Page 22 - HW March 2022

security, doors & windows
I’VE BEEN HEARING talk of some suppliers running double shifts but still struggling to cope with demand and others being just a bit flat, depending on where they fit into the marketplace
Sell in remains as strong as ever for many suppliers but sell- through isn’t, according to insiders, so some merchants and retailers are clearly happy to carry more stock in case of a rush, as happened with toilet paper. And plasterboard.
Equally, we’ve heard reports during January and early February of lower foot traffic through the doors of the DIY retailers.
Having said this, one pundit was happy to share: “It will all take off again when GIB board catches up.” But, according to GIB, that may not be until 2023...
It is difficult to quantify the stalling effect the scarcity of timber, plasterboard, aluminium windows, cladding and more is having on the building industry, but it is real, with even the biggest and often the most persuasive merchants’ branches facing tens of millions of dollars’ worth of products and materials on back order.
And then there’s the inflationary effects of a disrupted supply chain and sliding exchange rates, with some suppliers in this category, some of whom got in perhaps a little too early with price increases, looking at additional increases.
And you can see why, what with shipping costs for a 40-foot box escalating from say $4,000 to $20,000 in a short space of time.
“One pundit was happy to share: ‘It will all take off again when GIB board catches up.’ But that won’t be until 2023...”
KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON
Apart from all that, business in the security side of doors – entrance sets, both mechanical and digital – is generally but not universally good, as I found asking around the traps.
Bryce Carter, National Sales Manager at Allegion New Zealand for one says at this stage it’s “very much business as usual in a very strong market.
“Residential housing consents continue to show strong year-on-year growth and we’ve also seen strong growth within the medium density construction space.”
But even the most positive players will admit they are working in a disrupted marketplace
“There are ongoing challenges at the moment, around delays and inbound freight, and those pressures don’t seem to be moving away any time soon,” says Bryce.
Continued on page 24 8
Digital lock with four
access methods
The new Miles Nelson MN9000 electronic lock offers high levels of security and convenience to the homeowner.
Easy to programme, MN9000 enables access using personal and temporary electronic keys, and offers four access methods – pin code, remote, fob or by mechanical key (the key lock is hidden underneath a sliding cover in the handle).
The design features satin nickel trims and an illuminating black armour glass touch pad that reflects the sun’s UV rays and provide protection from the effects of heat and sun damage.
MN9000 is made from high grade materials for long-lasting reliability and comes with a high IP65 rating for water and dust ingress.
www.milesnelson.co.nz
20 NZHJ | MARCH 2022
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