A year full of challenges | The OKNOPLAST Group takes stock of 2023

The difficult geopolitical situation and high inflation rates in many countries last year have become a major challenge for the construction industry. However, the OKNOPLAST Group, one of the leading manufacturers of plastic and aluminum windows and doors in Europe, is well positioned for the year 2024. Thanks to efficient management and thoughtful decisions adapted to market events, it has a stable and comfortable business situation even in difficult times.

Several important factors have contributed to OKNOPLAST being able to deliver excellent results also in 2023. First: the focus on marketing and sales and the resulting high production volume are the guarantee of a stable financial situation. Second: Despite the difficult market situation, OKNOPLAST did not hesitate to invest in innovative marketing, new products and production facilities – a fundamental requirement for the company’s growth. Third: OKNOPLAST relies above all on the company’s 3,200 employees as its most important capital for success. A safe workplace in uncertain times creates mutual respect and loyalty, and such values are invaluable in business. Fourth: expansion into foreign markets is a guarantee to increase brand awareness and a further step towards consolidating its strong position on global markets.

Know the needs of end users

Thanks to all these factors, the company achieved an excellent commercial result, with revenues reaching a similar level to that of 2022 and amounting to 385 million euros in 2023. At the heart of management decisions in the last financial year was the objective of maintaining OKNOPLAST’s stability even in the face of market difficulties.

End-user demands also posed a challenge in 2023. The key to success was identifying trends and changing needs and responding quickly to these changes. Furthermore, customers continue to choose premium brands, especially in times of crisis, which ensure on-time deliveries and product longevity for years to come.

Thanks to the diversification of the portfolio, which now includes both premium products and alternative, more convenient solutions, the OKNOPLAST group has been able to offer its customers a wide range of products that meet the highest quality standards. These products are manufactured in five independent factories with a production area of more than 124,000 m². Approximately 2.3 million windows are built every year.

New products, even wider range

Regardless of the market situation, the OKNOPLAST group has been focusing on continuous product development for years. Last year brought further innovations in this regard: the company added new items from the high-end and premium segments to its portfolio. Thanks to a new collaboration, the group has introduced windows, balcony doors, entrance doors, roller shutters, parallel up-and-over sliding doors and lift-and-slide systems also in the lower price segment under the CATADI brand. The comprehensive offering is aimed at both large investments in new construction and price-sensitive projects in the real estate sector.

Another product that is now part of the OKNOPLAST brand portfolio is the Sleek handle, which does not require a rosette. Designed in a minimalist style, it fits perfectly into interiors with a modern design. The possibility of choosing between multiple shades and matt versions offers unlimited possibilities of adaptation to interiors of different styles.

In 2024, the new Miru Evo window will also be added to the Aluhaus brand assortment, in particular the steel version with its striking industrial-looking aluminum profile and excellent technical parameters. It is the only model in Europe with customized profile geometry. Furthermore, the brand now also offers frosted window veneers to satisfy the tastes of the most demanding customers.

Intense promotions and increased sales activities are planned for the second and third quarters of 2024. All the recently launched new offers of the OKNOPLAST Group confirm that the brand is successfully implementing its strategy by responding to customer needs and focusing on new target groups.

Products available from 3,500 specialized partners

The brand owes its stable market position to the consistently implemented strategy which, in addition to attention to the Polish market and its needs, also focuses on active expansion into foreign markets. Thanks to these coordinated activities, the company is now active in 21 countries in Europe and around the world. Currently, excellent sales development is observed not only in Poland, but also in Italy, Spain and the United States. In addition to Europe, the countries where OKNOPLAST is active include Canada, Cameroon, the United States and New Zealand. The development of the brand can also be seen in the following figure: Today the company markets its products worldwide with around 3,500 specialized partners. Approximately 85% of the turnover is generated by exports.

Investing in support of the arts

The OKNOPLAST brand has become known for its various initiatives that shape social and cultural image. One of the most spectacular examples is the OKNOPLAST FOR ART initiative, an international competition for visual artists from all over Europe. Artists have the opportunity to create an unconventional work of art on the unusual canvas of a window. The success of the two previous editions of the competition, organized in collaboration with the Mocak Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow, confirmed the need for activities in the field of art promotion in Poland. The OKNOPLAST project will continue in 2024. Work on organizing and marketing the initiative has already begun.

OKNOPLAST enters financial year 2024 with the belief that new investments, acquisitions, portfolio expansions and a greater focus on premium brands are the right strategy for difficult times. The first months of the past year confirm this thesis.

This year, despite the turbulence in the construction sector, production remained stable at a high level. Thanks to the expansion into foreign markets, the diversification of brands and the satisfaction of the needs of different market segments, the group can boast a turnover of 235 million euros in less than six months, an excellent result which demonstrates that, in these difficult conditions, the group recorded growth of 12.5% compared to the same period last year.