The market conditions facing all of us in the fenestration sector are pretty tough at the moment, and they have undoubtedly been made worse by the conflict in the Middle East.
In the most recent quarterly survey published by CAB (Q4 2025), 76% of our members said their sales volumes were down year on year, and almost the same number expected lack of demand to constrain activity in 2026.
And as we know, this is despite government policy promising to deliver 1.5m new homes over the next 5 years, and the new Building Safety Regulator apparently clearing the backlog of Gateway 2 approvals which were holding up commercial starts, particularly in London.
In reality, while those headlines might look positive, and there are undoubtedly lots of opportunities being promised, the aluminium sector and the wider fenestration and construction industries are facing some significant challenges right now.
Sadly, we’re already seeing that play out in a number of high profile business failures and rationalisations; every one of which doesn’t just mean job losses, but also a potential loss of valuable skills and critical industry knowledge from the sector. With an ageing workforce, that’s experience and expertise we can scarcely afford to lose.
We urgently need more government support, and the housing market in particular needs some kind of meaningful stimulus.
In my roles as both President of CAB and Managing Director of AluK, I want to help lead a campaign which takes that message direct to government, and raises public awareness of how many UK businesses and how many skilled UK jobs this sector supports.
I’ve just written to AluK customers asking them to join us on that campaign and I’m inviting others across the aluminium sector and the wider industry to back us as well. We are also planning to engage with other industry bodies who have proven lobbying capabilities and resources to win their support so that we can take a strong and unified message to policymakers.
Initially, we will be asking for targeted support for the housing sector, and pointing out that the government it is unlikely to be in a position to fulfil any of its pledges on building and renewal if industries like ours are weakened any further by rising costs and stifled demand.
There is clearly a whole raft of other industry specific issues we need to address – from the fact that windows and doors still attract higher rates of VAT than other low energy products, to the need for energy subsidies for UK based aluminium production and much needed reform of the UK CABM. But our main objective is to highlight the value that the whole of the window, door and façade supply chain represents to the wider UK economy and raise awareness of the need to support UK jobs and skills.
Our roadmap and campaign strategy will be finalised once we know the level of support and commitment from others within the sector. But I am convinced that if we can speak with one voice in the way that other industries and vested interests do, then we are much more likely to be heard.
Please scan the QR code to pledge your support and tell us what the biggest issues are impacting your business, and get in touch with me or the CAB direct if you want to get involved.
