How does a systems company address the modern demands placed on window design? We talk to aluplast’s Director of Sales & Marketing Ian Cocken to find out.
The window industry has gone through something of a revolution is the last 15 years, although you wouldn’t get many people admitting this, argues aluplast’s Director of Sales and Marketing Ian Cocken, because that may reveal gaps in their own offering.
“You look at what is expected of windows today – from newbuild to refurbishment, and social housing to commercial – and you will see that it is a far cry to what was expected in around 2010,” he says. “And yet, in many cases, window design and construction is struggling to catch up.”
Ian says that even before you look at specific requirements, the role windows play in comfort, character and even aspiration, is much more obvious today.
“When people go to a showroom to look at new windows, they aren’t just filling a hole in the wall,” Cocken says. “They are lowering energy bills, they are fitting in with the character of their surroundings, and they are saying they care about their impact on the environment.
“But many window systems are old, inefficient, and lack many of the qualities homeowners demand.”
Cocken explains that aluplast has shifted up a gear in the last decade, investing heavily in product design and the infrastructure to support growth.
Products such as the flush sash create new opportunities in the heritage and contemporary sectors, thanks to features such as a mechanically joined option, deep bottom rail, choice of authentic foils, and compatibility with both Ideal 70 and Ideal 4000 systems.
Similarly, the new Smart Slide neo offers Passive House levels of performance while achieving widths of up to 6m and a height of 2.5m with slim sightlines.
And aluplast has just expanded its range of premium foils to 10 with the introduction of three new premium woodec foils. The systems company now offers 40+ foils in hundreds of combinations, supported by significant investment in its foiling operation.
This has been picked up by forward-thinking fabricators who have taken these qualities and used them as part of their own marketing campaign – tapping into new trends of colour, design and efficiency.
“Much of this has happened in the background, but with recent investment across the business, and FIT Show 2025 on the horizon, many more people are noticing aluplast’s impact on the market and the built environment,” Cocken says.
“And we will have new products to show at the FIT Show in May next year, which will generate even further interest.”
Cocken explains that recent investment has established the firm as a key supplier in the window industry as fabricators and installers seek to differentiate themselves in a changing market.
For example, aluplast’s site in Tewkesbury has doubled in the last year, and the company has increased its technical team to offer a wider range of technical support services – from taking on new products, to pitching for high profile commercial work.
“We’re preparing for the next stage in our growth,” Cocken says. “And this has accompanied the introduction of new products into the UK, such as the energeto neo, a composite slimline window that has been exceptionally well received by commercial developers.
“This is now gaining traction with some of the major house builders in the UK. And further investment in the design will answer many questions about the effect of the Future Homes Standard on the industry in years to come.
“And recent developments on our tried and tested Ideal70 window could see U-values dropping below the 0.8W/m2K mark, which will create exciting new opportunities for our customers.”
Cocken concludes by saying that strategic investment in key areas – infrastructure, technical support, and ambitious product development – has positioned aluplast as a driving force in modern window design and delivery.
“Sometimes it is not enough to keep updating what you have,” he says. “Instead, you need significant investment and an ambitious vision.
“This is what we’ve seen at aluplast, which is helping the industry to achieve even greater things.”
