The National Fenestration Awards is the industry’s first open platform awards that aims to recognise all areas of the UK fenestration industry.  Founded in 2013, in response to a groundswell of support for an independent and all-inclusive event, the National Fenestration Awards aims to recognise all facets of the UK fenestration industry by inviting everyone to register on their website, before nominating and then voting on who they think deserves recognition. There are no judges and no panels. The final outcome of the competition is decided completely by industry participation. All registered users get to submit nominations for each category which then get narrowed down to short-lists based on the number of nominations. Registered users can then vote on those short-listed to decide the overall winner.

So for the first ever time this year, Stanbrook & Nicholson are putting ourselves forward for the category of  ‘Best Timber Company’, as we take a moment to reflect on how far the company has come since its inception almost 10 years ago.

Having achieved national recognition for the specialist craftsmanship and expert manufacturing of bespoke timber and aluminium joinery, the story of how our company evolved is what makes Stanbrook & Nicholson special…
Born and raised in Surrey, our Directors Ben Stanbrook and Simon Nicholson met during their school years, whilst studying joinery at the Howard of Effingham School. The pair decided to forego further education to pursue their creative aspirations, leaving school at 16 and undertaking apprenticeships at several local joinery firms.

After almost 10 years of hands-on learning, under the guidance of some of the most revered master craftsman from across the county, this dynamic duo identified an untapped gap in the market; crafting and manufacturing bespoke, premium and environmentally friendly joinery products, especially for the higher echelons of Surrey’s property market, with the ethos that quality is paramount and at no time compromised. And so, in January 2006, the bold decision was made to launch Stanbrook & Nicholson, with the company’s first factory opening on Bramble Farm in West Horsley that very same year. With our factory boasting state of the art CNC machinery and cutting-edge computer software, these technologically advanced facilities have allowed us to deliver a much more streamlined production process, whilst maintaining the company’s commitment to being a market-leading local business operating at a national industry standard.

Several years on, the Stanbrook &  Nicholson brand is now widely recognised across Surrey and beyond, for offering some of the finest timber and aluminium windows, doors and roof lanterns on the market. By only investing in sustainable sources of FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) approved timber and using 100% recycled aluminium billet for our thermally-efficient, energy-saving range of products, we proudly maintain a strict environmental policy across all operations.

Having grown the company to an annual turnover of over £1 million, in May 2013 Ben and Simon purchased a plot of land on the Guildford Road, adjacent to the Howard of Effingham School, on the very site where both Directors had originally plied their trade. Converting their former workshop into the company’s first showroom, this exceptional new space offers a relaxed environment for our clients to view the impressive portfolio of hand-crafted Stanbrook & Nicholson products.

With our Showroom enjoying its official ‘Grand Opening’ back in February of this year, and our nearby factory just down the road in West Horsley, it is safe to say that we are now an important asset to the local economy, with a commitment to investing in the community of significant importance to our company. Currently employing ten former Howard of Effingham alumni, across a variety of skilled roles; from the apprentice joiners to our marketing and sales team, at Stanbrook & Nicholson we are striving to recognise and support local talent, as much as we endeavour to deliver an impeccable and reliable service.

Furthermore, 2014 has welcomed the company’s first Charity of the Year campaign. With our employees having chosen the neighbouring Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity to support, we are now on a mission to achieve a £10,000 target for this worthwhile cause, through a series of outlandish and challenging fundraising events.

With all this in mind, there really is no doubting Stanbrook & Nicholson’s commitment to giving something back to the community which provided them us with the very opportunity that allowed us to create our own legacy.
So we hope that with all things considered, you will take a quick moment of your time to nominate Stanbrook & Nicholson as your ‘Best Timber Company of the Year‘, by clicking on the following link and completing the nomination form>>> National Fenestration Awards 2014 Registration

In the meantime, we would like to say a  great big thank you from all of us for your continued support