Picture above: The Kolorseal 20th Year Anniversary Celebrations – getting off to a good start.

Chris Champion, Editor of Glass News, speaks exclusively with Kolorseal’s Managing Director, Deborah Hendry.

In this session we talk about everything to do with colour, from the boring to the sublime, technical developments, sustainability, consumer demands, Geri the Giraffe and Kolorseal, now in its 20th year of business.

Q.  Painting in our industry has become the norm but you’ve been painting PVCu since 2004, long before it became popular.  Can you explain why you became involved in this side of the industry as you were pretty much a pioneer?

Well, let’s face it, White, Mahogany and Oak were all pretty boring weren’t they?

Q.  You moved from PVCu to a whole range of materials including GRP, aluminium and other metals.  Getting paint to adhere properly to materials like GRP was always an issue so how did you discover the correct methodology?

Ian Short of Morley Glass with Deborah of Kolorseal, Christina of Glass News, Tina Moorhouse and Sioned of Access Marketing.

Adrian Barraclough of Quickslide, handing over the reins to Deborah of Kolorseal. Time for a speech!

Just as industry standards change so do the products and technical developments across the sector.  Being able to adapt to a changing market is so important.  One of my bugbears though is regarding painting gaskets.  Even the paint companies agree that whilst they can be painted, they will crack and lose their adhesion – trying to convince people otherwise is simply not right in my book.

As with all things, through Kolorseal I learned that there are paints and there are paints. Our paint has stood the test of time. Preparation of GRP is very important as some GRP skins can contain Xylene.

Q.  Paints have changed radically over the years with demand for eco friendly products.  How has Kolorseal adapted to those demands? 

With sustainability now in focus more than ever, consumers tend to look at the products they are purchasing and how beneficial they are for the environment. Currently, KOLORSEAL window coatings are manufactured from the highest quality raw materials and these fulfil the highest criteria. However, having the best materials for the job comes with many special health and safety conformities and testing, which doesn’t come cheap.

Q.  When anyone talks about the huge variety of colours that are available it always makes me think of Gerry the Giraffe and seeing him at a variety of industry functions.  How did Gerry come about?

Gary Morton of Central RPL, showing his support and praise for the Kolorseal team.

Geri has now become an ambassador for Kolorseal, with her own page dedicated to her on the website.  This has come a long way from the early days when I won her in a charity auction.  When we ‘met’ she had yet to develop into the striking beauty she is today.  She was initially orange all over so we decided to ask people to choose a colour for charity and this is how she blossomed into the Kolorful mascot you see today.

Q.  Has the painting side of our industry stabilised or are there constantly changing trends and new products that you need to learn about and embrace?

Building products are always being developed with new advancements being introduced across the industry.  Some are dictated by consumers others by changes in weather conditions.  Some believe that all products and adhesions will be the same, but understanding the importance of both preparation and application to the different products we colour coat has taken years to grasp.  If people want a product’s colour to last and remain consistent to the guarantees we offer, it should be through people who have learned the craft.

Q.  Quality is absolutely key and it is relatively easy to spot a poor case of paint spraying.  Kolorseal is known for its high quality but how do you maintain standards and ensure all products are finished to the highest standard?  

High quality colour coating cannot be achieved with a quick fix using substandard equipment or practices by an untrained team.  Being fully aware of spraying techniques, adherence, paint reactions, curing times has all taken time to learn not to mention the health and safety requirements.  Our team is carefully trained to the highest standards including City and Guild levels.

Beautiful in blue! Anything can be achieved with the Kolorseal colour range.

Q.  The whole colour side is very technical, so how do you ensure that Koloseal’s staff are trained and can adapt to the new technologies as they become available?

When we have a new team member join us, they are individually trained by one of our experienced members of staff.  They are not allowed onto a project unsupervised until they have passed all necessary proficiency levels.

Q.  I know you have longstanding members of your team but, I have to ask, how easy is it to find new members of staff as you expand your business, and how do you go about training them, both technically and instilling in them the same high standards that you have set?

Simply put Chris, it isn’t easy.  We train people to recognise how each department works which gives them an understanding of the company as a whole.  This has just become a little easier for them by having access to the new Digital Twin videos and Virtual Tour, so that the whole process can be discussed with one of our team leaders, as they begin work.

The Quality Assurance Certificate is for customers to pass onto the end user which will add further substantiation to the company’s existing 10 year quality guarantees.

It becomes very transparent as people work with us into which department they are best suited. Normally at the interview stage, I can spot who has aspirations and for which department.  People come to us with a desire to learn and to be part of a strong team.

