|
We're always racking our brains to find untapped markets for you to improve margins on customers. The glass racking manufacturers think we've found a potential goldmine.
According to industry sources there are over 10,200 glaziers and window installers operating in the UK - and they all need vehicles.
The key to breaking into this market is to offer a one-stop-shop ¬supplying one-man-bands and large multi-vehicle fleets with ready-to-use vehicles, converted to their exact specifications. |
Now, we know what you’re thinking: “extra work, logistical nightmares and specialist conversions we don’t know anything bout.” Not necessarily. The better of the frail van specialists will carry out most of the hard work for you. This will, of course, add value to your proposition in the customer's mind, leading to vastly increased loyalty. If the vehicle is being financed then you should be able to include the cost of the racking in the finance deal.
 |
Top Fleet's General Manager, Jonathan Brown, tells us, "We will work with dealers or directly with their customers to draw up detailed specifications and prices, as well as offering illustrations of the finished vehicle, to make sure everyone's happy with what they're getting." Top Fleet have supplied glass racking to everyone from one-man operators to multinational blue chip companies since 1988. Brown continues, "Our skilled craftsmen handmade each rack and then we'll come to your dealership or your customer's premises to carry out the conversion - no need for shifting vehicles the length and breadth of the country to get the job done:'
Check with your glass rack supplier to see if they can complete the personalisation job for the customer - some can provide those added extras such as vehicle liveries and corporate branding - so that when your customer takes delivery of their new van they're ready to get on the road straight away without taking the van to other suppliers for the remaining details to be completed. |
Jonathan Brown gives us an insight into vehicle specifications for the glazing industry:
"There are three main types of vehicle you'd expect to supply. Firstly delivery vehicles - companies with fleets of six or more vans will usually have at least one delivery vehicle - something like an extra-long wheelbase Iveco Daily or Mercedes Sprinter. This kind of vehicle would normally be fully racked out with dual internal and external racking, enabling the company to bulk-deliver entire jobs in one drop.
Secondly the bread and butter of the window industry - a LWB high roof fitting van - usually a Transit, Master or Relay, though some companies go for a Sprinter or Crafter as a dual-purpose vehicle. We usually see these vans coming in for fitting with an offside strap system for UPVC window installers, or a pole system for shop front glaziers.
As well as the external frail there's a roof-rack for ladders and trim, and an offside internal rack so that the side loading door can be used when the van is parked by the kerb.
Finally there’ll be a snagging or maintenance vehicle, usually a car¬ derived van such as a Doblo, Partner or Combo. These will be fitted with an external frail and a roof-rack, enabling a vehicle with a small cargo area to transport larger frames and units."
If you're thinking of breaking into the glazing-van market, there are a couple of Important factors to bear in mind when choosing a glass racking specialist to team up with:
Warranty: as most vehicle manufacturers offer a three-year warranty on their vans, so you would expect glass frail manufacturers to do the same.
Safety Features & Testing: make sure that the systems have been adequately tested and the design of the systems keeps safety in mind, for example reflective markers to warn pedestrians and cyclists. |
 |
What you need to know
A frail can weigh from 40kg to 90kg depending on the size of the van and will carry 250kg or more. Bear this in mind when recommending which van a glazier should use. The top of the rack can be fixed to a roof rack - a good idea because it spreads the weight across the roof of the vehicle and the bottom of the rack may be clamped to the sill, or fixed to the van's side.
Top Fleet
Wolverhampton-based Top Fleet manufacture and frt glass racks and other frame and glass-carrying solutions. All the Top Fleet glass racks and glass frails are made from high-grade unique aluminium and have been safety-tested. Their 'failure load' was in excess of more than 2 tonnes per metre length. This is from a system that weighs on average just 48kg.
T: 0845 500 8800 W: www.topfleet.co.uk |
