34 | Sector Focus: Joinery


SUMMARY


■The rise of hybrid working and remote jobs has significantly reduced demand for large office spaces


■Refurbishment has become one of the key drivers of growth for specialist joinery


■Private healthcare providers are increasingly investing in specialist joinery


■Premier Forest Specialist Joinery offers a full end-to-end service from initial concept to final installation


THE FUTURE OF JOINERY


Specialist joinery, providing bespoke, precision-made solutions for demanding environments, from retail to health care, has increasingly positive prospects, writes Lee Jefferson, contracts manager at the new Premier Forest Specialist Joinery operation


Above: Lee Jefferson is contracts manager at the new Premier Forest Specialist Joinery operation


TTJ | May/June 2025 | www.ttjonline.com


The UK joinery market has experienced steady growth over the past decade, driven by increasing demand for high-quality craftsmanship, sustainable materials, and bespoke design. Within this broader landscape, one area that stands out is specialist joinery - an increasingly vital segment focused on custom, commercial- grade solutions tailored precisely to the needs of individual projects. This is joinery refined and elevated, offering made-to- measure installations that combine function, form, and finesse. As design standards rise and commercial environments demand more tailored solutions, specialist joinery is fast becoming an essential part of modern construction and interior fit-out strategies. Specialist joinery caters to a range of sectors, particularly retail, leisure, commercial offices, and healthcare environments. These industries share a need for high-quality, functional, and often visually appealing interiors, but they also present unique design challenges. While they may appear to be under pressure, these sectors remain key clients for joinery professionals who can offer innovation and flexibility, largely due to their internal investment pattern as they continue to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. In retail and hospitality, the pandemic accelerated changes that were already in motion. The growth of e-commerce,


combined with social distancing measures and successive lockdowns, led to a wave of closures. Many high street shops and hospitality venues struggled to survive, and those that did often emerged into a market where footfall was lower, and customer expectations had changed. Today, businesses are finding it harder to justify large investments in new premises. Factors such as the cost-of-living crisis have further impacted consumer spending, with many individuals reducing discretionary purchases and opting to stay in rather than go out. These pressures have left many retail and hospitality operators focused not on expansion, but on survival and reinvention.


Commercial offices tell a similar story. The rise of hybrid working and remote jobs has significantly reduced demand for large office spaces. A considerable number of companies have downsized or completely abandoned traditional office environments, choosing instead to work remotely or adopt flexible workspace models. According to 2024 data from industry analysts, office occupancy in major UK cities remains over a quarter below pre- pandemic levels. However, this doesn’t mean that companies have stopped investing in their workspaces entirely. Instead, the focus has shifted from size to quality. Businesses are taking the opportunity to rethink their


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