Dekko Window System has made a fantastic growth journey since it was founded in 2008. In March, Dekko became a part of the Inwido family. Meet Kurt Greatrex, Sales Director, and founder, in an interview about growth, window trends and continuous product development.
Kurt from Dekko in an interview about growth and trends in UK
“Dekko was established in 2008 by myself, Tony Carolan, Product Manager and Gary Torr, MD, in 2008. The first year we had sales of 3 million pounds - by 2021 we had increased by 700 percent to 21 million pounds. We started life as a uPVC fabricator mainly offering white plastic frames, but we’ve evolved over the years and have successfully launched several new product ranges in the past decade, including the Residence Collection, a luxury timber-effect window system, and Räum, a high-end collection of aluminum windows and doors.”
Dekkos products are sold across the UK and the company has more than 1000 customers annually, most of whom are installers, but the company also works closely with both house builders and architects. An important part of the sales success is "Make it yours", a marketing program that, among other things, gives installers access to professional images, home demonstration tools and online marketing.
Production takes place in Lancashire outside Manchester. Two years ago, the factory was expanded by 25,000 square feet, as an investment in the Räum aluminum series. This means that the factory now measures 80,000 square feet, where many millions of pounds over the years have been invested in the best machinery. The production is also linked to Dekko's CRM system, which means that the same platform handles everything from customer inquiries and quotes to production and delivery and the creator “lean” production process from start to finish.
Kurt Greatrex points out the most important trends for windows and doors in UK:
• Sustainability: The Future Homes Standard, the first major stepping stone to becoming net zero carbon by 2050, requires all new homes in England to be futureproofed with high levels of energy efficiency by 2025 – just three years away. By June this year, u-values for windows and glazed doors in new build homes will reduce from 1.4 to 1.2. This in turn means that products will look different to what they do now, including bigger frames, higher performance hardware, and triple glazing.
• Minimal maintenance, energy efficient and stylish: Consumers want windows that require minimal maintenance, provide high energy performance and security. But these new windows also need to be aesthetically pleasing, which is why there’s been a rise in demand for timber-alternative windows.
• Colour: Today, most windows sold by Dekko are in a color other than white. This has clearly increased during the pandemic. Homeowners have been investing more and more in their properties, and there’s certainly an uptake in people choosing colours rather than the standard white products we’re used to.
• Aluminum: For a long time, aluminum windows and doors were just something for commercial properties. But in recent years, it has become increasingly common even in ordinary homes. It is run primarily for aesthetic reasons such as thinner lines of sight and for the interest of the media, not least the television program Grand Designs.
You have been a part of Inwido since March. What are your first impressions?
“The acquisition was very exciting news for Dekko, as we know that Inwido only invests in the very best companies. Our first impression is positive - Inwido operates through a decentralized management structure, something that suits Dekko very well, and which means that the acquisition has affected the day-to-day operations very little and that our management team can continue as before. At the same time, the financial backing from the company has allowed us to plan for the future, with continued growth in new product ranges and with increased production.”