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The UK market for industrial and commercial doors
is valued at around £423m in 2006.
Relatively
healthy levels of commercial and industrial new build stimulated
market growth in early 2000 however this was followed by a
slowdown during 2001 as Millennium-related projects came to an
end. The moderate growth experienced in 2002 continued through
2003 and 2004, as the market benefited from an upturn in public
sector investment and retail developments, in particular retail
warehousing.
During
2005 construction output fell by an estimated 1%, the
first drop in 11 years of continuous growth; the major causes of
this being higher energy and raw material costs; sluggish
private sector activity; and shrinking government investment in
the built environment. Lower than anticipated public sector
expenditure in the healthcare and education sectors also
affected output levels.
2006 has
been more positive with manufacturers reporting some
improvements in sales. Market growth has been positively
affected by the expansion in education and healthcare
construction; regulatory changes; an increasing emphasis on
style, design and décor, (particularly in the retail sector);
and the ongoing threat of terrorism – particularly in London
and other major financial centres.
More
rigorous delivery of public sector health and education related
projects, an increase in the number of PFI projects and a more
active private sector are expected to drive a healthier
construction sector through into 2007 and 2008.
Market
growth in value terms has been constrained by price
competition, particularly in
the roller shutter sector where barriers to market entry are
low. Competition between the two top players in the timber door
sector has also driven down prices. Demand from a number of
niche sectors continues, with construction and procurement
trends as well as energy, health & safety and disability-related
regulatory changes driving the market for value-added products
such as complete door sets, insulated and fire-resistant doors,
and high speed industrial and automated personnel doors.
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and new
fire safety legislation have impacted particularly in terms of
the market for retrofits, while acquisitions and mergers in the
automotive sales sector, pub and restaurant and hotel sector
have contributed to growth in the refurbishment sector.
Indications are that growth in the market for
commercial and industrial doors will continue at fairly modest
levels, at least into the medium term, with more robust activity
in the healthcare and education sectors, and ongoing investment
in the commercial sector, driving further developments. While
there has been some recent growth in the manufacturing sector,
optimism regarding future development remains cautious, and the
demand for industrial doors used in this sector is likely to
remain low.
The
commercial and industrial door and shutter market is a
fragmented one, with regard to product type, supply and
distribution as well as end-user applications.
While
smaller construction companies, contractors, and end users of
the products are reported to prefer dealing with local
suppliers; larger contractors and public sector organisations
increasingly prefer using suppliers able to provide a fully
comprehensive range of products and services as well as offer
countrywide coverage. This has tilted the market in favour of
large, often global operators, although the majority of
companies in the sector are still small regional players.
It is a
significant characteristic of the market that an increasing
number of suppliers manufacture only one or two products, buying
in those that are more difficult and/or more expensive to
produce. This ‘broadening’ of product and service offerings has
also been driven by contractors and specifiers, who are
increasingly seeking ‘one-stop’ solutions, particularly for
bigger projects.
In
addition, the growing move toward automated and other
electronically-controlled products, and stringent health and
safety legislation has led to a growing demand for properly
accredited repair, maintenance and inspection services.
Companies with suitably qualified staff and nationwide networks
able to offer these services are reaping the benefits. This has
led to an emerging trend for companies, both large and small, to
specialise in the maintenance and repair of specialist doors and
door installations, typically providing a range of maintenance
contracts, with the supply of products becoming, for some,
almost a ‘sideline’.
The
personnel doors sector, incorporating timber doors, hinged
steel doors; aluminium framed manual entrance doors and
automated pedestrian doors, is estimated at £250m MSP and
accounts for 59% of the market. In volume terms, timber doors
still represent the largest sector although it should be
remembered that they are largely used internally, with external
usage continuing its decline in favour of steel and aluminium,
which offer greater durability and reduced maintenance.
Automated
pedestrian doors and steel doors now have the major share of the
personnel doors market, each with a 28% share in value terms.
This reflects the increasing cost of materials such as aluminium
and steel (which contribute significantly to higher unit costs),
as well as the influence of legislation relating to
energy-efficiency and access for the disabled.
In the
modern office environment, design and performance standards for
both manual and automatic door systems and associated products
and components are extremely high, with energy, safety and
access related legislation, as well as increasing security
considerations and complex aesthetic requirements placing
demands upon all involved in the design, construction and
fabrication of buildings and building products.
Compliance
with legislation places demands particularly upon the owners of
office and other premises, and significant levels of
refurbishment in the entertainment, healthcare and education
sectors continue to drive relatively promising levels of growth
within the personnel doors sector. Retail trends are also
driving the purchase of more stylish and expensive
pre-fabricated door sets and automatic entrance doors. Although
new build in the commercial sector has slowed slightly, the next
two years at least will see ongoing investment in the healthcare
and education sectors, and the market for personnel access doors
and doors products is also likely to be positively impacted by
developments associated with the London Olympics.
The
‘industrial’ doors sector
covers sectional overhead doors, high-speed doors, roller
shutters, sliding & folding doors and flexible doors, and is
currently valued at around £173m, some 41% of the total
market.
Rolling
shutters still represent the largest overall sector, although
share has been somewhat eroded by the lack of any significant
manufacturing activity and competitive pricing continues to
limit value growth. Investment in manufacturing has been
influenced by difficult international conditions, including the
ongoing threat of terrorism which has worsened since the July 7
attacks in London. These issues, together with ongoing rises in
oil and energy prices and raw material costs, are expected to
hamper any significant growth in the manufacturing sector.
Sectional
overhead doors remain a major sector and high speed doors
continue to benefit from legislation directed at improving
energy efficiency.
Timber
doors
are supplied primarily by UK specialist timber door
manufacturers and joinery companies. The largest suppliers of
timber doors to the commercial sector are LS Leaderflush &
Shapland, IBC Bridgman and FR Shadbolt.
Premdor and Jeld-Wen supply primarily the domestic
market, however they do each have a range of commercial
products, and there are also joinery companies such as
Howarth Timber, who typically supply a wider range of timber
products.
The
steel doors sector is a fragmented one, consisting of a
number of large manufacturers and distributors, such as IR
Martin Roberts, Kaba Door Systems and Stertil
Stokvis, as well as manufacturers of niche and/or specialist
products such as security and fire protection rated steel doors,
for e.g. Tyco Fire & Security (previously Wormald).
The
automated pedestrian doors sector is dominated by
foreign-owned suppliers such as Kaba Door Systems,
Besam, Dorma, Boon Edam, Geze,
Tormax and IR Dor-O-Matic.
The
aluminium and steel framed doors sector typically consists
of companies supplying aluminium or steel framed glazing systems
as well as a range of other fabrications and related
installation services: Major players in this sector are
Kawneer, Sapa Building Products, Technal,
Senior Aluminium Systems, Shüco, Comar
Architectural Aluminium Systems, Hansen Group and
Universal Architectural Components.
The
'industrial' doors sector has a fairly complex and wide
ranging supply structure, with an increasing number of companies
broadening their product range by buying in ready made doors and
door sets – particularly those that are more complex and/or
expensive to manufacture – in order to offer a more
comprehensive service to clients. There are still a significant
number of small players however, with turnovers of less than
£1m. Many of the larger suppliers are subsidiaries of foreign
parent companies, including Crawford UK, Stertil
Stokvis, Kone Bolton Brady, Hormann and
Tyco Fire & Security (previously Wormald). Other
major suppliers include Guardian Industrial Doors,
Envirodoor, Bolton Gate, Ascot Industrial and
Booth Industries.
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