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Showroom investment SHARED BENEFITS FOR CUSTOMERS Total Installer hears from fabricator and supplier A Plus Aluminium, who has invested a ‘substantial amount’ to build a new flagship showroom at the company’s Watford headquarters, which customers can make exclusive use of... Entering through a glazed aluminium door, customers are greeted by a welcoming, well-lit space. One where the product positioning is deliberate rather than accidental, with each area carefully considered and its potential maximised. That was the goal when Jon Palethorpe and fellow Managing Director, Steve Warr from specialist trade fabricator, A Plus Aluminium, took the bold decision to stick with their pre-pandemic strategy, and build a new flagship showroom at the company headquarters in Watford. “This represents a substantial investment by A Plus,” said Jon. “Before Covid hit we had plans to provide our customers with a large, flexible space showcasing a wide range of aluminium fenestration products. But the pandemic stopped us all in our tracks; there was so much uncertainty and anxiety in those early days, noone knew where it was going. “Yet, like many businesses, as that first lockdown eased, we saw a sharp upturn in demand. While the showroom had initially been put on hold it soon became obvious that the pandemic hadn’t derailed our plans, it had increased their necessity. We knew from our clients that there was a strong need, so we decided to carry on as planned, as quickly and safely as possible.” Showcasing leading aluminium products The 130 square metre showroom spans two floors and centres around a customer presentation lounge, with a private meeting area. Features at the new Watford showroom include demonstration products from leading systems houses, including Hydro (inclusive of both Technal and Sapa brands), Smart Heritage and Cortizo. These include sliding and lift/slide doors; bifold doors; and flush casement and tilt before turn windows; alongside specialist fenestration A substantial investment has been made at A Plus Aluminium’s Watford HQ products such as vertical sliders, reversible windows and smoke vents. Lighting was integral when designing the showroom: “It needs to enhance products and highlight certain features, while making customers feel welcome,” said Jon. Cool white lights have been used to create a modern space and to accent products. This is complemented by LED shadow gap lighting in a rich blue tone, to define the customer presentation area. Appointment only Entrance is by appointment only. Customers are met by Jon or Business Development Manager, Clive Barham. “While Clive and I do much of the meeting and greeting, we are supported by a large team who provide assistance throughout the enquiry and order process,” explained Jon. Headed by Neil Weiser, Customer Services Manager, and Naobh O’Donoghue, Operations Manager, both departments provide invaluable support. Exclusive access A Plus manages the booking system so that customers benefit from exclusive use, treating the space as their own. This is extremely valuable for those without a showroom. Architectural glazing specialist, Bauxite is one such business. “With no showroom of our own, the A Plus studio is invaluable,” said Steve Lemarie, Managing Director of Bauxite Glazing Specialists. “It allows us to show clients the full product range, including large format doors and harder to demonstrate products such as vertical sliders and reversible windows. “Having worked with London-based architects and surveyors for many years we appreciate their requirements. They wish to understand the technical details and enjoy the ergonomics and aesthetics of a product, especially when making a comparison. It is something that they are more than willing to travel for, particularly when acting on behalf of larger, more prestigious clients.” Gives confidence Bauxite is a long-standing A Plus customer, and Steve believes that sharing this resource demonstrates the strength of the partnership. “Knowing that we have direct access to the manufacturer reassures our clients. They gain confidence from the showroom and tours of the fabrication facility.” Developing relationships “I am extremely pleased with the new showroom,” concluded Jon. “It offers us tremendous potential and is proving itself to be popular already. It offers our sales staff a chance to build closer relationships with our customers, and in turn, their clients. “Our enviable location also means we will attract more customers from the South East and be accessible to a greater number of decision makers, while also being close to our second manufacturing facility in Sandy, Bedfordshire.” Contact A Plus Aluminium: 01923 225855 www.apluswindows.co.uk/ @APlusAluminium 42 T I APRIL <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
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Page 4 and 5: THE EFFORTLESSLY SLIM Break the ba
Page 6 and 7: Contents ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS 24 A GAZE
Page 8 and 9: News Roundup ENCOURAGING THE NEXT G
Page 10 and 11: News Roundup HELP AT HAND Money rai
Page 12 and 13: News Roundup TAKE OFF FOR VEKA L-R:
Page 14 and 15: The Business Pilot Barometer DOWN -
Page 16 and 17: BDC the 1st to Manufacture Smart’
Page 18 and 19: FIT Show 2022 Preview MADE FOR TRAD
Page 20 and 21: FIT Show 2022 Preview For more news
Page 22: FIT Show 2022 Preview For more news
Page 25 and 26: Innovation comes built-in MANUFACTU
Page 27 and 28: Total performance with TOTAL70 Our
Page 29 and 30: Four flush casement systems. Made i
Page 31 and 32: Business. Done. The business manage
Page 33 and 34: TI - Half page ad CMYK + bleed fin.
Page 35 and 36: CRYSTAL ARE PROUD TO BE HEADLINE SP
Page 37 and 38: The Wolverhampton Glass showroom pr
Page 39 and 40: project delivery, whilst providing
Page 41 and 42: Oh so SIMPLE The Virtuoso Gateway i
Page 43: CALL: EMAIL: VISIT: M LEAD TIMES FR
Page 47 and 48: PARTNER
Page 49 and 50: ” I save 30 hours a month on quot
Page 51 and 52: Contract Talk In his words: “If n
Page 53 and 54: Membership just £24.95 +VAT per mo
Page 55 and 56: DoorGlass Brochure 21/22 Total Fabr
Page 57 and 58: www.britmet.co.uk | 01295 250998 |
Page 59 and 60: 2022 NEC BIRMINGHAM 10-12 MAY 2022
Page 61 and 62: Made for Trade is now ISO 9001 qual
Page 63 and 64: REQUEST INFO YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR
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Page 67 and 68: Introducing the strongest, most the
Page 70 and 71: Product delivery DELIVERING THE GOO
Page 72 and 73: Updates MAKING LITEWORK OF WORKING
Page 74 and 75: Sustainability CREATING A SUSTAINAB
Page 76: Company News ‘THIRTY YEARS YOUNG

April 2022

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