Q&A with Thermawood Director, Graeme Clarke

Thermawood began in New Zealand in early 2009 and is the most advanced double glazing system for existing timber windows. The Thermawood Retrofit Double Glazing System creates a unique patented dry glazing system for timber windows and doors and has become an internationally recognised franchise business.

DC Strategy spoke to the founder; Graeme Clarke about his exciting franchise plans. 

Graeme, can you tell us a little more about how Thermawood started?

I am a joiner by trade who ended up in the glazing industry. I owned a company that manufactured double glazing. We started retrofitting double glazing into timber frames, always with a sloping sill with drain holes etc but things could always be better. We would also supply double glazing to timber joiners. We would get call to go and fix our double glazing in some timber frames as it had failed. We would remove the glazing beads from around the glass and water would drain from the glazing rebate. If you look at any aluminium or PVC frame, they are all designed around a drainage system for the double glazing. The main reason double glazing fails is due to it sitting in water and water is the enemy for both double glazing and timber frames. So we set about designing a drainage system for both retrofitting double glazing into exiting timber frames and also for the new timber joinery market.

What led to the expansion plans of this franchise across Australia?

With the Thermawood system being the only specifically designed system for timber we quickly established a nationwide network in NZ of Licensed installers. We always had the plan to franchise into Australia but figured we couldn’t franchise a concept. We engaged Franchize Consultants in Auckland to do a feasibility study of Australia and to work through our systems etc with us. We used one of our smaller license businesses in NZ as opposed to our biggest for our feasibility study and developed the Thermawood systems and processes from there.

Where can potential new franchise locations be found? 

State Masters x2 – WA & QLD, with franchise territories available in all other territories in NSW, VIC, SA and TAS

What are the perks of owning and operating a Thermawood franchise?

We have all systems, processes and support in place to help you establish your  business. Along with proven advertising and lead generation to hit the ground running with work. You can grow your business with an extra team or teams with no extra franchise fees, allowing you to multiply your business.

What’s the long-term plan for Thermawood?

At Thermawood we plan to grow our business in Australia, and to grow our support team around this growth so any new franchisee has the support and training needed to be successful. The success of each franchise is very important to Thermawood as we all like to share in success of the business.

How does the recruitment process work and how do potential franchisees get involved?

Once we receive an enquiry for a franchise territory, we make contact as soon as possible, we like to get some information from the potential franchisee to make sure we are a mutual fit and then things progress from there. Once we establish a mutual fit, we start sharing financial information re job costings, financial earnings of franchisees etc. We supply business and marketing plans for you to work through prior to launching your franchise and have a full step through guide of everything you and we need to do prior to launch.

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