reinforcing positive customer experiences at every level of the supply chain and giving peace of mind to our customers and end users.”

Chris concludes, “Bringing innovative solutions to market also benefits consumers, as there are more cutting-edge, energy saving products available to meet their diverse needs. And with a reputation for quality manufacturing and superior customer service, with 99% On Time, In Full deliveries our customers can rest assured they are making the right decision in choosing Liniar!”

To find out more about Liniar’s full range visit https://www.liniar.co.uk/