What’s Anthracite All About Alfie?

Analysis and findings by Alfie Booker on the sales of coloured frames make interesting reading for anyone who thinks that Anthracite Grey has had its day.

Booker did his work as part of his ongoing training and apprenticeship with Euroglaze.

White remains the dominant choice amongst Euroglaze’s trade customers but anthracite grey is still by far the next most popular option. Over the past year, anthracite grey has outsold pearl grey, elephant grey and slate grey by almost three to one, with pearl grey the most popular of the three alternatives.

Euroglaze offers the widest range of Rehau PVC-U products of any UK trade fabricator – from Total 70 casements and Heritage sliders to Rauferno fire rated windows, Rio flush sashes and Slinova patios. It is well placed to be able to provide a snapshot of the current colour trends shaping the market in PVC-U and in Rehau windows and doors in particular.

Growth colours

The biggest growth in sales at Euroglaze has actually been in black and midnight black frames for use in both traditional and contemporary settings, while rosewood is still an enduringly popular choice for casements.

Nicky Park, Euroglaze’s senior business development associate, said: “On casement windows in particular, Anthracite Grey clearly isn’t going anywhere yet. On our flush sashes though, it’s a slightly different picture with pearl, elephant and slate grey rapidly gaining ground alongside the two black finishes.

“Alfie’s work is helping us track changes in demand, and we are constantly looking to respond to that. For instance, we already offer all the standard Rehau foils and have recently added their brand new Alux gunmetal colour with metallic finish so that our customers have another more premium grey option for Total 70, Rio and Slinova products.

“We also work with a specialist local coating company to offer a bespoke colouring service in virtually any RAL colour on everything from finished frames to trickle vents. We can even spray components and accessories to match our frames if they are out of stock from one of our suppliers for any reason.

“What elevates this service from Euroglaze is our fast turnaround and attention to detail. All the gaskets and even the hidden parts of the frame are all masked off before they are sprayed, so there is never any overspray visible, and all of the frame references remain legible. We also label products on the packaging so that customers don’t need to unwrap them until they are ready to be fitted.”

Picture: Alfie Booker, Euroglaze’s data technician apprentice says anthracite grey is still dominant in PVC-U.

www.euroglaze.co.uk