The world’s leading manufacturers for fac-ade construction
components (e.g. windows, doors, solar modules, conservatories)
had a turnover of approximately 1.8 billion h in 2007 while
employing 4600 employees. It does business in about 50 markets
worldwide. Aluminium (as raw material) supply is provided by a
range of suppliers and bought in a market transaction. Hence, the
analysed supply chain consists of four stages, which are as
follows: (1) extrusion moulding, (2) wholesaling, i.e. the fac-ade
components manufacturer, (3) surface coating and (4) final construction
of components and fac-ades (Fig. 3). The case company
forms the focal company of the supply chain, as it develops and
designs the final product, owns the brand name and organises the
material and information flows among all other partners up and
down the supply chain. In contrast, all production activities are
outsourced to external partners.