Sunway has been established for more than fifty years and has built up a strong reputation and following but has decided now is the time to really make more people aware of what it has to offer. Laura Pearse, Sunway’s marketing manager explained: “It is a really strong brand, it’s just never been given the support from a marketing perspective. The focus has always been Luxaflex, but seeing the collection books come together and how well they were received (at Design Interiors, Birmingham NEC) there is a clear position to push further into the market.”

That is not to say that we are going to see Luxaflex and Sunway going head-to-head. There are differences in the target markets for the ranges. Laura explained: “Sunway is not a reduced version of Luxaflex. It is a totally different range of products, with a completely different look and feel, different designs and patterns and lower price points with generally shorter lead times thanks to local manufacture in our own production facilities.” Laura continued: “Luxaflex could certainly be described as contemporary whereas Sunway is very much aimed at the UK market. The patterns and the colours lean towards UK homes and interiors where as Luxaflex will sometimes be a bit more ‘out there’.”

Within that range the company currently offers five collection books; Woven Wood, Vertical, Roller, Metal and Wood Venetians and is in the process of launching a new Roman Blind Collection in the spring.

As mentioned earlier, all are manufactured in the UK, something which Laura feels really benefits Sunway’s customers: “We find (UK manufacture) is a really strong selling point for our customers. They like to hear that everything is made in the UK and is aimed at the UK market – UK styles.” Laura also pointed out that UK manufacture also ensures shorter lead times at lower prices for made-to-measure blinds. “Lead times are really key to these collections and that’s why a lot of customers choose them.”

An example of a particularly good seller for Sunway has been the company’s Rapide Wood collection on which Sunway is able to guarantee a five day turnaround. Laura also added: “The Faux Wood in the Wood collection has also been a particularly strong seller. It is ideally suited to bathrooms and rooms with very high moisture.”

With more than 2000 retailers selling Sunway’s collections, the company feels they will benefit greatly from the increased marketing focus and Sunway’s decision to target the consumer. Sunway is well established as a trade brand but the consumer needs to know more about it. Laura explained: “There is such a love for the Sunway brand – a lot of retailers have been selling it for years – but the consumers don’t really know about it. So the decision has been taken and obviously the money has been put behind it to really promote Sunway as a stand alone brand and to build on the success it already has.”

Investment has been provided for new brochures, promotion literature, displays and other point of sale – in short providing the retailers with the support and back up they need in their stores to convert sales and in turn build on Sunway’s reputation in the consumer marketplace.

Sunway has also launched The Sunway Style Newsletter for its retailers which will be published every quarter and will run in parallel with the soon to be launched company’s new website

The Sunway Style Newsletter will update retailers on new Sunway Collections, press coverage, special promotions and product features and also retailer achievements and triumphs. As well as all collection and company information, the website features a ‘Nearest Retailer’ page which enables customers to locate their nearest Sunway retailer and ‘Sunway Dealer’ pages which are accessed only with a retailers own personal log in and detail specifications, price lists, order forms and product updates amongst other useful information.

Laura recognises the retailer is key for Sunway and the better equipped, trained and prepared they are, the more prosperous it is for both them and Sunway.

Hence Sunway also offer all their dealers free training courses on both products and measure and installation. It is a hard time in the current climate for retailers and the investment shown by Sunway is probably coming at the right time for its customers.

Sunway has resisted the temptation to sell direct and cut out the retailer, they are clear in their stance to only sell through the retailer and as such its retailers benefit from all Sunway’s investment and consumer marketing.

It is exciting times at Sunway and it will be interesting to see the developments over the next few years. But with such strong collections and such a solid infrastructure and customer base, the outcome can only be positive.

• Sunway Blinds