Q.  Fabricators and installers are demanding customers and expect speedy and reliable service.  What is the lead time and service Kolorseal offer that makes you stand out from other companies?

We offer a 5 day turnaround in 5 simple steps.  The way we work has been developed over 20 years so we know how to ensure the Kolorseal team meets the needs of its customers.  This makes us special and unique, I think.

Q.  It is tempting for fabricators and other manufacturers to bring their painting in-house, so how does your offering make it a better option to give the responsibility to Kolorseal?

Ironically, a number of customers have recently just joined or returned to us after thinking they could handle the turnaround, colour coating techniques and the quality standards themselves. We are now helping to rectify some of their previous painted work.  We make outsourcing the colour coating of products, simple, fast, more cost effective and reliable. It is a specialism and we guarantee that we can colour match products to the exacting standards that the industry expects.

Q.  I notice that after delivering the finished product you offer an Aftercare service.  How does this work and is this a service that differentiates you from competitors?

Kolorseal can help homeowners achieve their dream colour scheme, inside and outside of the home.

Yes, I feel it does.  Kolorseal is a focused and driven team, we have worked hard for our reputation.  I personally want to ensure that each and every project looks as it is expected to look and in most cases I like to believe we exceed expectations. Making sure the fabricator, installer and end users have the best advice possible, we now have additional guarantees such as the Certificates of Authenticity, 10 year Guarantees as well as web downloads that help consumers understand how to maintain products and get the best out of their new investments.

Q.  There are always going to be the rush jobs:  someone forgot to order a paint job or a customer has promised their customer a ridiculously quick turnaround.  Can you cope with this if someone can’t wait for your normal lead time?

If we can manage it we will always try – this really does depend on our planned schedule for any week, but helping our customers is a priority.

Q.  You have an Assurance Certification scheme – does this add to the 10 year warranty you give on your paint finishes?  Can you explain its significance?

The Certificates of Authenticity do indeed add to the 10 year warranties.  They give customers added credibility when approaching homeowners.  For consumer’s being able to say they have ‘Kolorsealed’ products in their house gives them additional benefits when they are selling. It’s the reflection of quality that further backs our customers.

Q.  Apart from your spraying at your Huddersfield facility, do you offer a spraying service on-site, if required?

It is possible to colour coat a project on-site, but we tend to encourage people to have the work done at our facilities due to the sanitary, technical working conditions which gives better quality control on the overall finish. We would not promote the re-painting of old windows and doors, these need to be replaced as they have not been manufactured to be a different colour, particularly white ones.

Q.  I know you have customers all over the UK and I read that customers can deliver products to you to be sprayed, and picked up, but you also offer a delivery service.  How does that work…..I may be down in Cornwall?

Green Folly! Whatever takes your fancy! Image courtesy of Quickslide.

If there are any areas in the UK where we don’t currently deliver, we can organise a courier service should that be needed.  Alternatively, it may be that suppliers and customers can work together through hub networks and we can tie into that.

Q.  How do you see the paint side of our industry developing.  It seems that you can paint most materials, in any colour and even metallics – is there anything new in the pipeline and how can you ensure that Kolorseal is one of the early adopters of any innovations?

As one of the first companies in the sector to colour coat products, we have adapted our services to the needs of the industry.  It is a familiar service we have offered for many years as the company was purpose built for exactly that reason.

Recently we were asked to create a ‘cast-iron’ appearance for a consumer who was very specific about the overall finish.  Understanding paint and how it works, means we can offer that type of bespoke service to our customers.

The current trend is to dual coat products – this tends to be colour matching across the whole of an an exterior including fascias, soffits, drainpipes etc, whilst having a bespoke internal colour to match interior designs.

Colour coating can be achieved inside or outside a property. Internal modern door – image courtesy of Quickslide.

Colour will also become increasingly important in the corporate world where larger groups and conglomerates look to replicate their branding so that it is easily recognised.

Q.  Do you view your manufacturer, fabricator and installer customers as, well, customers, or are they partnering with you?

They are both but it very much depends on the type of working relationships that are sought.  We build strong foundations with all our customers, but some wish to extend the power of offering the colour coating service by developing partnerships – this helps them to stand out.  We offer marketing for particular bespoke colour projects, promoting both the fabricator and the installer.

Q.  You are already an award-winning company for your painting systems and service.  Do you have any ambitions that have yet to be fulfilled?

There is always room to explore new products and new types of paint to colour coat but whatever comes along in terms of innovation, you can be sure that Kolorseal will be there leading the way.