It’s been a rollercoaster few years for Supply2Trade Building Plastics boss Richard Barlow, opening his first trade counter in 2019 and the second in 2020.

Following the early days of lockdown limbo in 2020, business has surged, and Richard has had to ensure steady supplies of products to meet demand – which is one of the key reasons he chose Kestrel as his fascia and cladding brand of choice.

“I’ve used Kestrel for years, from the early days of being an installer myself,” Richard said. “The quality has always been good and Kestrel products are reliable.

“Business has been great over the last year or two, installers and builders are booked up with jobs, so it’s up to us to make sure they are able to get the products they need, which is why the reliability of Kestrel is so important.”

With years as an installer, Richard knows the importance of reliability and it’s that experience that seen him putting a priority on customer service at Supply2Trade.

With demand high, he says colours are currently flying out of the door, with the Anthracite grey being a particular favourite for the installers using Supply2Trade.

In fact, business has been so good that Supply2Trade has increased its workforce from four to 15, and there’s more expansion on the horizon.

The company is currently on the lookout for new premises in the North-West, with ambitious expansion plans to add between five and ten new trade counters over the next five years.

Kestrel sales and marketing director Owen Thorogood congratulated Richard on Supply2Trade’s flying start.

He said: “Having navigated some choppy waters in its early days, Supply2Trade has clear and ambitious plans for the future and we are delighted to be working with the team as it continues to grow.”