Tuffx

Sector:
Building Products | Manufacturing | Technology | Glass

Services:
Marketing Strategy | Positioning | Product Launch

Overview:

Established for almost 25 years, TuffX is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of toughened safety glass. Its innovative products have a range of architectural applications, falling into three main categories: processed glass such as balustrades and stair treads, conservatory glass, and rooflights and skylights.

BFM was introduced to TuffX by Alcuin Capital Partners in 2023. The private equity investor had taken a stake in TuffX as part of a management buyout and saw that BFM’s expertise could help the company achieve its plans for growth.

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The Challenge:

BFM immediately identified a key issue: TuffX was selling in three distinct markets without a properly segmented marketing plan. TuffX needed strategies – based on detailed market insights – to connect with each customer group. And with a relatively small proportion of TuffX’s business coming from consumers, BFM saw an opportunity for growth through increasing the company’s share of the rooflight and skylight market.

However, before developing a detailed marketing strategy for the consumer sector, BFM needed more information on TuffX’s competitors and insights into its target customers.

The solution and results:

BFM undertook a rapid but thorough competitor research exercise, focusing on the consumer market. This provided useful insights into TuffX’s rivals’ products and pricing as well as their social media presence and online reputation.

A simultaneous website analysis highlighted two key issues with the TuffX site. First, while most of the company’s business comes from trade buyers, the design, content and navigation of the site were geared to consumer customers. Second, TuffX’s consumer products were not easy for customers to find, as having an e-commerce site bolted onto a trade website undermined SEO.

BFM recommended a new online strategy with the twin aims of improving online consumer sales and creating a better user experience for trade customers on the TuffX website.

Before implementing the online strategy, BFM developed persona’s for two target customer groups: homeowners interested in home improvements and building companies that work on small domestic projects. While homeowners would be sensitive to website aesthetics and might value reliability, customer support and quality over price, building companies would focus on product cost.

The new online strategy was launched in July 2024, supported by a coordinated communications campaign.

For Built for Marketing a marketing strategy is aligned to a business’s overall plan. For marketing, this plan includes reaching prospective customers and converting them into an active customer base for either their products or services. Our client, marketing strategies ensure the company’s value proposition, key brand messaging, data on target customer demographics, and other high-level elements are fully understood and communicated internally and externally.

We improve the company’s positioning by developing research within each of the key markets the client works within. Our efforts are focused on capturing of costumer and marketing perceptions through comprehensive surveys and carry out local market/competitor analysis.

The results of the research enable to communicate on a local level with each of the key markets defined by the client.

BFM manages the full process of launching a new product. We will cover everything from overview brochure, photorealistic renders, new technical data sheets, launch posters to a complete online communications plan. We also have the ability to create and manage launch events or corporate gatherings. 

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    What Tuffx Glass Manufacturing says

    “Jules and her team are transforming the way we launch and market new products – through understanding and focusing on the interests of our key customer segments. BFM’s track record and expertise in the construction products sector means they know exactly what we need to do to move our marketing strategy forward to achieve our business objectives. BFM are also great to work with. They may be an outsourced marketing department, but they feel like part of our team.”

    Paul Higgins, commercial director at TuffX