Annual Report and Accounts 2009

INTERIORS


Interiors

SIG Interiors businesses are leading designers, manufacturers and specialist distributors of all products required for interior fit out projects. The Interiors market place is demanding, sophisticated and fast moving with product innovation being essential to respond to changing legislation and standards. Emphasis is on achieving a balance between efficient utilisation of space and the quality and comfort of the working environment. There is also an added requirement of flexibility to meet the changing business requirements of today’s world.

The Group has a combination of businesses within the Interiors market sector, incorporating both distribution and manufacturing-based businesses.

The core product areas for the Group are ceilings, partitioning, dry lining, floor coverings, glass and specialist door systems used in non-residential buildings, together with a wide range of ancillary products supplied to support individual contracts. All types of non-residential buildings such as schools, hospitals, hotels, offices and shops are supplied with products for either new build or refurbishment projects. The Group supplies leading-brand ceiling and dry lining products and manufactures its own door and partitioning systems.

The Group has 222 trading sites (80 of which also supply insulation products in Mainland Europe) which blend the requirements of small, maintenance-orientated projects which require ready access to materials with those of larger, specification-based contracts where specialist advice, service and support are required to secure orders. Customer and client support may include technical design and development of visual appearance, together with logistics and delivery scheduling in order to meet the requirements of the fit out programme. Delivery service is an important element of project planning as city locations can often have difficult access and minimal space for holding stock. If materials are not available “on time” then contractors face lost “downtime” and potential time penalties.