David Walker has been part of the Roto team for several years now. Originally he worked solely for the Deventer side of the business, building the weatherseal customer base in the UK. Since the start of 2024 he has been working as part of the Roto Window & Door Technology team, promoting the hardware systems and associated products.
Roto More caught up with David for a chat to get his views on both weatherseals and hardware.
Hi David, is it correct to say you are representing both the Roto and Deventer brands in the UK?
“That’s right. Just to explain it briefly, I’ve looked after Deventer since 2017 when my role was to grow the Deventer gasket business and set up the distributor network in the UK. At the start of 2024, I was given the opportunity to take on Roto’s Northern sales region for window and door hardware. I’ve kept the Deventer key account manager role, so I still look after our distributors and major clients, but the majority of my time is currently devoted to the hardware products”.
Can you tell us a bit about the market for weatherseals in the UK?
“There are two main markets. One is joinery, with around 4,500 companies making timber windows. Of course most of those companies do other types of joinery too, so windows are only one part of their offering. They may only make a small number of windows per week. With most PVC systems having co-extruded gaskets, our other main market is the aluminium sector, where we are working with partners to promote gaskets to aluminium window manufacturers”.
How about the composite door market in the UK?
Well, I was just about to say, that is the next big opportunity because Deventer is currently preparing a range of new weatherseals for composite doors, so we will be able to make an impact in what is obviously a very important area of the market in the UK”.
The main selling points of Deventer weatherseals stem from the fact that they are made from TPE, is that right?
“Yes, for sure. TPE is seen as a premium option compared to many other materials and it has a number of advantages. It is very versatile, so we can use it to make very slim gasket designs. It has a high level of elasticity, so it consistently springs back into shape after being compressed and does this repeatedly over a long lifetime.
“The other big advantage of TPE is that it is 100% recyclable. This means we create zero waste in production, with any excess material being recycled immediately. The gaskets can also be recycled at the end of a window or door’s life. So all this is valuable if you are a fabricator who wants to improve your own overall sustainability.
“So to sum it up, with TPE gaskets and Roto hardware we can help fabricators make windows and doors that give the best possible weathersealing and maintain it for the life of the unit. That of course helps with energy efficiency, and with the recyclability of the products we enable customers to tick even more boxes for environmental compliance”.
In your experience, how do fabricators view weatherseals — what level of importance do they place on them?
“In the timber market the choice of gaskets is seen as very important. In the PVC sector, they are not thought about so much due to so many profiles now having co-ex gaskets. In the aluminium sector, gaskets are seen as important but the market is very price driven. Aluminium fabricators place a strong emphasis on hardware; we are now aiming to promote the hardware and gaskets as a complete package to provide optimum compression, as well as all the other benefits”.
Have any industry standards or new legislation altered the way weatherseals are viewed?
“We certainly get asked about materials, U-values, weather performance etc. I would say over the last few years we are getting asked about these things more often, yes”.
How important are sustainability and recycling to customers?
“In my experience I would say it is becoming more important all the time. The UK is behind the continent where this is concerned, but we are catching up quickly. The alu system houses are definitely placing a strong emphasis on this now. They know they need to be selling sustainable products, so they come to us because we have C2C certification and recyclable materials”.
How is it going for you with the transition to hardware?
“Well, it is both a new challenge and also very familiar, because I have always felt very connected to the Roto hardware team, especially the UK sales representatives as we have always shared leads with each other. Over the years I have always tried to mention Roto hardware products when talking to Deventer customers. I knew the basics regarding products such as the twincam TSL and the NX tilt and turn hardware, but now I am gaining much more in depth knowledge”.
Remind us, which areas of England are you covering?
“Essentially, the North apart from Newcastle and Northumberland, which Alan Couper covers along with Scotland. So most of my time is spent in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Yorkshire and everywhere along the M62”.
What products are particularly interesting at the moment and will you have anything else new to offer this year?
“Patio Inowa is definitely one of the most impressive Roto products. Everyone who sees it at trade shows loves it. It’s easy to see why because it offers so many benefits and there are no drawbacks. You don’t have to compromise on anything and it meets whatever needs you have for security, ease of use, access, weathersealing, sizes etc. And you can install it anywhere because of its high wind and rain resistance.
“We have a new deal for Inowa that we have been working on with our distributor Coastal, which will offer both the Roto hardware system and Deventer seals.
In terms of brand new products, I am certain we have something that will be very interesting for fabricators in the composite door sector. If you subscribe to the Roto More newsletter and follow Roto Western Europe on LinkedIn you’ll get to hear about it as soon as we release more information”.
What do you like to do in your spare time, and what do you like most about working for Roto?
“One of my main hobbies is running. I’ve booked to enter three half marathons so far this year, the first one is coming up soon so obviously training for that. I’m also a big football fan and season ticket holder at Sheffield Wednesday.
“What I like about representing Roto is that our products are in the premium range. It’s not about undercutting on price. Our customers are ones who appreciate the added value Roto brings to them. With these clients we can build a partnership and help them achieve even more.
“For me the Roto brand name goes a long way; we have a strong recognition factor. I’ve always felt looked after here and the company always has opportunities to grow your role”.
What would you say to any window or door fabricators reading this who have not used Roto before, or are interested in one of the products?
“Please get in touch. We can set up a meeting face-to-face or online, and we have plenty to show you. There are many ways in which working with Roto can enhance your own production processes and end product. Along with the hardware and gaskets we have many support services too. With us it’s not about a quick sell, it’s about putting things in place for a productive longer term partnership. It’s always worth having the conversation”.
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