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The last few years have been a rollercoaster for the construction industry. Economic and political changes have had a domino effect on trade, while a surge in demand highlighted serious weaknesses in the global supply chain and the availability of building materials across all markets.
Ben Brocklesby, Director at Origin, the UK’s most successful manufacturer of bespoke aluminium bi-folding doors and windows, predicts the biggest challenges will continue in the year ahead, but encourages businesses to remain positive.
The ability to adapt to constant change is vital to success. At Origin, we have heavily invested in our internal processes and infrastructure to protect ourselves, and our customers, against external challenges. Despite the market being in a persistent state of fluctuation, with supply chain issues, materials shortages and the introduction of new, more stringent building regulations, Origin has found ways to safeguard its operations for the future.
Take control of the supply chain
Material shortages are the biggest headache for the construction industry. In 2021, over 90 percent of builders reported delays due to materials shortages, according to the NAHB. Unfortunately, pressures on global shipping, delays, and volatile material prices are all set to continue into 2023.
There are, however, ways that businesses can protect themselves against this uncertainty. At Origin, we have been able to guarantee an ‘On Time, In Full’ delivery promise to our Partners by investing in our internal infrastructure. We have updated our products to minimise the use of materials in short supply, while a new, 55,000sqft warehouse facility has allowed us to stockpile aluminium profile and increase storage capacity by 82 percent. By bolstering our own supply chain, we can offer short lead times of just 24 hours on most products and can ensure our Partners are never let down due to supply chain issues.
Embrace technology
Well-designed technology is a gamechanger for improving efficiency and saving time, both internally and for customers. For example, Origin’s revolutionary software, Origin Sale Safe (OSS), allows our Partners to quote and order for whole house projects in minutes. Adjustments can quickly and easily be made on the system, with a revised price shown immediately after changes are made. In 2023, OSS will be updated further to make it easier for Partners to quote even the most intricate of jobs online and even add their own margins to the cost of a project to save their time spent on admin.
OSS gives our Partners a huge advantage over the competition and stops admin tasks taking up valuable time. This means they can focus on the bigger picture, allowing their businesses to grow.
Origin’s internal technology infrastructure has also been updated to support our robust supply chain.
A fully automated in-house ordering system ensures stock is always available. When an order is placed via OSS, aluminium profile is automatically reordered. In just one click, Origin’s internal system will generate the work order, supply the line, and notify the delivery team. There is no room for human error, ensuring stock is always available for projects.
Innovate for the future
Investing in innovation should remain a priority, even during a recession. The industry needs to keep its foot on the gas when it comes to developing new ideas if it is to continue to grow. This is particularly the case in terms of updating products to improve thermal performance. The energy efficiency of homes will be a priority for homeowners who want to protect themselves against the rising cost of gas and electricity during the cost-of-living-crisis.
Last year, the introduction of ‘Part L’ of the Future Homes Standard put pressure on manufacturers to improve existing systems to ensure they meet the new, stricter energy performance targets. In new homes, the target for windows and glazed doors is now 1.2 W/m2K, while replacement systems require a U-Value of 1.4 W/m2K.
Unfortunately, in the fenestration industry, some manufacturers opted to install triple glazing as standard to meet the new criteria. This short-term solution means they will struggle to achieve lower U-Value thresholds due to be introduced in 2025.
Origin has taken a different approach. Our in-house R&D team had redesigned some of the parts used in our systems to ensure they exceed the new building regulations, without impacting functionality or style.
The ability to adapt to change has made Origin one of Britain’s biggest manufacturing success stories. With innovation at our core, we will continue to find pioneering ways to triumph over challenges and support our Partners in the year ahead.
To find out more about Origin, please visit www.origin-global.com.
