Sean Parnaby, managing director of the company, which was occupying a slice of the sizeable Wood Window Alliance (WWA) stand, reported that recent market figures showed timber window business ahead in an overall shrinking market.
"The latest Palmer report on the sector showed annual window sales in total down 6% , while timber increased 6%," he said.
He attributed the improvement in part to the WWA’s marketing efforts, and growing appreciation of timber windows’ improved performance and choice.
"In common with fellow WWA members, we’re now using primarily engineered wood, which gives us greater stability," he said. "The range of designs and finishes has also undoubtedly improved. Coloured windows are now increasingly the fashion, which helps wood. Our output used to be nearly 100% white. We’re now 50/50. And there’s a growing trend for two-tone products."
The greater range of timber window styles was also getting interest at Ecobuild, including West Port’s arched sliding sashes destined for an apartment block overlooking the 18th hole at St Andrews.
The company is also currently making 3,000 windows and 500 sliding doors for the new Woburn Center Parcs, is about to start supplying single-glazed windows to a listed in London’s Leicester Square and has delivered a 5.5m high sliding sash to a Jamie Oliver restaurant.
The WWA said it hopes to give the market a further boost by improving the current relatively low BRE Green Guide rating for aluminium clad wood windows on the back of new research from Glasgow Caledonian University.
