Liverpool city region window and door manufacturer Warwick North West has invested £1m to create new jobs and slash production times.
Warwick operates from a factory in Bootle, close to the Port of Liverpool. Employing more than 120 people, it produces windows and doors for both private residential developers and social housing providers across the North West.
Managing director Greg Johnson took over the helm from his father Brian Johnson in December 2021 and has taken what was an already successful and well-established supplier and manufacturer and accelerated its growth.
Greg has revamped his management team and streamlined processes in the firm and, despite battling huge rises in the price of energy and raw materials, has seen revenues rise from £5m a year to around £12m.
And fresh investment into machinery in the factory is set to accelerate that growth even further. On Friday [Feb 14] Warwick welcomed Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram to showcase the results of its latest investment.
In 2024 Greg took the decision to invest £750,000 in a piece of machinery called a Schirmer Saw as well as a further £150,000 in new fleet vehicles. There has also been further investment into its digital infrastructure and a new scanning system to accelerate production processes.
This strategic investment will boost productivity, increase capacity and create eight new, local jobs at the firm in the coming months.
The saw, installed in November, has already proved transformational in terms of efficiency, slashing the production time on each window from 1 minute 29 seconds to just 30 seconds.
“This investment has allowed us to create significant extra capacity that will allow us to grow organically in 2025,” Greg explained.
“This Schirmer Saw allows us to cut uPVC more quickly and increase how many windows can be manufactured per week.
“The additional jobs will be to ‘fabricate’ and will open up opportunities for highly skilled roles on the factory floor.
“This refers to putting the frames and window sash together. The more frame and sash that is cut the more personnel needed to fabricate those windows.”
Greg told the Mayor during his visit that Warwick was fully behind his push to build more homes, accelerate net zero, create jobs and promote training and skills. The firm is currently working with Hugh Baird College on a project to get more young people into manufacturing.
At the end of 2024, Greg and members of his team headed to London for the G-Awards, the premier UK awards for the glazing sector, where they emerged with the highly coveted Fabricator of the Year accolade.
There are around 4,500 window and door fabricators in the UK and so it is a highly competitive category. The accolade marks Warwick as UK leader in the fabrication of windows and doors.
Key to Warwick’s recent growth has been its acknowledgment of the need to supply windows and doors that don’t just meet Government net zero and thermal insulation standards but exceed them.
Greg added: “There has been a big push, especially from social housing providers, to tackle fuel poverty through much higher thermal insulation standards. Our windows and doors are the best in the business for keeping the heat in peoples’ homes.”
Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram added: “Warwick North West is a shining example of the ambition and innovation that make our region a great place to do business.
“By championing social value, embracing sustainability, and investing in cutting-edge technology, they are creating high-quality jobs, driving the transition to more energy-efficient homes, and helping to grow our economy.
“It’s brilliant to see a local manufacturer leading the way, proving that sustainable, well-made products can go hand in hand with economic success. I’m looking forward to seeing Warwick continue to thrive and create even more opportunities for people in our area.”
