Family's big push opens window of opportunity

Growing demand for double glazing in older homes has led to national growth for Taupo's The Double Glazing Company.
The business was set up by joiner John Mason and his wife Jan six years ago after he retrofitted double glazing in a customer's house. Word spread and John found himself putting double glazing into an increasing number of existing homes and businesses.
Son and daughter-in-law Bruce and Megan Mason joined the company to help John build it up.
"We are still a small family business, but we wanted to see if we could expand this and put systems in place to grow," said Bruce.
Now double glazing is mandatory in new houses, Bruce said people saw the benefits - in summer and winter - and wanted it in their existing homes. But the wide range of framing and materials involved in building through the decades initially made it difficult to give fast, accurate quotes.
The father and son partnership used John's experience and Bruce's research and logistical skills to create a system to identify types of joinery, the best solutions for each, and up-to-date pricings.
It allowed them to go to a building, identify what was required and give a quote on the spot.
"Customers have a lot of questions and this system enables us to give them answers, and prices, there and then so they can better understand their options."
The system proved so successful, Bruce has taken The Double Glazing Company national through owner/operators in Auckland, Hamilton and, within the next month, Wellington.
"We have been very careful about who we bring on board. Each person owns their own business, but everybody operates under the same brand, so we all have a stake in that brand."
The Double Glazing Company is not a franchise - Bruce said that structure was not really suited to this context - but it involves individual tradesmen who use the same system and share their expertise and experience to improve performance in each of the businesses.
"Everybody comes from a different background and has something different to contribute. We have developed friendships with these people and there is a huge amount of skill in this business."
Bruce said it was a model that suited the "Kiwi" approach to business: "New Zealanders are very independent, but they like to be part of something bigger."
Most of the firm's market is domestic, but there are commercial applications - in hotels and motels, particularly.
That demand would only increase, with insulation standards increasing, he said.