6 Hot Products To Watch Out For In 2015

Looking at the spec of the product, the engineering and development that has gone into the product, it should prove quite popular with installers who are looking for a bi-folding door product that is a little different. As for the marketing of the product, they have created a rather funky website. In fact it’s one of the best for a single product I’ve seen. Certainly a site that grabs your attention and makes you want to find out more.

The press certainly seemed to like it, and early reviews of the product and build quality seem to rate it quite highly. With the marketing power behind Synseal, and the fact that you cannot buy these from a fabricator, I think they could do quite well this year.

Solid roofs

You thought 2014 was good for solid roofs? Wait until we get to the end of 2015. I really do think solid roof products are going to have a great year. After a few juvenile years, I think the industry is really getting to grips with solid roofs and learning exactly how to sell and install them properly. You could say that 2015 might be the year the solid roof market matures.

The reason I say that is because I believe that as the industry starts to get rid of grey areas in red tape and health and safety, solid roof sales will accelerate as more installers decide to get on board. Yes solid roofs are popular, certinaly with the homeowner, but not every installer does them. With so many more solid roof products now on the market, conservatory refurbishments on the rise in a big way, and with guidance provided by suppliers to help with checks and health and safety, the real potential of the solid roof market could be unlocked this year.

Flush windows and doors

VEKA do them, Evolution do them and Eurocell do them – a flush window and/or door system. The rise of the timber alternative market has spawned a spin-off product in it’s wake in the form of flush windows and doors. And the customers are really starting to buy into the idea.

Although flush products have been on the market for a little while, it was only in 2014 that I started to notice myself a noticeable increase in interest in a flush product. That’s why I think products like the Modus from Eurocell, flush Evolution and Residence 9 and VEKA’s Imagine systems will do very well in 2015. As more flush installations start to appear, their exposure to the general public will increase, therefore increasing demand.

I personally like flush products. They offer something different to casements out industry has been peddling for decades. I think flush windows and doors could really get a boost this year.

Triple glazing

Hear me out on this one. I think 2015 could see an increase in sales in triple glazing. I wouldn’t bet on it, but there is a chance that fledgling sector could become a little stronger. But it won’t be on the strength of the product. We all know that triple glazing really doesn’t provide tangible benefits over double glazing. Anyone who went to the Triple Glazing debate last year would know that.

No, triple glazing could be boosted this year due to pure marketing. Everest and Anglian have both run adverts on TV promoting the product, and it’s quite possible we could see other companies taking to the airwaves to advertise triple glazing as a means to bring in some extra revenue. When the biggest companies start to promote a certain product, you can be sure that it will have some level of effect.

It does make me a little uncomfortable however, that the industry is pushing triple glazing as an option that is automatically better than double. Triple glazing can be better than double, but only in certain specifications, yet that message I doubt is getting through to the customer. Our industry’s natural instinct to market a new product as automatically better has got in the way of some of the actual truths of the product.

Still, if you’re looking to boost sales this year, triple glazing might be a good place to start.

Coloured doors

Another product that I think could have a great year this year are coloured doors. When I mean coloured, I mean colours away from those foiled options that suppliers stock. What I’m actually talking about are doors custom sprayed to the customer’s bespoke choice.

We have done quite a few of these last year at our place. Take this funky yellow door. The customer wanted to keep the character of their timber door, and have something bespoke to them. With the options available now this is of course possible. But what I think is really grabbing the attention of the general public is coloured doors. I think in 2015 we could see a real explosion in doors being sprayed in all sorts of colours. It’s what makes buying a new door more exciting for the homeowner.

Want to attract more door sales in 2015? I’d stick a few doors in funky new colours in your showroom.

Lanterns and skypods

The Atlas lantern glass roof was one of the slickest products I saw at the FiT Show in 2014. A really neat looking product which drew plenty of attention from crowd. It joined a growing market in the small glass lantern roof market.

Little lanterns and glass roofs like Eurocell’s Skypod product could have a great year in 2015 as homeowners start to get creative with their flat roofs and open up previously dark spaces to let in more light. After fitting a Skypod late last year and seeing some of the other products on the market, lantern roofs could take off big time.

Other things to look our for in the industry this year would be more online door builders on fabricator websites, especially in the composite door sector. More options for remote locking on doors. Further diversification in hardware options too.

What do you think? Am I way off the mark? Have I missed out something glaringly obvious? All comments welcome in the section below.