Sale of Tradestyle

'Style Group UK formally announces that it sold its direct to trade arm Tradestyle in quarter four of 2007, citing unprecedented levels of demand within Safestyle UK as the reason for the sale.

The Style Group UK plc including the UK's largest window and door retailer, Safe Style UK, has sold its Tradestyle UK Ltd division to Plastic People Ltd, in order to focus on the company’s core retail division which continues to enjoy record results.

The growth and success of Safe Style UK has put increased pressures on the production of its Vogue 62mm system from Plastmo and therefore the Group has made a strategic decision to sell the trade division, Tradestyle. This will enable the Group to focus on the expansion of production for the retail division to satisfy increased consumer demand. Tradestyle has been hugely successful in the trade sector with Plastmo's 70mm Index system but the Group now needs the increased production capacity.

Nick Lilburn, director at the Style Group concluded: ‘It's important with such a huge and well established brand to focus on our core business and make the necessary investment decisions. We've sold our successful trade division, Tradestyle to Plastic People Ltd which is a majority shareholder in Chester Glazing Windows. We can now look to expanding our production capabilities and delivering a hugely successful 2008.’

The move comes off the back of Safestyle UK's continuing national expansion and the launch of its new ‘Energy Saving Recommended’ windows - a combination which has resulted in sales levels reaching all time highs.

As a direct consequence of these increasing sales levels Windowstyle UK, the manufacturing facility formally shared by Safestyle UK and Tradestyle, recently found itself operating at and beyond full production capacity - a development which was unacceptable to Style Group UK.

Nick Lilburn continues: ‘Tradestyle was accounting for more than 1000 frames per week. Add this to the 5000 plus frame demand coming from Safestyle UK and we were continuing to work beyond maximum production capacity. Safestyle UK's requirements had to be given precedence and unfortunately we had little option but to sell Tradestyle.’

Tradestyle started operations in 2002 specialising in the supply of PVCu windows, doors and conservatories to non fabricating retailers and installers. The business quickly developed and last year had over 150 organisations on its books.

Steve Birmingham, Managing Director of Style Group UK added: ‘Tradestyle was in its own right a very successful business for us. However, the continued demand from the general public for our new energy rated windows has far surpassed our expectations... in order to successfully meet that demand and maintain the high standards of quality and service that we pride ourselves on, we had little choice but to sell Tradestyle and concentrate all our efforts into servicing our core Safestyle UK business.’