5 minutes with Gareth Jones

Having met with fenestration stalwart Gareth Jones some seven years ago, Collingwood’s Head of Building Products, Mark Goldsmith, was keen to meet up with him again. In the intervening years, Gareth has become chair at both FENSA and Association of Composite Door Manufacturers and taken up the Managing Director role at Solar Fabrications.

Here’s what they discussed:

Mark: Since our last meet up, Gareth, you’ve taken the decision to work for a growing fabricator.  Historically, you’ve worked for a couple of large system houses in Rehau and Profine. Since starting at Solar, what key areas have you learnt when extruders are looking to partner with fabricators?

Gareth: Having worked for system houses in the areas of sales and marketing I spent a lot of time meeting and working with fabricators. Nonetheless it is not until you are working day in day out in a fabrication environment that you truly appreciate the challenges. Obviously, product issues and the individual characteristics of market segments are familiar but challenges such a labour availability, versatility and training are relatively new. In addition, fabricators are smaller businesses and are not as resourced as corporate system houses. This means resources must be more flexible and everyone needs to roll the sleeves up. The PVC profile supplier is probably the principal supplier to fabricators and therefore needs to adopt a more supportive role than simply a supplier. Empathy towards the challenges faced by fabricators as well as an eye to opportunities to grow the business profitably are paramount.

Mark: And how have you had to adapt your strategic thinking and leadership style since joining an SME from larger, global businesses?

Gareth: Leadership is much more hands on, and decision making must be more agile. There is not the luxury of management boards and investment committees. Although it is necessary to have a strategic vision and concrete business plan there is an emphasis on short-term goal setting and flexibility in approach. Fabricators must be adaptive and willing to make relatively fast changes to take advantage of opportunities and cope within a very competitive environment.

Mark: With your FENSA hat on, certification and standards within the installer network continue to be important subjects. With the demise of national installers, and aging trades workforces, what’s your advice and what have you experienced from installers who are successfully driving skills and knowledge?

Gareth: The reduction in skilled labour within the industry is the greatest challenge. Of course, difficult market conditions this year in particular pose short term difficulties but the exit of skilled labour from the industry is very much a longer term challenge. Industry bodies need to work together at a range of initiatives aimed at encouraging youth into the industry and providing resources to tarin, educate and upskill. FENSA and the GGF have made great strides in these over recent years but the work needs to continue. I also believe everyone can play a part by promoting their business, the opportunities available within their local communities, schools and colleges. Installers can make use of recently created apprenticeship schemes in which to attract school/college leavers into the sector and to learn a hands on trade.

Mark: In terms of the work FENSA does, I appreciate certification and standards need to be upheld. How does the organisation ensure it has an empathetic viewpoint for its members and what advice can you provide to companies in ensuring they uphold these whilst keeping one eye on their commercial success?

Gareth: It’s a real challenge for FENSA. We need to recognise that members are only paying into the scheme as it is a legal requirement, so it represents a distressed purchase. Therefore, there is often frustration behind the rigidity of maintaining standards. However, FENSA offer a lot of help and advice to members on how to improve the standard and quality of work which will ultimately benefit them and the end consumer. It’s really important to promote this side of the business and detract from the more negative perception. I would encourage FENSA members to engage more with the team. Helpful practical advice can be offered on how to ensure compliance to standards without it being too much of a burden on running a small business.

Mark: I’ve partnered several fabricators and system houses in recruiting directors for their businesses.  Understandably, it’s tricky to not just headhunt within competition. What’s your view on system houses recruiting from outside of their competitors, given their main focus is driving business through fabricator networks?

Gareth: I have seen both sides of the coin where recruitment of business leaders has remained within the sector and also where individuals have built their experience outside of the glass and glazing industry. Not surprisingly there are both successes and failures with each approach. At Managing Director level, the skill set is more generic where sound business principles apply to most businesses across various sectors. This would suggest bringing in an outsider offers the advantage of fresh ideas and new approaches. That said, so many of the opportunities in the industry arise from contacts and networking. Many of the main protagonists are industry veterans and therefore recruitment within the sector does present the advantage of being able to leverage the relationship with the fabricator and installer base.