Liniar Ltd

Our mission

Our mission is to be recognised as a leading force for quality and excellence in product development – fusing industry experience with innovation, sustainability and loyalty.

Our story

Established in 1974, Liniar’s ethos of ‘doing the right thing’ and flat, friendly structure – as well as its commitment to people, investment, innovation, product development and sustainability – goes all the way back to its roots.

Liniar’s extrusion operations began in the East Midlands nearly five decades ago and boasts steady growth since the day it opened its doors. Three years after the trading company HL Plastics was formed, young apprentice Roger Hartshorn joined the toolroom team – little knowing at the time that he would help shape the business’s future.

In 1988, Roger participated in a management buy-out, and over the years that followed, the Eurocell brand was built – firstly for foam building products, then followed by a new window system, with a range of complementary products.

A new era

In 1994, a new era took shape as the operational objectives of sustainability and lowering scrap rates came to the forefront. That year, a fully-recycled, plastic piling range was developed, designed to utilise all the scrap uPVC from the extrusion process. It was the beginning of the company’s zero operational wastage record, which remains in place to this day.

Expanding horizons

In 1999, a range of partially recycled, low maintenance uPVC decking was launched. Popular with the caravan industry, holiday homes, and homeowners looking to revamp their gardens with eco-friendly, low maintenance solutions, the product offered a versatile solution which spanned target markets.

A change of owners

Eurocell was fully purchased by new owner Tessenderlo in 2005, today remaining one of the one of the UK’s largest trade distributors of uPVC products for the construction industry. Roger Hartshorn bought back HL Plastics, which retained the manufacture of the recycled uPVC piling range.

In 2006, the ‘Liniar’ brand name was introduced for the company’s part-recycled uPVC decking range, and the following year, the eco-friendly range grew even further with uPVC, partially recycled fencing. Available in a wide range of colours and able to be used with existing concrete posts, Liniar’s fencing offered customers the ability to have stunning gardens without having to paint or stain every year.

The revolution

2007 was a big year for Liniar, which saw the opening of a new, purpose-built facility. The Denby site featured underground water pits to recycle billions of litres of water each year, an on-site granulator to make the recycling process more streamlined, as well as an expertly designed mixing plant and manufacturing facility.

The launch of Liniar windows

The real revolution began in 2008, with the launch of Liniar’s flagship window profile. Completely designed from scratch, it was the first brand new uPVC profile of its kind in the UK in nearly two decades. With unrivalled energy efficiency and a design that addressed the ongoing issues of older profiles and window designs, Liniar took the market by storm, in spite of the recession raging across the construction industry.

Over the years that followed, heavy investment in new product innovation saw the Liniar design team release a steady stream of UK-first and award winning products, including windows, doors and roofs, in addition to enhancements to the outdoor product ranges.

Changing of the guard

In 2015, Liniar was purchased by New York Stock Exchange-listed Quanex Building Products. The search took several years in order to find the right company to continue to invest in the business, with Quanex deemed the perfect fit.

It was important that everything remained ‘business as usual’ – to staff and to customers and key stakeholders – in order to allow the company to maintain its flat structure and family feel, whilst also continuing to maintain the excellent quality and customer service the company was renowned for.

In 2017, two years after the company was purchased by Quanex, Liniar won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation for the ground-breaking ModLok™ technology in its uPVC bi-folding doors.

Breaking the mould

2018 was the year that Martin Thurley became the Group Managing Director for Liniar and Avantek. After a two-year handover period, Martin was more than ready to take the reins and together with the Senior Management Team, help take Liniar to the next level.

Investment levels from the US parent company continue at unprecedented levels, allowing Liniar to purchase top of the line, energy efficient machinery, invest in a comprehensive apprenticeship programme, focus on product innovation and make changes that ensure what its operations impact positively on the environment.