Merseyside window and door manufacturer Warwick North West wins contract with Sovini Construction to supply windows and doors for 45-home scheme. Tony McDonough reports
Window and door manufacturer Warwick North West has scored an early 2024 win in its targeting of the affordable housing sector after securing a new deal with Sovini Construction.
Bootle-based Warwick North West will supply and install windows and doors on 45 affordable homes at Wrenbury in Cheshire for Sovini Construction, which is also based in Bootle and is part of The Sovini Group.
Late in 2023 Warwick managing director Greg Johnson told LBN he saw significant growth potential in the social housing market, citing data predicting 7% growth in the sector.
He said he wanted Warwick to be the “go-to” provider for windows and doors in the affordable housing market
This latest contract win appears to be an early vindication of his strategy. The scheme, called Kingfisher Park, is being delivered as part of a plan to deliver 1,000 affordable homes over the next five years.
These 45 properties, built by Sovini Construction, will be offered for affordable rent (no more than 80% of local market rate) as well as for sale through the Rent to Buy and Shared Ownership schemes by One Vision Housing (OVH).
They have also been designed by architects JMA to incorporate air source heat pumps, helping end users to reduce energy consumption in line with The Sovini Group’s net zero carbon commitment.
“Kingfisher Park is delivering on our vision of a better future, as we create opportunities and change lives by helping local people to get onto the property ladder,” said Ian Mitchell, managing director of housing at OVH.
Greg Johnson will hope this new contract win signals another year of growth for Warwick which. It has prospered in the past couple of years despite battling the headwinds of rising energy costs and a surge in the price of raw materials.
This year Warwick, which employs around 115 people, will invest at least £500,000 in new machinery for its factory which will see production capacity grow by 20% and lead to the creation of new jobs.
Greg took over Warwick unexpectedly in late 2021 when his father, Brian Johnson, was diagnosed with cancer. Brian had run the business since 2008 and a decision was taken to promote Greg to managing director.
Since then, with the support of his management and production teams, Warwick has enjoyed a healthy growth in revenues with most recent figures showing annual sales up to almost £12m from £10m the year before.
“It’s great that two Bootle businesses, ourselves and One Vision, are working more closely together,” said Greg. “And, more importantly, it is a sign of our growing reputation within the affordable and social housing sector.
“In particular, we can make a real contribution to the housing industry’s push towards net zero carbon homes. We specialise in producing an innovative window system called Modus.
“Modus offers lower Uvalues. The Uvalue is a critical measure of thermal efficiency. It measures how heat from hot air will pass through the glass. The lower the Uvalue the better the insulation.
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“Kingfisher Park homes will be using air source heat pumps so, combined with the thermal efficiency offered by our windows and doors, it will really help to cut energy usage and lead to lower bills for tenants and homeowners.
“Warwick has really demonstrated its resilience through a tough economic period and we are cautiously optimistic that we will continue our steady growth in 2024.”