Final Thoughts On The Year

We’re on the final day of the year. We’re not sure what day it is. We’ve eaten and drunk our way through our wallets. We’ve forgotten what a routine is, and the kids are so out of sync that parents are begging for schools to return.

Honestly, though, I hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s break so far. I know after the year we have had, it is well deserved for all of us.

As we rush towards a brand new year, I wanted to take just a few paragraphs to reflect on the year that has gone by, and for the hope I have for next year.

Tougher than hoped

At the start of 2025, I remember the hope our industry had that this year would be better than 2024. The political situation after the last General Election left things more polarised than ever, with the strain on us all very visible.

From a business point of view, we all hoped that we would leave the stagnation and difficulty of 2024 behind us. Sadly, that was a hope too far. We saw yet another difficult year, exacerbated by higher-than-expected inflation, a persistent cost-of-living crisis, and a Government which seemed incapable of providing any sort of positive plan or direction for business, other than to tax everything more. As a result, we saw the closure of far more businesses than we would have hoped to see, and too many posts on LinkedIn from people searching for new employment.

We also saw people making exits from the industry in greater numbers than before. People decided that, given the business landscape and forecasts, now was the time to leave. Personally, I don’t blame them. If any person is financially secure and able to do so, given the economic landscape we face in this country, I would be making for the exit door too.

Diversification

Despite the turbulence of 2025, what we also saw was a raft of new product launches and innovations which kept new avenues of opportunities open. Especially in the aluminium part of the market. Although the new Omnia double-flush PVCu system was probably the biggest PVCu product launch of 2025, to my mind.

Yes, the market overall was down in 2024, and the aluminium part of the market did not escape that. But it was great to see so many new products being launched in this space. I still find aluminium one of the most exciting parts of the market, and firmly believe that this is where the best profitable opportunities remain in our sector.

New products and diversification remain the key to success in 2026. Fabricators and installers are very well armed for 2026 in terms of new product offerings to their clients to keep them engaged and motivated. I highlighted in a previous post that aluminium products present one of the best chances for installers to make 2026 a success, and with the sheer number of products available in the market right now, this is as good a chance as any to gain market share in this part of the sector.

I expect to see more new products in the aluminium space being launched in 2026, and I hope that our industry in general continues to invest in R&D to help boost our prospects of ending 2026 in a better place than where we start it from.

Market consolidation

Have we ever seen a year so frantic with mergers and acquisitions as in 2025? Not in the time I have spent in this industry, at least. Every week, it seemed as though there was a recognised name either being bought or buying another rival. Sometimes you’d get three in a week. I remember in the space of just one working week, we had three massive acquisition stories break. It was hard to keep up with.

The fact is, with the market as splintered and drifting as it is, the companies with plentiful cash-piles are going to continue to press ahead with their market share plans. That means buying up more companies, sometimes rivals, sometimes smaller companies that give them ready-made access to other parts of the fenestration market.

What we will likely also continue to see is European and American takeovers of British companies. Britain is economically weak at the moment, which makes it more likely for foreign entities to take advantage and snap up UK companies for a snip.

2026 will be another year of strong consolidation as our market continues to reshape itself in the face of stagnant economic conditions.

Focus key to 2026 success

We probably all think that 2026 is going to look very much like 2025. And all the indicators do show that. But ultimately, we are the masters of our own futures, and there are plenty of tools at our disposal to ensure we give ourselves the best chance at success. What we need to do is remain focused.

There will be a lot of noise surrounding us next year, whether it’s from the MSM, social media, scrolling feeds, even LinkedIn is becoming draining to read. Social media will remain an important marketing tool for next year, and for the foreseeable future, but let’s not try to get bogged down in that part of the online world, and that drama that it brings. Rather, use it as a vehicle to deliver our messages and marketing plans, and keep any engagements positive.

On a personal level, and I’m not making this a New Year’s resolution as they all generally fail anyway. But less time spent on distractions and more focus spent on productive tasks will always be useful. It is too easy to become dragged away from the things you’re meant to be doing these days, both in business and in personal life. We won’t have time to waste next year. Competition will be stiff and each day and each week will absolutely count.

Whilst the outlook remains very uncertain, I remain confident that with the right attitude, plans and product portfolios, we can make a solid success of 2026 despite the difficulties that have been put in place for us. We are very much the masters of our fates, and if we can remain focused on the tasks we set ourselves, there is nothing we cannot achieve over the next 12 months.

I want to thank every single person who has taken the time to read articles on DGB in 2025. Thank you to all those who shared articles on social media and left comments there and on articles here. Thank you also to all the DGB advertisers this year. Combined, all your support and engagement make this site work. For that, I am very thankful.

I wish you all the very best for the rest of the festive season, and a very healthy, safe, prosperous and Happy New Year!