Business Insight 18 – Markets (blog & vlog)

At the back end of 1975, a plan was hatched to create Eastbourne’s first double glazing showroom. Rodney’s existing business would have the run-up to Christmas, a January sale and would then close, shifting the remaining stock to Hastings. I would share the rent and rates from that point, arrange for the refurbishment of the showroom, find a partner company to manufacture, survey and install our sales.

They would further supply and install the showroom products into the mock house fronts that were to be constructed free of charge. I still had the majority of my £5,000 savings and was hoping Rodney would be able to match the capital required out of a good Christmas and January season.

INSIGHT 18:- The whole replacement window/double glazing industry was predicated on the fact that after the Second World War, house builders had installed single glazed, poorly seasoned and non-tanalised softwood window and door frames which were all rotting away; sometimes within a few years of the house being built. The other traditional window material was iron or steel, which over a longer time rusted to a point of being unusable.
In any event, all of these materials were heavy on maintenance, so having a product to sell which transformed the look of your house, was virtually maintenance-free and with the added benefits of double glazing was going to be good business.

 

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