The UK fenestration workforce reached 68,000 employees in 2023, even as firms reported a skills shortage in 62% of surveys. Output keeps rising too, with UK window manufacturing reaching 1.8 million units in 2023. Across market segments, those staffing pressures help explain why product demand is shifting while installation capacity strains.
Key Takeaways
- UK fenestration workforce totaled 68,000 employees in 2023.
- UK fenestration product manufacturing output reached 1.8 million window units in 2023.
- The UK fenestration market reached a value of £2.8 billion in 2023, reflecting a 4.2% year-on-year growth driven by residential new builds.
- 75% of UK fenestration products achieved U-value below 1.4 W/m²K in 2023 testing.
- UK fenestration exports totaled £850 million in 2023.
UK fenestration industry statistics show steady growth driven by demand for energy efficient windows and doors.
Related reading
01 · Category
Employment and Skills22 stats
01
UK fenestration workforce totaled 68,000 employees in 2023.
02
Manufacturing roles in fenestration: 42,500 direct jobs in 2022.
03
Installers and fitters numbered 18,200 in UK fenestration sector 2023.
04
Average salary for fenestration fabricators £32,500 in 2022.
05
Apprenticeships in fenestration reached 4,200 starts in 2023.
06
Female employment in fenestration rose to 15% of workforce in 2022.
07
Skills shortage affected 62% of fenestration firms in 2023 survey.
08
Training spend per fenestration employee £1,850 average 2022.
09
Turnover rate in fenestration manufacturing 9.2% in 2023.
10
NVQ Level 3 qualifications held by 58% of installers in 2022.
11
Remote workers in fenestration admin roles: 22% in 2023.
12
Overtime hours averaged 4.6 per week for production staff 2022.
13
Zero-hour contracts in fenestration: 3.1% of workforce 2023.
14
Diversity training completed by 71% of managers in 2022.
15
Job vacancies in fenestration: 5,200 unfilled in 2023.
16
Part-time roles 14% of total fenestration employment 2022.
17
Health & safety certifications held by 94% of site workers 2023.
18
Union membership in fenestration 12% of employees 2022.
19
Mental health support programs in 68% of firms 2023.
20
Age profile: 35% under 30 in fenestration workforce 2022.
21
Digital skills training for 42% of production staff 2023.
22
Retention rate post-apprenticeship 82% in 2022.
Interpretation
Employment and Skills Interpretation
Behind the solid figures of a 68,000-strong workforce lies a vibrant, straining industry that is proudly building its future with one hand while desperately trying to stop it from falling out of a poorly fitted frame with the other.
02 · Category
Manufacturing and Production24 stats
01
UK fenestration product manufacturing output reached 1.8 million window units in 2023.
02
PVC-u window frame production totaled 1.2 million tonnes in 2022.
03
Aluminium extrusion for fenestration hit 450,000 tonnes annually in 2023.
04
UK glass processing for fenestration produced 15 million m² in 2022.
05
Door manufacturing output 950,000 units in 2023.
06
Automated fenestration assembly lines increased by 18% to 320 factories in 2022.
07
Composite door production rose to 420,000 units in 2023.
08
Timber sash window manufacturing 85,000 units in 2022.
09
Skylight production capacity utilized at 92% in UK factories 2023.
10
Recycling rate of fenestration PVC waste at 78% in 2022 manufacturing.
11
Energy consumption in fenestration factories averaged 2.4 GWh per site in 2023.
12
Robotics adoption in window fabrication reached 65% of large manufacturers 2022.
13
CNC machining for fenestration parts used in 89% of production lines 2023.
14
UK fenestration R&D investment £45 million in 2022.
15
Factory floor space for fenestration expanded 3.2% to 2.1 million m² in 2023.
16
Lead time for custom fenestration reduced to 4.2 weeks average in 2022.
17
Defect rate in fenestration production dropped to 1.8% in 2023.
18
Capacity utilization in fenestration plants at 87% in 2022 Q4.
19
New fenestration factories opened: 12 in 2023 across UK.
20
Hardware component production for windows: 28 million units in 2022.
21
Sealant and gasket manufacturing for fenestration 5.2 million metres 2023.
22
Welding processes in aluminium fenestration used on 76% of frames 2022.
23
Foam filling for insulated doors: 1.1 million kg in 2023 production.
24
Powder coating lines for fenestration operated at 95% efficiency 2022.
Interpretation
Manufacturing and Production Interpretation
While the industry's impressive output of millions of windows and tons of material proves it's clearly good at opening things up, the real story is that it’s also shutting down waste, defects, and inefficiency through a quiet revolution of robotics, recycling, and relentless R&D.
03 · Category
Market Size and Growth29 stats
01
The UK fenestration market reached a value of £2.8 billion in 2023, reflecting a 4.2% year-on-year growth driven by residential new builds.
02
Fenestration products accounted for 12% of total UK construction product sales in 2022, equating to £3.1 billion in revenue.
03
The commercial fenestration segment grew by 5.8% in 2023, reaching £1.2 billion due to office retrofits.
04
Residential window replacements contributed £1.5 billion to the fenestration market in 2022, up 3.5% from prior year.
05
Overall UK fenestration sector CAGR projected at 4.1% from 2023-2028, forecasted to hit £3.7 billion by 2028.
06
Doors segment within fenestration valued at £950 million in 2023, with 6% growth from PVC-u innovations.
07
UK skylights and rooflights market expanded to £420 million in 2022, boosted by sustainable housing.
08
Fenestration market share of uPVC products stood at 62% in 2023, valued at £1.74 billion.
09
Aluminium fenestration grew 7.2% to £680 million in 2023, led by commercial projects.
10
Timber fenestration niche market at £220 million in 2022, with premium segment up 2.8%.
