ROOFING
AS GOOD AS IT’S GOING TO GET?
At the halfway point in 2023, many in the industry are asking whether this is slow market is the new normal.
J
ust 12 months ago, the roof window market, alongside the majority of the construction sector, was recovering from unprecedented demand in the second half of 2021 – something everyone knew would be an anomaly due to the pandemic and its astronomical effect on the housing and renovation market. However, the market is currently facing low consumer buying confidence, particularly around big-ticket items, challenging lending terms, even though the UK might narrowly avoid recession in 2023 Jim Blanthorne, managing director of Keylite Roof Windows says: “Anyone working in the construction industry, particularly the repair, maintenance and improvement sector, will have undoubtedly witnessed the huge toll taken on businesses recovering from the unprecedented post-pandemic demand - particularly for those who had just downsized
or scaled back production. Fortunately, here at Keylite and thanks to the hard work of the team, production and supply volumes were
rapidly increased and we recovered quickly, enjoying record volumes in Q1 2022.” He adds that the industry now faces an
GROWING SUPPORT ORGANICALLY With the construction
market continuing to show short term signs of struggle, customer demand on the front line of merchants is ever rising. How merchants are able to utilise their supply chain to help weather this demand will be key.
S 30
ince opening in 2006, roofing merchant DMR Roofing Centre has always made people the main priority, whether that be staff, customers, or suppliers. The focus has been finding suppliers who are more than just product manufacturers, but who also have a real interest in seeing their customers’ businesses develop.
DMR Roofing Centre and Flex-R began working together in 2013. However, it wasn’t until 2020, with the outbreak of COVID- 19 pandemic and its impact on the supply chain that DMR Roofing Centre truly came to understand what Flex-R offered. “The range of products on offer really impressed us,” Sam Hellewell, sales manager at DMR Roofing Centre says. “But it was the structure of support and the way in which they clearly communicated with us that really impressed us.”
He adds: “If either one of the team or our customers are waiting for an order, I need to be able to call up and speak to someone. Flex-R are always at the end of the phone for this and any other queries we might have. They’re always willing to help.” “That builds up trust and comfort and shows that they truly care about us, our relationship and helping us develop. We’re not just another nameless customer to them.”
This was particularly important given the uncertainty around COVID-19 and the impact it had on stock, as Hellewell explains. “Flex-R never stopped communicating with us. This was vital to keeping us and our customers up to date. While we were on allocation for stock, Flex-R did their best to ensure we were never left completely short.”
“They were incredibly flexible when it came to supplying us with materials needed for
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net July 2023
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