Permaroof maximises the ‘lockdown effect’ to achieve record sales

Permaroof, a UK-based importer and distributor of Firestone RubberCover, is celebrating the most successful year in its 20-year history, after maximising the lockdown effect on the DIY market as well as quickly diversifying in the face of the global pandemic.

Its positive end to the year follows several record months including an 26% increase in sales in May 2020 compared to 2019 and a staggering 86% increase when comparing June 2019 to 2020.

Adrian Buttress, Managing Director of Permaroof and the wider Permagroup, is confident that the sector will strengthen in 2021 based on the fundamental necessity to keep on building and the ongoing strength of the home improvement market.

He said: “For the construction industry, the show must go on – so although I think 2021 will be a turbulent year, I believe we’ll all be better prepared and in a stronger position. I would like to think that by the end of first quarter, businesses will be feeling the benefits of change after rolling out their newly formulated plans and strategies.

“I think Brexit and the pandemic will have acted almost like a coiled spring for our sector. Once something as close to normality resumes, I think we are in for a large boom of business.”

Adrian attributes the success of the past year to a fast response to Covid-19, investment in an already solid team and diversification into new services and products. His advice to others in the sector is to keep on learning and adapting whilst taking as many lessons as possible from the challenges faced in 2020.

He said: “We had to rewrite our business plans, raise funds for the unknown and rework all our numbers while adapting the business to ensure it was Covid-secure for the Permaroof team and its customers.

“We’ve seen the sector working in new ways, which is fantastic. For example, speaking to customers and placing orders through Zoom was unthinkable before – but it works. It means that the team is saving around 60 hours of travel time per week. This can now be channelled into supporting customers; not to mention meaning a carbon reduction. I’d love to think that these more efficient ways of working will continue as well as the sector seizing other opportunities to grow and learn from this terrible year.”