Glazing supplies specialist Dortech Direct has secured three new distributor agreements in a move which has prompted the launch of a dedicated trade counter in West Yorkshire.
The online retail brand – part of the £9m Dortech architectural glazing and maintenance group – has sold building supplies via its e-commerce shop, since 2012.
But having recently reconfigured the firm’s 24,000sqft site, to break down departmental barriers, promote company-wide knowledge transfer and strengthen the company culture, managing director James Sutherland was able to make way for an 8,000sqft warehouse and customer-facing storefront too.
Retailing more than 3,000 product lines in total, Dortech Direct is now the official northern distributor of fenestration products manufactured by Sika, including Sikasil® WT-480 (window fabrication adhesives), SikaMembran® (EPDM), SikaForce®-335 GG (pourable, self levelling balustrade adhesive), SikaForce®-7720 (gun-grade, thixotropic adhesive for slope glazing) and Sika® Activator-100 (adhesion promotor) .
Agreements have also been signed to make Dortech an exclusive reseller for blu™ performance hardware to this particular industry sector in Midlands, Yorkshire, North West and Northern Counties, and a key distribution partner for Tremco illbruck.
Located in the heart of Huddersfield and open to the trade and general public alike, the retail facility aims to attract people from along the M62 corridor. If revenue targets are met – £2m in the next 12 months – the plan is to invest in 2-3 further depots in the next three years.
Commenting on what has made the launch possible, James said: “We’ve always had a keen eye on business improvement, but the economic climate and market demand has encouraged us to look carefully at our Group’s activities. We’re keen to stabilise our architectural division, invest in maintenance as the success of that division is sky-rocketing, and plough further resources into Dortech Direct too.
“This is an exciting step that will take us from an online-only building supplies retailer to one with bricks and mortar for the trade and general public. It’s a bold claim but I’d love to think we can become the ScrewFix of the glazing industry. We know these products inside out, so people come to us for our expertise as well as our stock.”
