Sliders UK boosts manufacturing capacity by 60%

The new night shift creates new manufacturing capacity on the specialist fabricator’s aluminium bi-folding, French and sliding door lines, plus its composite door line.

Part of a continuing programme of investment since a management buy in in April 2017, the launch of the new shift also creates 11 new jobs, including a new night shift production manager post.

Alex Murphy, Managing Director, Sliders UK, said: “We’ve seen significant growth in demand for aluminium product and for our composite door range and we believe that that’s going to continue going forward.

“As part of our long term planning strategy, we have consequently taken the decision to create a new night shift to prep product for manufacture the following day.

“This has delivered a significant up-lift in our manufacturing capability, with new in aluminium and composite door lines. Overall that accounts for an increase of around 60%, when applied to what we do in total.

“We don’t necessarily need all of that additional capacity now, it’s much more about guaranteeing sustainable and long term growth, while under-writing our product quality and customer service levels.”

Sliders UK has reported consistent month-on-month growth throughout 2018, topping at 45% year-on-year growth in June this year.

It follows the expansion of its aluminium offer last year, including the addition of the Ultimate Evolution aluminium bi-folding door. This features a highly innovative fully adjustable jamb option, which fitted to both sides of the door, makes squaring and setting faster – cutting installation time to as little as 45 minutes.

The consequential popularity of the Ultimate Evolution with installers, means that it now accounts for sales of more than 100 frames per week.

With a maximum sash height and width of 3000mm x 1200mm, colour-matched handles and magnetic door holders, a low threshold option and 30mm polyamide thermal break for increased thermal values, it is also fully tested to PAS 2, Part Q approved and BS6375 Part 1 Weather Tested.

Sliders UK has followed the launch of the Ultimate Evolution with the addition of an aluminium window, manufactured in ALUK’s proven 70mm Optio system, and the launch of the launch of ALUK’s BSC94 aluminium inline sliding door, alongside the established ALUK BSF70 bi-fold door.

Sliders UK introduced its new composite door offer in April this year. PAS24 and Part Q approved, this uses ‘intelligent timber’ inserts encased inside a foam core and durable GRP skin, to provide additional core strength without impacting on thermal efficiency.

This system is also highly resistant to warping, bowing and twisting, which means that the Ultimate Composite Door is supplied with an industry leading bowing tolerance of just 3mm.

Murphy continued: “Product development has been a key element of our growth strategy. We’ve added a number of products to our range in the last year, which deliver a series of distinct advantages to our customers, including installation efficiencies, commercial opportunities and far better through-life performance.

“The introduction of a second shift and the continuing investment that we’re making in our infrastructure means that that product development is being delivered alongside continuing improvements in quality and flexibility of service.”