There’s no doubting that composite doors have been influential for the wider window and doors industry. They have been responsible for the evolution in the entrance door market. They have been the main reason why colour has become so popular in the last few years. They have even become a recognised product with the UK general public, something which is generally very difficult to do. But in a competitive market, the humble composite door cannot afford to stand still. So where does the future lie for this product over the coming years? These are a few of my ideas as to where composite doors should go.

Extend the colour offering

Many composite door suppliers already offer at least a dozen or more colour options as standard. I think Solidor tops the bill at 18 colours. And while on the surface that might seem a lot, the popularity of spraying other windows and doors points to where composite doors need to go in the future.

For me, composite door manufacturers need to invest in some in-house spraying facilities. Whilst the extensive set of standard colours many already do can be considered comprehensive, the popularity of custom colours with home owners will mean the demand for custom colours on composite doors will increase too.

It would be a profitable string to the bow for a composite door supplier to be able to offer their own spraying service, rather than rely on installers finding another means of achieving that goal. It would then allow composite door manufacturers to advertise that installers and home owners could have their doors in literally any colour they wanted.

Doors like these are becoming popular, not only because of their funky designs, but the fact that each of these doors were sprayed to the liking of the home owner. Composite door suppliers need to look at offering the same.

Have more than a single rebate option

Some fabricators offer this already, giving installers a composite door product that is either single or double rebated. But there are some suppliers that currently offer the single rebate only. And that is fine, but as the market matures and the demand for better quality goes up, I do believe that adding an option that has a twin rebate slab will help to stop potential customers looking elsewhere.

If you ask those that do have a twin rebate door slab, they will tell you that weather performance is better. And you can see why. Two solid rebates is better than one. But not only that, it allows for the slab to be thicker. With that extra thickness you can boost your reinforcing, your security, your strength. There are quite a few selling point to a double rebated slab.

I’m not saying to ditch single rebates. Some home owners like the flush fitting slab, just like a timber door. But by giving home owners the choice of both with the installer, it means they won’t drift to other companies who could offer them a choice of either.

Embrace technology

There is a raft of new technology about to hit the door market in the coming few years. Products such as the August Smart Lock, MACO’s NFC or finger print controlled locking mechanism and other’s will make their way to the market and will change the way home owners interact with their doors.

With technology advancing quicker than ever, the idea of a physical key to lock and unlock a door will seem strange to some, especially those people who have been surrounded by technology all their lives. Composite door suppliers should look at some of the emerging new technologies to ensure that their offering to installers and home owners keeps them at the forefront of door evolution.

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