By Scott Wright

A LONG-ESTABLISHED Ayrshire window company has hit the recruitment trail as it looks to capitalise on strong demand for its services from the commercial and domestic sectors.

Andrew Wright Windows, which has been owned by three different families since the company was founded in 1937, is looking to add up to 28 people to its headcount in a range of roles. The Irvine-based currently has 100 staff.

The expansion drive comes after a series of contract wins from major housebuilders, with demand from homeowners also strong as surging energy prices lead more people to take steps to better insulate their homes. Commercial clients include Cruden East & West, Morrison, Robertson, Urban Union and Ashleigh.

Andrew Wright, which was acquired by the Berry family in the mid-1990s, recently invested nearly £1 million in state-of-the-art production equipment and new vehicles to help meet its growth aspirations.

Turnover is expected to rise to £8 million in the company’s current financial year following two years of disruption sparked by the pandemic. However, it remained profitable in each of those two years, in spite of being forced to close for 16 weeks and 18 weeks respectively because of coronavirus restrictions.

Managing director Charlie Berry said: “We are experiencing a significant uplift in enquiries from householders which, alongside increasing success on the commercial front, has driven this growth in staff to its highest-ever level.

“We have a fantastic team here at Andrew Wright Windows, it’s a great place to work and we very much look forward to welcoming new colleagues on board.”

Mr Berry added: “We are quite positive about the way things are going. We are forecasting to have over this calendar year an increase in our turnover, so we are quite positive down here. We are taking on more and more larger building companies who are looking for us to supply them with windows for their built projects.”

The growth at Andrew Wright is being achieved against a backdrop of surging inflation, with businesses facing rising input costs and continuing disruption to the supply chain that has its roots in the pandemic.

Asked if there was any concern that the housebuilding sector may slow because of the cost-of-living crisis, Mr Berry told The Herald: “I can’t foresee that in the next couple of years. I think it will still continue to flourish. That’s our forecast and the way we are looking at it.

“Certainly, talking to some of the majors that we deal with… they are all positive about the future as well. We are going along with them.”

He admitted rising input costs are a “bit of an uphill challenge at the moment... but we are keeping ahead of the game”.

The company has two separate factories located closely together in Irvine, one for processing sheet glass to make it tougher and safer, the other for the manufacture of finished products such as double and triple-glazed UPVC units, and sash and casement windows.

The company, which is one of the biggest private employers in its hometown, has a current annual production capacity of 30,000 units.

In addition to supplying commercial clients such as housebuilders and homeowners, Andrew Wright Windows serves trade customers, who buy windows for their own customers. All three divisions are expected to grow volumes and turnover this year, Mr Berry said.

Asked if the company was encountering any difficulty in finding staff, Mr Berry said it “isn’t easy” but is making progress with the help of recruitment companies. He noted that the company provides technical training to new recruits.

Mr Berry is joined in the family business by his wife Bernardine, son and daughter who respectively work in its finance, domestic and trade sales departments.