Long-standing supplier relationships continue to play a crucial role in driving growth and product development across the fenestration sector, with leading sash window manufacturer Quickslide highlighting its 15-year partnership with hardware specialist ERA as a key part of its ongoing success story.
Quickslide has built more than two decades of success focused on high standards, continuous development and quality. Specialising in in-house manufacturing with an emphasis on quality control and independent testing, the company supports window installers and homebuilders across the UK, as well as its host of merchant partners, with a product portfolio built around its flagship sliding sash windows.
Crucial to its continued growth is the relationships the West Yorkshire business has built with its suppliers, based on high quality service and commercial understanding, as well as industry leading products.
By building relationships with suppliers who share Quickslide’s ethos, the company has seen continued and consistent growth since its launch in 2004.
One such supplier is ERA, a manufacturer based in the West Midlands, with over 185 years of manufacturing, design and innovation experience.
ERA, now part of Quanex Hardware Solutions, is a developer and distributor of hardware and security solutions for the residential building and home improvement markets, with extensive knowledge and experience in delivering total security solutions for windows and doors.
The business moved to a purpose-built 135,000 sq. ft headquarters at the i54 site in Wolverhampton in 2017, housing manufacturing, R&D, product development, test, and training facilities.
Their relationship with Quickslide now dates back 15 years, with ERA’s UK manufactured vertical sliding sash balance range at the heart of product investment over this period.
Quickslide’s sliding sash windows are its flagship product, utilising ERA’s F and K spiral balances. Where the combination of stainless steel spiral rod torsion and tension springs produces a self-contained balancing device capable of maintaining the equilibrium of a sash window at any point in the travel of the sash.
Outside of product performance, Quickslide Managing Director Ben Weber, who has been with the company since its inception, values ERA’s support towards achieving and maintaining manufacturing lead times, as well as their role in driving new product development.
Over the past six months, ERA has supplied more than 50 hardware display units to some of Quickslide’s key trade partners, adding value and supporting strong customer retention levels.
Ben said: “Our strength as a business comes from our culture - we’re driven and committed to continuous improvement across everything we do, all with the aim of delivering better products and service for our customers. That mindset naturally extends to our supply chain.
“We’ve worked with ERA for around 15 years, and that relationship has been built on consistency and a shared understanding of what good looks like in manufacturing. It’s never been a passive supplier arrangement – it’s a working partnership where both sides challenge, support and push for better results.
“We’re ambitious and are growing year on year – I think ERA’s size, history and reputation hold them in good stead.”
The relationship between the two companies has grown over the years, with Quickslide centralising product purchasing where possible. Alongside balances, ERA’s sash window furniture range is now used across Quickslide’s flagship Legacy Sash Windows.
The Fab&Fix VS hardware range has been specifically designed for sash windows, offering a premium suite of hardware. Combining lasting durability with a wide choice of styles and finishes, from classic to contemporary, all backed by ERA's manufacturing standards.
The range is available in a wide range of distinctive finishes, including Hardex Gold, Hardex Pewter, Hardex Bronze, Hardex Chrome and Hardex Graphite options, alongside the more traditional colours.
Protected by the Hardex coating, Fab&Fix hardware is built to resist corrosion, fading, and everyday wear, ensuring aesthetic consistency across not only sash windows but across the wider Fab&Fix range.
For Quickslide, this provides aesthetic versatility across their range of high-spec products, a choice of finishes and style options to work across window designs, all backed by ERA’s commitment to quality.
Marc Robinson, Technical Sales Manager at ERA, said: “We’re proud to be supporting the growth of Quickslide and seeing their continued success is a testament to the team’s ambition and professionalism.
“ERA supports our customers beyond providing the best product solutions, we want to be their partner and offer value based on reliability, transparency and expertise.
“Whether that’s bringing discussions to the table on legislation and guidelines, testing or looking at bespoke solutions where possible, we aim to be flexible and proactive.
“The future is exciting for Quickslide, and we’re delighted to be part of that.”
For more information visit quickslide.co.uk
