For many aluminium fabricators, success has been built on a strong relationship with a single mainstream system house. It’s familiar, proven, and embedded in day-to-day operations.
But as the market matures and competition intensifies, reliance on one aluminium system is becoming a commercial risk.
Price comparison is easier than ever. Installers and specifiers can obtain like-for-like quotes quickly, and when multiple fabricators are manufacturing the same system, differentiation becomes difficult.
The conversation shifts to price, and margin is the first casualty.
That’s why more fabricators are now rethinking the single-system model and adding a second, more premium platform to strengthen their offer.
For Deceuninck Aluminium, that opportunity lies with Decalu – a thermally optimised, modular system designed to help fabricators compete differently, not just on price.
Avoiding commoditisation
Mainstream aluminium systems dominate volume residential work, but they also create crowded marketplaces. When everyone is selling the same profiles, in the same finishes, to the same performance standards, it becomes harder to justify premium pricing.
Introducing a second, differentiated system allows fabricators to step out of direct comparison. It creates a clear upsell pathway for higher-end residential, heritage-style and architect-led projects, where performance, detailing and specification carry more weight than headline price.
“Fabricators need margin as well as volume,” says Terence Ledwith-Lyons, Head of Strategic Sales at Deceuninck. “If you’re relying on one system that everyone else is quoting, you’re always exposed to being undercut. A premium second system gives you back control.”
Decalu is positioned deliberately as that alternative – premium, less crowded, and designed to help protect pricing rather than dilute it.
Protecting margin through thermal optimisation
Thermal performance is now central to specification. However, chasing low U-values through triple glazing alone can create hidden costs: heavier units, higher glass prices, more complex installation, and additional strain on fabrication and fitting teams.
Deceuninck’s approach is different.
The Decalu platform is engineered to achieve strong thermal performance in double glazing, reducing reliance on triple glazing to meet current and upcoming standards.
For example, the Decalu88 Flush Casement can achieve U-values down to 1.2 W/m²K in double glazing, with triple glazing available for projects that demand even lower performance.
“We’re focused on performance that works commercially,” says Terry. “If you can hit the numbers in double glazing, you immediately reduce glass cost, weight and complexity. That has a direct impact on profitability.”
That optimisation protects margin in multiple ways. Double glazing typically lowers sealed unit cost, simplifies handling in the factory, and reduces strain on installers on site.
“It’s not just about achieving a U-value on paper,” Terry adds. “It’s about how that performance translates into easier fabrication, smoother installation and fewer headaches.”
This aligns with Deceuninck’s broader performance-led strategy: delivering Future Homes-ready standards without unnecessary over-engineering or complexity
Offering something genuinely different
Adding a second system isn’t about duplicating capability. It’s about expanding it.
Decalu’s modular platform spans flush casements, tilt-and-turn, entrance doors, bi-folds and lift-and-slide, giving fabricators the tools to target higher-value sectors, including Grand Designs-style residential, heritage refurbishments, and thermally demanding retrofit projects.
“We’re not asking fabricators to walk away from what they know,” says Terry. “We’re giving them a second conversation to have with their customers, one that isn’t purely price-driven.”
For PVCu fabricators moving into aluminium, the proposition is equally strategic.
“If you’re entering aluminium for the first time, why start in the most crowded part of the market?” Terry asks. “A premium, thermally optimised system gives you room to build margin from day one.”
Service, stability and support
Adding a second system partner only works if service levels are dependable.
Alongside product development, Deceuninck Aluminium has invested in strengthening operational support – from greater technical visibility to improved stock availability and lead-time stability.
“Ultimately, a second system should make your business stronger, not more complicated,” Terry concludes. “It should open doors to new sectors, protect your pricing and give you confidence in delivery.”
In an increasingly competitive aluminium market, dependence on a single mainstream brand limits flexibility. A strategically chosen second system – one that combines thermal optimisation, premium positioning and dependable support – can rebalance that equation.
For fabricators looking to protect margin, differentiate their offer and build long-term resilience, the question is no longer whether to add a second system – but which one.
For more information about Deceuninck’s aluminium and PVC-U product and service offer, please call 01249 816 969, email deceuninck.ltd@deceuninck.com, or visit www.deceuninckaluminium.co.uk.