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26.
April
2017.
Stand-out products demand outstanding suppliers

Freefoam Thought Leadership article

 

13 April 2017

 

Stand-out products demand outstanding suppliers

 

Whilst the core business for merchants is firmly anchored in construction ‘commodities' - necessities, in fact - there's little doubt that pressure to deliver variety and choice, beyond the basics, will continue to grow. The impetus is from both sides of the supply and demand equation. Today's consumers want to be seen as individuals, as no longer part of a ‘mass market'. They actively pursue diversity and marketers are using technology to connect with what they want.

 

This confirmed trend towards individuality, or personalisation, will only increase, as internet, social media and online retail platforms revolutionise access to product information and choice. Clearly, online retailing facilitates presentation of choice, technical information and even user tutorials. According to the Specifier Insight Report, 99% of UK specifiers were already doing their product research online in 2014. The same, fast route to product knowledge is available to the homeowner.

 

Offline, the DIY sheds are decked out with products that appeal to consumers from a purely decorative, or aesthetic standpoint, tapping-in to simple human desires to improve and enhance our way of life. This expansive retail approach also extends to building essentials, where choice is clearly evident in terms of material, quantity, size, finish and other factors. The desire for choice, whether exercised by the architect, specifier, developer, tradesman or homeowner, is stronger than ever, almost compelling merchants to satisfy the requirement, or lose ground to those who do.

 

Colour is, of course, one of the common ways to achieve differentiation in design and construction. It is a means to an end in times where individuality, personalisation and non-conformity are increasingly impacting the building materials market.

 

However, colour can present technical difficulties, affecting the performance, not just the appearance, of building materials. In the past, manufacturers of PVC-U window profiles and roofline products were willing to provide a colour choice with their range - just so long as the choice was white. As in the surface coatings industry, the reason for the virtual monopoly of white, as a colouring for exterior PVC-U products, was that the light reflection and dispersion qualities of titanium dioxide pigment offered good UV resistance, without presenting a colourfastness problem. In short, white PVC-U delivered lasting performance and appearance in outdoor applications.

 

Thankfully, the technology has moved on, such that manufacturers that have geared themselves to supply coloured roofline products can meet virtually any colour specification. In the case of FreeFoam, this capability covers PVC-U and PVC-UE fascia, soffit, window boards, and rainwater systems, where the company has developed its unique, innovative Colormax® technology to ensure colourfastness and guaranteed long service life. Colormax® coloured products are also hard-wearing, scratch resistant and offer superior colour matching to other materials. This facility allows the product range to add style and definition to domestic, commercial and industrial buildings, not just by offering a wide variety of profiles but also through colour variation.

 

For Freefoam, offering wide product variation in colour and texture is one of the reasons why supply partnerships have been secured with high profile merchants.

 

Although the introduction of ground-breaking colour technology is an excellent example of the company's substantial investment in research and development, it is far from the only reason that Freefoam is successful with stockists and installers. As a fully independent business, it has the agility and capability to react to customer needs and emerging trends in the building products market. This also necessitates a pro-active approach and taking the initiative to develop and launch new concepts.

 

For example, within its rainwater product portfolio, Freefoam was first to develop a co-extruded gutter with a white interior to minimise heat absorption in order to reduce expansion/contraction movement and leaks. It also developed a long life, no-leak, no-squeak gutter seal, and was first to provide protective tape on downpipes, so they survive knocks in transit and can be installed without scratches. In a stream of other industry firsts, the company was also the first to offer a 50-year lifetime guarantee, offer extended guarantees and also headed the field in switching to lead-free materials and increasing UV protection.

 

To a large extent these developments have sprung from working closely with merchants and paying specific attention to their requirements and those of their customers. They offer the possibility for merchants to expand their product offering in response to proliferating demand for choice, whether in colour, design or any other form.

 

Individuality is now an undeniable, growing influence in the marketplace. As Freefoam demonstrates, it is possible to provide stockists with the products to satisfy this phenomenon, by innovating and expanding product range. The company is keenly tuned to its end-users' desires for greater choice in roofline systems. On that basis Freefoam stockists can be assured they will continue to access a range that delivers the cutting edge style and diversity. Just as crucially, the company also realises the importance of supporting merchants who wish to offer wider product variety by ensuring the necessary responsiveness and levels of service are in place. That means excelling in supply chain management, quality systems and technical support - helping stockists to meet the challenges of changing customer demand head-on.