Apeer’s managing director, Asa McGillian, explains how the leading composite door manufacturer’s unique, magnetic wreath holder system gives installers a winning advantage – and especially in the run up to Christmas.
In the run up to December last year, a home improvement website conducted a survey to find out which parts of the UK would be most likely to hang a Christmas wreath on their front door.
The results revealed a rather surprising north side divide, with Belfast, Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester and Edinburgh taking up the five top spots for wreath loving homeowners – in fact eight of the top 10 locations were all in the Midlands or above, although there was of course plenty of Christmas cheer to be found in the south of the country as well.
Perhaps most importantly, the research itself followed the revelation of how much time and attention design savvy homeowners from across the UK put into customising their front door over the Christmas period. In 2023, between 1 October and 1 Nov, the use of the ‘christmaswreath’ hashtag was reported to be up 233% on TikTok, while searches for ‘Christmas Wreath’ were up 163% on Pinterest.
For Apeer’s managing director, Asa McGillian, the numbers simply confirm the feedback that the leading composite door manufacturer had already received from homeowner customers, those who had indicated that they wanted to spend money on seasonal wreaths but were asking for a better way to attach them to their new entrance doors.
As a man who has an uncanny ability to identify an opportunity in the market, Asa was quick to find a modern solution to the traditional, and unreliable, plastic suction cups used to attach wreaths to composite doors, unveiling the unique ‘Magic Wreath’ system at the 2023 FIT Show.
“We know how popular door wreaths are, but as anyone who has tried to fit one to a composite door with plastic suction cups will know, they can easily fall off, get blown away or end up scratching the surface of the door,” explains Asa.
“Our solution was to develop a system that incorporates strong magnets that are hidden away inside the composite door at the manufacturing stage. Our specially designed ‘Magic Wreath Holders’, can then be attached magnetically at two points on the door, without damaging the surface finish and are secure enough to withstand any movement even on windy days.”
Originally pitched as a £250 upgrade on any of Apeer’s 70mm and 120mm doors, the manufacturer is now offering the kits free of charge, a move that recognises the challenging trading conditions of 2024 and one that gives its installer partners a compelling USP in the busy run up to Christmas.
Of course, wreaths are not just for Christmas. The company’s online Doorbuilder programme illustrates the year round appeal of the Magic Wreath holder with examples of Halloween or Spring style wreaths, highlighting the changing versatility of this added value addition to their front doors.
In addition, Apeer has also ensured that trade partners are well equipped to promote the benefits of the magnetic wreath offering to their homeowner customers, by giving them access to showroom marketing kits.
These include a range of marketing materials that include professionally produced posters, stickers, fliers and door hangars, as well as demonstrator ‘wreath boards’ that can be used on showroom doors that haven’t been specified with the internal magnet system.
Homeowners can therefore be inspired by getting a much clearer picture of how the wreaths work in a showroom environment and they can also scan a QR code with their smart phone to access more details.
“We know that aesthetics, security and energy efficiency continue to be the primary drivers for sales among homeowners looking to upgrade their entrance door, and we have all that covered,” says Asa.
“We’re proud to offer the most comprehensive, best looking and highest performing range of composites on the market, but we also recognise that trading conditions are still challenging and that our trade partners deserve every advantage we can give them.
“Additional benefits are key, which is why our Magic Wreath Holders – which are completely unique to Apeer – is so important because it gives an opportunity to differentiate from the competition and win sales on quality, rather than price.”