From a family business to a global brand. FAKRO sets the direction for the next 35 years

FAKRO celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. Will there be grand celebrations? How are you organizing the anniversary and what do you have planned?

This is a very important year for us – an anniversary year and a special holiday, because we are celebrating the company’s 35th anniversary.

From a small, almost workshop-based organization, we have developed into a large, global company that operates on all continents – practically everywhere where, due to geographical and climatic reasons, the sale of roof windows is possible. Today we are present in about 70 markets around the world.

We achieved this thanks to our partners – roofers, architects and distributors. That’s why this year’s celebrations take the form of celebrating “35 years together.” It is primarily an opportunity to summarize, but also to thank our distributors.

For this reason, throughout the winter, and in fact the entire first quarter, we hosted our distributors, roofers – i.e. contractors – and architects who design houses and use our products in their projects. The meetings took place, among others: in Nowy Sącz and Muszyna. It was an extensive series of meetings combined with training. We thanked our partners, talked about development prospects, future plans and new products – which we introduce regularly.

It was a great opportunity to sum up, say thank you and emphasize that together we are strong. Together we create the Polish economy and influence life in Poland to be better, more prosperous and more comfortable. And we build our relationships on partnership and trust.

35 years of FAKRO. What is the current economic situation in the construction and joinery industry?

Construction, especially residential, has been developing very dynamically over the last dozen or so years. However, since the outbreak of the war on our eastern border, the situation has clearly changed.

There is a strong security trend visible today in Poland and Europe. In such conditions, people are less willing to invest in real estate, which translates into a decline in the number of new housing investments. The second important factor is demography, which is also not favorable to the housing construction market.

As a result, fewer new buildings are being built, while the segment of thermal modernization, renovation and modernization of existing housing is growing significantly.

In Poland and Europe, we have a huge number of buildings that do not meet today’s technical standards – especially in terms of energy efficiency, i.e. heat transfer coefficients, as well as acoustic comfort.

These buildings require modernization: insulation, improvement of energy efficiency and raising the standard of use. A key element of such activities is often the replacement of windows.

Speaking of the roof window industry, is there still room for innovation? Is there anything else you can surprise the market with?

You can – and a lot of it. A window may seem like a simple product, but in fact it is a whole system. It cannot be treated as a single building element.

The window must be properly installed – in a way that ensures air tightness as well as protection against water and moisture. Therefore, mounting systems are a key part of the entire solution. In addition, there are internal and external covers. Internal blinds are responsible for light control, while external blinds and awnings protect against excessive heating in summer.

These systems require control – manual, automatic or as part of a smart home. You can therefore combine windows, blinds, weather sensors (rain, wind, smoke) and create integrated home management scenarios: ventilation, light and security. This is where technological development is concentrated today.

Modern solutions make the house more energy-efficient, comfortable and safe, and at the same time allow for real reductions in heating and cooling costs – which is increasingly important as temperatures rise in summer.

Today, a window is a system. And it is a system that is developing dynamically. At the same time, it requires more and more knowledge and training. The installation of such advanced solutions as roof windows, external doors or garage doors must be performed precisely. Only then the entire system – from assembly to automation – works correctly and as intended.

When we look at the joinery industry, we can see that it has developed exceptionally strongly in Poland. Thousands of entities operate here. FAKRO – which grew from a small, even garage company – has become a global brand present in several dozen markets in 35 years. Where does this success come from? Is there something special in Poland that makes us achieve such good results in this industry?

Poland is indeed a phenomenon in this area. We are one of the largest producers of construction joinery in Europe and its largest exporter in the European Union, and therefore in practice throughout Europe. We are in second place in the world after China, which overtook us relatively recently, because three years ago Poland was the leader in global exports of construction joinery, i.e. windows, doors and gates.

Where does this success come from? It results from several factors.

First of all, Poland has very good conditions for production. We had and still have access to raw materials, technology and qualified professionals. In a sense, craftsmanship is “in our blood” – it is part of our tradition.

However, in recent years, the industry has undergone a major technological transformation. Polish companies abandoned old production lines and invested heavily in modern technologies, automation and expansion of production capacity to achieve economies of scale.

Today it can be said that there is no major global joinery manufacturer that does not have a factory in Poland. This is due to the combination of several advantages: the availability of specialists, raw material resources and a very good location in the center of Europe, which facilitates logistics to European and global markets. Of course, this position is not given once and for all. There are challenges, including changing energy prices that affect competitiveness.

We are gradually losing some of our advantages, but at the same time we make up for them with innovation, which is our strong point, and strong brands. Polish companies in this industry are today very recognizable and valued around the world. It can be said that the “Polish window” has already become a brand in itself – in many countries, be it France or the United States, it is associated with high quality and reliability.

The last question concerns the prospects – both of the entire industry and FAKRO. What is the development vision for the next 35 years?

We look to the future with optimism, but it is cautious optimism – we cannot become complacent.

We have a very strong market position, strong brands and solid technological base. At the same time, production costs in Poland have increased significantly – primarily labor and energy costs, which partially limits our current competitive advantages. That’s why we constantly focus on innovation.

Poland, due to its climate – hot summers on the one hand, harsh winters on the other – forced us to develop universal technologies, adapted to various conditions around the world. Thanks to this, we are able to create products tailored to the needs of customers in many markets. We try to consistently use this advantage.

We are developing cooperation within the industry more and more effectively. Polish producers increasingly cooperate with each other, not just compete. Companies are no longer limited to one product segment, but offer comprehensive solutions.

In the case of FAKRO, this means that these are no longer only roof windows, but also vertical windows, attic stairs and a wide range of accessories. We are also developing in terms of products and geography. An example is the construction of an attic stairs factory in the United States, which shows our long-term approach and the search for new opportunities in various markets.

We diversify our activities both in terms of products and the markets in which we operate.