Following a £1m investment in new machinery Bootle window and door manufacturer Warwick North West promised to grow its headcount – this week the firm unveils a trio of new starters. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool city region window and door manufacturer Warwick North West is continuing its expansion by adding to its skilled workforce.

Earlier this year LBN revealed that Bootle-based Warwick North West had invested £1m in new machinery to accelerate productivity. The firm is becoming a ‘go-to’ supplier for the social housing sector in the North West and is anticipating further growth.

This week the business has unveiled three new recruits to the shop floor – Caitlin Critchlow, Jamie Alty and Daniel Roberts. All three will be production operatives, enabling Warwick to continue to increase its product output.

Chief executive Greg Johnson said: “We are operating in what is a very challenging environment. However, since I took the helm in 2021 we have endured a pandemic and a war in Ukraine that caused a huge spike in commodity and energy prices.

“And during that period we have seen sales grow from around £5m a year to £12m and all the time maintaining a healthy margin. Tough times don’t always mean ‘batten down the hatches’. There are times when you have to invest to take advantage of opportunities.”

Greg added there are unlikely to be any further increases to staff numbers in 2025 but that further expansion was planned in 2026 with an expected surge in housebuilding in both the public and private sectors.

In early September Warwick announced a shake-up of its management team. This saw Greg move from managing director to chief executive. Phil McDonald, who began his career on the shop floor of the company in 1999, is the new managing director.

Caitlin, Jamie and Daniel are the first of three strategic appointments under Phil’s leadership and he told LBN he was particularly pleased with the appointment of Caitlin.

He explained: “Greg has always been keen on increasing the number of women working at Warwick. During his time as MD he has significantly pushed the female headcount, but Caitlin is the first to take up a role on the factory floor. I think it is vital we take a lead in creating more roles for women in manufacturing.”

There were other changes at management level, described by Greg as a  “crucial phase in the evolution of Warwick”. This week he said the residential development landscape in Liverpool city region and beyond offered huge potential for the firm.

“Right here on our doorstep Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Liverpool City Council and Sefton Council have come together to push for the construction of 10,000 new homes straddling the border of both boroughs,” said Greg.

“In Birkenhead, and along the Wirral waterfront, Wirral Council is pushing on with plans to oversee the building of thousands of new homes over the next decade. More houses are set to come out of the ground in Bromborough just up the river.

“And in St Helens we are seeing a major push to create new communities with multiple housing developments and the repurposing of swathes of former industrial land.

“At the forefront of all these schemes is thermal efficiency. No longer does social housing equal poor housing. Both public and private providers recognise that homes at all levels of the market have to be warm and use minimal energy.

“At Warwick we produce windows and doors with very high levels of thermal efficiency, exceeding current Government recommendations. The UK is building again and we want to be ready to take full advantage of that.”