At the 2025 Steel Window Association awards, the Associated Award winner went to Steel Window Fittings for work on the winning commercial and domestic winning projects.
James Barrett, MD of Steel Window Fittings, shares his insights into the company.
How long has Steel Window Fittings been in business?
Dating as far back as 1884, steel window and doors have always been adorned, and secured, with clever ironmongery. As the industry has developed in synergy with manufacturing technology, Steel Window Fittings, founded in 2011, is a pioneer in the advancement of design and technical expertise in the hardware and fittings sphere and is continually focused on modern solutions for steel windows and doors.
What is your core business?
Steel Window Fittings specialises in the design and supply of hardware for steel windows and doors for both heritage and modern applications. We supply to new build, replacement and refurbishment projects, through many different channels.
What are the target markets for Steel Window Fittings – architect, designer, property owner, managing agent and others?
Actually, we work with a very broad and diverse customer base that includes all of the above. Over the past 150 years, steel windows and doors have become part of the fabric of buildings all over the world.
We work closely with many stakeholders, but specifically window and door manufacturers in developing a range of furniture that is not only functional and durable; it is also suited to various styles of architecture. We supply our hardware to all of the Steel Window Association members.
How long has the company been a member of the Steel Window Association? And why?
My membership goes back to the early 00’s, when I was actively involved with the Product Development Group. In the early days, my attendance helped me to realise and establish the future hardware requirements for steel windows and doors.
As a company, we are active members of both the Product Development and Sales Development Groups, which gives us a full understanding of the challenges faced by the steel window and door manufacturing members of the association and enables us to work together with them to suggest solutions and create products that comply with building standards and the demands of their clients. I am also a member of the SWA’s Council which helps to direct the association.
What sets Steel Window Fittings apart? What do you see as a competitive advantage you offer that other companies do not?
Everything is technical. In order to design and develop hardware for such a unique product, we have to understand the steel window and door not only technically, but also the external influences that they are exposed to. Whether that be building regulations, market trends and fashions for certain designs, or purely functional applications, we have to understand and make the window/door function with our hardware. Mostly, we find ourselves taking on an advisory role by offering hardware solutions.
We also recognise that the user/operator of the window and doors interacts with our hardware and we must ensure that this creates a unique and pleasurable experience.
Different countries around the world use different steel window and door systems and each country can have varying influencing factors. This exposure helps us to apply creativity and enables the introduction of differing hardware to our various customers.
Are there any projects you would like to mention?
We always enjoy seeing where our hardware goes. We don’t always get this visibility particularly on the smaller niche residential projects. It was great to attend the SWA Awards and see, firsthand, our hardware on the winning projects.
Large projects are more visible to us. One is Union Street, which was the first commercial installation of OttoStumm’s W50TB system where we supplied many window duplex systems to SWA member, West Leigh.
A recent project in New Zealand required 4.5m W20 doors which had to be fitted with concealed multipoint system due to the size. The hardware was required to keep the W20 steel profiles straight and aligned when in the closed position.
Our largest single project was the Aman hotel in Shanghai, China, where we completed 1,000’s of windows with our MP918K handle and multipoint rail system, again on W50TB.
What do you see as the biggest challenges for the steel window industry in the UK today?
Steel window and door manufacturers need to keep abreast of changing regulations and customer requirements. The steel window has been around in its simplest form for more than 150 years and many manufacturers have been established for decades. This, of course, is a benefit, as there is so much experience within these companies. SWF tries to look forward and have hardware available before the demand truly becomes required.
Take concealed multipoint locking, for example. We have been working on this since 2011 to improve security and enable larger openings to be manufactured. It is now becoming commonplace due to building regulations. In this way, we enable the steel window/door to move forward with the times technically but keep its classic appearance. Thermal improvements are also important, and we design and develop new hardware to enable new thermally-enhanced steel window and door systems to come to market, using our very broad knowledge of the steel window/doors. Those in the steel window industry must acknowledge that the product they are making today is not necessarily the correct product for tomorrow and we, at SWF, must constantly work at these changes.
What are the company’s top priorities over the next few years?
We are about to release a new range of hardware. This hardware will be solid brass/bronze and feature timeless designs to match the steel window and door architectural style. The pieces will be available in natural finishes along with some new finishes that we will be introducing.
SWA members manufacture different window systems for differing applications. We will continue to work very closely with the PDG team to establish current and future building regulations can be met and exceeded; these include Part Q security and Part L with energy conservation.
How long has your oldest member of staff been working at Steel Window Fittings? What makes an employee want to stay with the company?
We are very fortunate that we don’t have a high turnover of staff. As we grow, we like to welcome any new staff member as we believe that knowledge and experience brings quality of product and quality of service. Terry Corbet, Technical Manager, has been the inspiration behind all our hardware development focusing on the small details that make the application truly work. Chris Nicklin runs the Production operation. His experience ensures we achieve what our customers require.
