Fabricators – Your Flexible Friends

17th June 2026

According to Jeff Dunn, the group sales & commercial director at Glazerite, flexibility is becoming one of the most valuable assets a fabricator can offer its installer customers.

According to Dunn, homeowners are demanding more choice when it comes to windows and doors. From colours and finishes to styles and specifications, installers are increasingly expected to offer a broad range of options while still delivering projects on time and within budget.

He says that for fabricators, meeting these expectations can be challenging. Product availability, stockholding requirements and lead times can vary significantly between systems, particularly as demand for coloured products continues to grow.

Dunn said: “By manufacturing from multiple profile systems, Glazerite is able to provide installers with greater choice while helping them maintain project timescales, control costs and minimise disruption when availability issues arise.

“The growth of coloured windows and doors has brought new opportunities for installers, yet it has also increased complexity throughout the supply chain. When I joined the business eight years ago, coloured foils accounted for around 30% of what we manufactured. "Today, that figure is closer to 43% and we expect it to continue growing."

Matching ancillaries

Every colour requires matching ancillaries, extensions, trims, end caps and supporting components. As the number of available finishes increases, so does the challenge of managing stock and availability. For installers, this can sometimes create delays when a particular colour or profile combination is not readily available.

The advantage of multiple systems

This is where manufacturing multiple profile systems can make a significant difference.

"A colour that is readily available within one profile system may be made to order in another," said Dunn. "That means we have to constantly review availability and look at ways to support customers if a particular option could affect lead times."

As Glazerite manufactures multiple systems, installers often have access to alternative solutions that can achieve a similar look while avoiding unnecessary delays. In some cases, that flexibility can help maintain project schedules. In others, it can create cost efficiencies by allowing installers to select products that better suit both their budget and delivery requirements.

Lead times

As customer expectations continue to rise, reliable lead times remain one of the most important factors for installers. Delays can have a knock-on effect across multiple projects, impacting scheduling, labour allocation and customer satisfaction.

To support demand, Glazerite continuously reviews stockholding across its manufacturing operations and works closely with its systems partners to monitor product availability.

"We hold as much stock of our fastest-moving profiles as possible," Dunn said. "If demand changes, we adjust what we're holding to reflect those trends. This allows the business to respond quickly to changing market conditions while maintaining consistent service levels for customers.”

Data driven

A key part of this approach is understanding customer demand before it becomes a challenge. Glazerite analyses sales and production data across the business to identify emerging trends, monitor product performance and make informed decisions about stockholding.

Dunn said: "We review colour performance every month. If a colour is becoming less popular or if it's creating manufacturing challenges, we can make decisions early rather than waiting for problems to develop.

"Ultimately, it's about giving customers more options. We want installers to be able to offer choice without worrying that it's going to create unnecessary delays or complications further down the line."

Picture: Giving installers more choice without compromising lead times has become very important for fabricators says Glazerite’s Jeff Dunn.

www.glazeritewindows.co.uk