How Alimax partnered with Window Ware to bring a premium service to a brand-new PVCU line. By Window Ware.
Nestled in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, on the edge of the New Forest, trade fabricator Alimax is quietly defying the usual industry narrative.
In today’s window and door market, the traditional playbook is predictable: fabricators established in PVCU look to diversify into aluminium to capture the affluent, design-led residential market.
However, Alimax, founded nearly seven years ago, has just done the exact reverse. Already highly successful specialists in premium aluminium windows and doors, bifolds, patios, and heritage steel-look systems, Alimax has successfully branched out into PVCU.
Alimax did it for the simplest and oldest reason in business: its customers asked it to.
An installer-driven expansion
“Our installers were so satisfied with our aluminium products, and go-the-extra-mile service, that they told us they’d happily buy PVCU from us too if we made it,” Mark Matthews, director of Alimax, said. “We realised there was a genuine demand for a premium, fuss-free PVCU supplier in the area, so we decided to fulfil it.”
That reputation for hassle-free service – built on everything from reliable, early site deliveries down tricky country lanes to a friendly, nothing-is-too-much-trouble attitude – gave its local installer base the confidence to back the new venture from day one.
To house the new operation, Alimax invested in a mezzanine floor space within their factory, adopting the Veka Omnia double-flush, System 10 and Rustique double-rebated system. This new PVCU range – particularly in high-end finishes like Irish Oak and Pebble Grey – instantly took off, turning Alimax into a regional supplier of inward-opening Omnia residential and French door systems.
Setting up a brand-new fabrication line from scratch requires more than just machinery and profile; it requires a flawless, reliable hardware package that matches the fabricator’s premium reputation. For that, Alimax turned to Window Ware.
The power of a reliable supply
The relationship between the two companies runs deep. Both Mark and Alimax’s area sales manager Les Maros have used Window Ware throughout their decades-long careers.
“Wherever we go in the industry, we always come back to Window Ware,” Lee said. “In this trade, relationships are everything. When you call Window Ware, you’re talking to people who have been there for years. There is a massive amount of accumulated knowledge. They know our business, they know what we need, and they just make it incredibly easy to do business with them.”
Window Ware was a vital partner for the new PVCU launch. They worked closely with the Alimax team to advise on and spec the perfect hardware package to add maximum value to the Veka system, featuring robust Armis window and door handles, high-security Yale door and window locking systems and Eurospec cylinders.
Crucially, Window Ware’s exceptional logistics model allowed Alimax to remain lean and agile.
“We don’t carry massive amounts of hardware inventory because we simply don’t have the storage room,” Les said. “But we don’t need to. Window Ware functions as a seamless extension of our own warehouse. With their solid range of products, high stock levels and dependable next-day delivery, we can fulfil orders rapidly without tying up floor space or capital in component storage.”
Obsessive quality control
This supply-chain reliability allows the Alimax team to focus on what they do best: uncompromising quality control and installer-focused USPs.
Unlike most manufacturers who assemble patio and bifold doors horizontally on tables, Alimax manufactures and tests all their doors vertically. This allows them to rigorously test the operation, video the working door, and guarantee it leaves the factory in perfect working order.
Furthermore, Alimax pre-fits all bifold magnets and trickle vents in the factory, saving installers valuable time on site. The company even records video footage of all finished products before and after they are wrapped in protective foam edging for transit. This acts as a final quality check, guaranteeing every frame leaves the factory in pristine condition and providing clear proof of quality before it hits the delivery truck.
“We aren’t trying to be the cheapest on the market,” Mark said. “But you won’t get the same ‘right first time’ service anywhere else. People buy from people. That personal connection and attention to detail is the glue that keeps installers coming back to us.”
Partnership built for the future
This commitment to controlled, organic growth via exceptional service has driven a steady stream of repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. Alimax is growing, but in a measured way that ensures quality never slips.
Looking forward, the partnership with Window Ware is set to deepen. To meet escalating demand, Alimax is currently recruiting additional fabrication staff and plans to leverage Window Designer software to allow customers to generate instant, autonomous quotes.
The company is working closely with Window Ware to explore Yale’s new SensCheck-ready smart door and window locking systems as a standard high-tech USP for its premium residential lines.
Mark Barzotelli, area sales manager at Window Ware, said: “Alimax is the perfect example of a business that succeeds by prioritising quality and service. By bucking the trend to introduce a premium PVCU line backed by trusted hardware brands like Yale and Armis, they gave the market exactly what it was asking for.
“It proves that by always staying close to the customer, you win every time. We are thrilled to be the engine behind their supply chain and look forward to supporting their continued growth.”
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