Family-run Heavers of Bridport had considered switching to an installer-only model for many years, it wasn't until 2018 that they made the decision to exit fabrication entirely.
The Dorset business, which was established in 1960, is a family-run business headed up by Ross Heaver. He switched the fabricator-installer business to an installer-only model in 2018
"We had thought about changing our business model for years but legacy, pride, and commitment to our staff made it a challenging decision. We took great pride in making great quality frames ourselves, but the reality was it was hurting our business. As a relatively small firm manufacturing 50 – 100 frames per week, the issues around Brexit combined with spiralling costs and machinery investment, meant we had to take stock. The answer was to close the fabrication element of our business and switch the focus solely to installation.”
The decision wasn’t made lightly and before Ross took the plunge, the logical step was to find a quality VEKA fabricator who could deliver what the firm’s end customers wanted in terms of quality uPVC windows, supported by excellent customer service.
Ross says: “As part of the process, we visited four VEKA fabricators to listen to their proposals and find a business partner who would fit with our needs and values. We chose Glazerite because, like us, they have ambitions for growth. They also continually invest in their operations and their people, and we knew we could work well together. Once we’d had the meeting with them and they walked us through what they could do for our business going forward, the decision was made.”
From the outset, Glazerite worked with Ross and his team to support the business in areas such as HR & I.T and help make the transition as smooth as possible. Working with Glazerite also gave Heavers access to an extensive portfolio of products. This has opened doors and allowed Heavers to be able to provide installs for non-standard and bigger jobs, with access to products they’d never have been able to fabricate themselves.
Following the move to installer-only, Heavers has gone from strength to strength. Ross & his team has also made use of the factory space previously used for fabrication, turning the 3,500 sq. ft space into one of the biggest showrooms in the area.
Talk to us about making the move to an installer only model.