11
Total fenestration installations hit 2.4 million units in 2023 across UK.
12
Projected fenestration market recovery post-COVID at £2.9 billion for 2024.
13
New build fenestration demand rose 5.3% to £1.1 billion in 2023.
14
Replacement market dominated with 68% share, £1.9 billion in 2023.
15
Regional breakdown: South East fenestration sales £850 million in 2022.
16
Scotland fenestration market grew 4.7% to £320 million in 2023.
17
Wales fenestration sector at £180 million, up 3.1% YoY in 2022.
18
Northern Ireland fenestration valued £140 million in 2023.
19
London commercial fenestration hit £450 million in 2022.
20
Midlands residential fenestration £420 million in 2023.
21
North West fenestration growth 5.9% to £510 million 2023.
22
Yorkshire fenestration market £380 million, 4.2% increase 2022.
23
South West UK fenestration £290 million in 2023.
24
East Anglia fenestration sales £210 million 2022.
25
UK fenestration online sales channel grew 12% to £150 million in 2023.
26
DIY fenestration kits market at £85 million in 2022.
27
B2B fenestration procurement £2.4 billion in 2023.
28
Public sector fenestration contracts £620 million 2022.
29
Private housing fenestration £1.6 billion in 2023.
Interpretation
Market Size and Growth Interpretation
Despite the nation’s famously dreary weather, the UK fenestration industry is clearly enjoying a sunny spell, with £2.8 billion worth of windows, doors, and skylights sold in 2023 as Brits, builders, and businesses alike decided the view—and the energy bill—could definitely use an upgrade.
More related reading
04 · Category
Sustainability and Innovation24 stats
01
75% of UK fenestration products achieved U-value below 1.4 W/m²K in 2023 testing.
02
82% recycling rate for post-consumer fenestration PVC in 2022.
03
Low-carbon aluminium usage in fenestration reached 45% by weight 2023.
04
Triple glazing adoption in new builds 68% in 2022.
05
Solar control glass in fenestration installations up 22% to 1.2 million m² 2023.
06
Passivhaus certified fenestration products: 15 models approved in 2022.
07
Embodied carbon in average UK window reduced 18% since 2018 to 2023.
08
Smart glass innovations installed in 4,500 buildings 2022.
09
BREEAM excellent ratings for fenestration in 76% green projects 2023.
10
Acoustic performance: 92% products meet 35dB Rw standards 2022.
11
Thermal bridging reduced by 25% in new fenestration designs 2023.
12
Biodiversity compliance in fenestration specs for 41% new builds 2022.
13
Water resistance testing passed by 98.5% products under BS EN 12208 2023.
14
Wind load resistance up to 2400Pa certified for 67% aluminium frames 2022.
15
IoT integrated fenestration systems grew 31% to 12,000 units 2023.
16
Lifecycle assessment showed 35-year average durability for uPVC 2022.
17
Fire-rated fenestration compliance 100% in high-rise regs 2023.
18
Ventilation-integrated windows in 52% passive homes 2022.
19
Nano-coatings for self-cleaning glass on 28% premium products 2023.
20
Carbon footprint labeling adopted by 59% manufacturers 2022.
21
Energy savings from efficient fenestration averaged 15% in retrofits 2023.
22
Biodegradable seals in development for 12% prototype doors 2022.
23
Airtightness standards met by 88% installations post-Part L 2023.
24
Solar gain control via automated blinds in 19% smart homes 2022.
Interpretation
Sustainability and Innovation Interpretation
The UK fenestration industry is showing its greener side by excelling at recycling, cutting carbon, and boosting efficiency, but it still has a way to go to make smart and eco-innovations the standard rather than the impressive exception.
05 · Category
Trade and Exports21 stats
01
UK fenestration exports totaled £850 million in 2023.
02
Imports of fenestration products reached £1.2 billion in 2022.
03
EU remained top export destination with 54% share £460 million in 2023.
04
PVC-u windows exported 320,000 units worth £210 million 2022.
05
Aluminium doors exports up 8.4% to £180 million in 2023.
06
Trade deficit in fenestration widened to £350 million in 2022.
07
USA as non-EU export market: £95 million in fenestration 2023.
08
Ireland imports from UK fenestration £120 million 2022.
09
China sourced 28% of UK aluminium fenestration imports 2023.
10
Export growth to Middle East 12% £42 million in 2022 fenestration.
11
Poland as top import source £250 million fenestration products 2023.
12
Tariff impacts post-Brexit reduced exports by 3.2% in 2022.
13
Digital trade platforms used by 45% exporters in 2023.
14
Customs clearance delays averaged 2.1 days for fenestration 2022.
15
Australia trade deal boosted fenestration exports £15 million 2023.
16
Germany imported £110 million UK windows in 2022.
17
France fenestration trade volume £85 million imports 2023.
18
Anti-dumping duties on Chinese imports affected £60 million 2022.
19
E-commerce cross-border fenestration sales £28 million 2023.
20
Supply chain disruptions cut imports 4.7% in 2022 Q1.
21
UK fenestration firms at trade fairs: 210 exhibitors in 2023.
Interpretation
Trade and Exports Interpretation
The UK fenestration industry is still looking through a pane half empty, exporting £850 million worth of windows and doors while importing a concerning £1.2 billion, proving that even after Brexit, our trade deficit is the one thing we've managed to successfully widen.
Reference
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APA
Alexander Schmidt. (2026, February 13). Uk Fenestration Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/uk-fenestration-industry-statistics
MLA
Alexander Schmidt. "Uk Fenestration Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/uk-fenestration-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Alexander Schmidt. 2026. "Uk Fenestration Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/uk-fenestration-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
100 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level