QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
We’ve compiled some of the questions people most often want to know about Sapphire Balconies below. If there’s something we’ve missed, let us know and we’ll answer it in full just as soon as we possibly can.
HOW LONG HAS SAPPHIRE BEEN ESTABLISHED?
Sapphire was established in 1992, so currently, we've been established for the best part of 28 years under continuous ownership of the founder and his family.
​
Much more detail about our history, our values and our people can be found at https://sapphire.eu.com/about-us/our-history/ or by clicking the icon at the top of this question.
WHAT ARE SAPPHIRE'S CORE PURPOSE AND VALUES?
Our Purpose is "Innovation to Prosper the Community" and the core values we live by are DIALS.
Deliver – We do what we say we will do.
Initiative – We encourage everyone to use their initiative.
Appreciation – We show appreciation for both performance and commitment.
Learn – We stop to learn lessons and have the courage to change.
Support – We support each other and avoid blame.
WHY ARE SAPPHIRE BALCONIES GOING GLOBAL THROUGH LICENSEES?
We plan to maximize the success in each country by learning, innovating, and building from each market. We plan to create a unique network, giving global partners an easy route to success with innovative balcony systems.
WHAT WILL SAPPHIRE CHARGE ME?
Sapphire will charge a 10% Royalty fee (of the balcony supply value) and a design fee based upon the complexities of each project, this is approx. 6% of the project value.
WHAT ARE THE SAPPHIRE USP’S?
Speed Traditional balconies will be completed approx. 2-4 per day. Sapphire has completed 34 in a single day. Sapphire expects to complete around 15 balconies per day which is quite conservative. Reducing site installation time will reduce the overall construction time thus saving costs
Quality - Sapphire balconies are modular, they are factory finished and shipped to site completely assembled and ready to glide onto the buildings. The finish is of the highest quality and through Sapphire PASSPORT quality checking system, the balconies can be easily signed off by the customer to ensure a clean handover process is conducted and recorded, giving clear lines of responsibility and ownership.
One Trade - Sapphire Balconies will be assembled and installed by you once the façade is completed, meaning no other trades need to enter or work on the balcony, this helps the project completion to be cleaner and no dilution of responsibility compared to tradition balconies that have a wide variety of trades (concrete contractors, Decking, balustrade, cleaners) working on it to provide a finished product.
Logistic solutions - Sapphire not only provides a high-quality modular balcony with many innovations within, Sapphire pride themselves on providing innovative solutions to get the balcony onto the side of the building, examples of this are the Cantilever lifting device.
HOW DO SAPPHIRE GENERATE LEADS FOR ME?
Sapphire have a dedicated team for the global marketing and in bigger countries (e.g. Canada) will have their own BDM (Business Development Manager) to focus on the ‘Front End’ of the sales cycle, creating awareness by means of Exhibitions, Events, Lunch & Learn CPD presentations with Architect and Developers, all these activities are designed to help build a pipeline of projects to be handed over the relevant licensee to negotiate and close the balcony deal with the respective principal contractor.
Sapphire has also got a team of Market researchers who are building a pipeline of targeted projects for the Sapphire BDM to make an approach and get Sapphire balconies specified.
WHAT SALES TARGETS WILL I HAVE?
Sales targets will be based upon company location, local market potential. Taking these factors into consideration we would seek to mutually agree on targets with you.
WHAT WILL BE MY TERRITORY?
We are looking to have Licensing Partners placed strategically around the globe to provide national coverage. We are not looking to restrict Licensees to seek business but to more encourage them to win work locally to their geographical position to provide the best service for their customers.
WHAT PROFIT WILL I MAKE?
We would expect you to make 35-40% gross profit.
HOW LONG BEFORE WEÂ GET OUR FIRST ORDER?
Firstly, we will need to get you up and running and enable your sales team to start selling, this would take 2-3 months. Following this balcony sales have a relatively long sales cycle, typically 12-18 months to get sales from concept design through to orders being placed. However, if you were to pick a project that has already been specified with Sapphire Balconies, this sales cycle could be reduced by several months depending on how far the design had completed.
HOW LONG BEFORE I GET CASH IN?
This is very dependent on the type, size of the project you are working on, however, once the project is won you would expect, the first connectors and balconies to be manufactured within 6 months approximately, you will then be paid within your agreed payment terms with the principle contractor. In the UK this will often be part payment on design and part on manufacture.
WHAT MARKETING MATERIAL DOES SAPPHIRE PROVIDE?
Updated and ongoing market-specific and product website pages, topical subject whitepapers, product samples, YouTube videos, targeted geographic-specific AdWords, remarketing, and social media adverts, and other continued marketing.
We also have a Showroom in-a-box (eg. one in Toronto at a current Licensee Partners location), where you can see the physical balconies to show customers and help design their specific balcony within this marketing suite.
WHAT MARKETING SUPPORT DOES SAPPHIRE PROVIDE?
We can help set up and articulate your offering along with creating local marketing materials with you. We have a broad database of previous projects, photos, templates, etc to make this process as simple as possible for you. Once set up our COACH software system leads in your territory are passed over too.
WHAT BALCONY TRAINING DO YOU PROVIDE?
Sapphire will provide the following training,
Estimating
Sales
Manufacturing
Assembly
Delivery
Installation
Quality Systems
The above training can be tailored depending upon your knowledge and experience. We also run monthly virtual presentations educating attendees about best practices with balconies.
HOW MUCH SPACE DO I NEED TO STORE THE BALCONIES?
It depends on the scale of the operation you want to set up, however a minimum area would be approx. 1 acre (1,100 sqft) but depends on the factory output. 1 acre area should be able to hold 400-500 packed or 300-400 units with access to all of them - subject to layout.
WHAT SPECIAL MACHINERY DO I NEED?
Laser or punch cutter, press break and/or panel bender. The capability of welding p to 13mm of steel. The ability to weld thin sheets of Aluminium. Powder coating and galvanising equipment to architectural standards.
HOW MANY FACTORY MEN DO I NEED TO MANUFACTURE?
5 - 12 factory workers.
WHAT SORT OF SPACE DO I NEED?
Access to road, hardcore or concrete(but not essential) flat surface, fenced yard with access for HGV. Ideally long and narrow but square will work as well.
DO I NEED ANY SPECIFIC LOGISTICS?
Most common vehicle used is called a "Standard Articulated Flat Bed Trailer" - Dimensions W:2.5m L:13.5m
HOW MANY MEN DO I NEED TO INSTALL?
Typically installers work in gangs of 4. Depending on what is being installed and how the crane is being managed this can be less.
WHAT EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED FOR INSTALL?
Sapphire provides an ‘install kit for a fee. The install kit is for a gang of 4.
There are a variety of ways the balconies can be maneuvered/lifted on-site (crane, Hoist, Telehandler boom lift), each project will need to be evaluated on its own merits to find the best viable solution.
HOW MUCH DOES THE EQUIPMENT COST?
Install kits are $CAN 13,000 each. Each gang of 4 operatives on-site will require one install kit.