£50,000 saving thanks to Fred’s innovative solution

Liberty has saved ForHousing £50,000 a year thanks to a pioneering way of repairing windows and doors.

Fred Walsh, a Liberty glazer in Salford, discovered a product in the USA that could repair uPVC doors and windows, saving ForHousing from having to invest in completely replacing damaged uPVC windows and doors.

The work on 54 doors and 78 windows has saved around £50,000 since it was introduced.

The new method also saves time and disruption to customers after Fred sourced it from California.

He said: “I found it by accident when I was looking to repair a frame and it did a brilliant job. I took it into work and spoke to management and they were impressed too.”

Fred, who has worked for Liberty for 14 years, researched and sourced the acrylic product, and arranged its import before testing it for eight months. Starting in a liquid form, it quickly turns to a putty substance and then a rock-hard solid that can be used to fill gaps in damaged frames, all in the space of about ten minutes. The area is then sanded down and an acrylic spray used over the top to seal it into place.

Previously, damaged doors and windows would have been completely removed and replaced, which would have cost ForHousing significantly more and meant customers would have the inconvenience of a lengthier job.

Fred, who is now training others to carry out the work, said: “Customers can be quite surprised when I turn up to repair their window and I have a bottle with me rather than a new frame. We’re reducing the waste we produce and windows that have been in for 20 years look virtually new when they’ve been repaired.

“I’m please management listened to my idea and were happy to take it on, which has resulted in big savings for the client and a better service for the customer.”

Ian Elsey, Operations Director at Liberty, said: “We encourage the team to be innovative and to suggest new ways of working as part of our commitment to delivering a smart and altogether better services. Fred worked hard to source the acrylic and demonstrate that this would allow us to offer a better, and more cost-effective service to clients. We are delighted with the results and look forward to rolling this out to even more residents.”

Mark Lowe, Director of Assets at ForHousing, praised the work of both Liberty and Fred. Mark said: “We are always looking for better ways of working and this is such an innovative solution that saves money whilst also improving the service for tenants – which is the most important thing for us.

The money that Liberty has helped us save will be invested back into communities that need it most, and will go a long way in making a positive difference to people’s lives!”