For a quarter of a century, IDSystems has been a name synonymous with innovation in the UK glazing industry.
To celebrate this milestone, we’re looking back at the journey with two key figures who have shaped the company’s story: Founder and Managing Director Richard Hunter and CEO Carl Farrow, who was also one of the company’s very first employees.
The story began in 2000 when founder Richard Hunter secured the exclusive UK rights to supply and install SUNFLEX door systems from Germany. At the time, the term ‘bifold door’ was virtually unheard of in the UK, but had been used in Europe for a decade. Richard saw an opportunity to introduce the technology to the British market by founding a company that specialised in these innovative systems.
The early days were demanding, with a small team of three working long hours from a 70-square-metre unit to keep up with the rapidly growing demand for their high-quality products.
As the business was taking shape, a new Channel 4 series, Grand Designs, first aired, inspiring a generation of self-builders and renovators, many of whom would become future IDSystems customers.
From the beginning, the company’s success has been driven by its people. One of the earliest employees, Carl Farrow, was originally employed as an administrator to answer the phones, send out brochures and make the tea. Today, he is CEO. He remembers the early days well;
“The company is unrecognisable now,” Carl reflects. “Back then, we’d receive the doors from Germany, load them onto our vans, and head out to fit them. If you told someone you worked for a bifold door company, they’d give you a puzzled look. We spent as much time explaining how the doors worked as we did anything else because nobody had seen anything like them before.”
“We’ve always said that we didn’t just build a company; we built an industry,” Carl adds. “Being so far ahead of what everyone else was doing back then undoubtedly played a huge part in creating the demand that exists to this day.”
The longevity and success of IDSystems has been built on its people. So, to celebrate the 25th anniversary, the company organised a reunion for staff past and present to thank them for their role in its growth and success.
“It was fantastic to see some old faces again, so many of the staff have been here for so long, and we’ve all grown up and grown old together over the years.” Said CEO Carl Farrow. ”More than half of the current staff have been here for more than 10 years, which is incredibly rare for the type of business that we are, but that shows real dedication and commitment to the business, to our customers, and to each other.”
By 2003, the company had outgrown its first home, moving to a new unit on Diamond Road in Norwich, which housed its first-ever showroom. The unit on Diamond Road is still home to the company’s main showroom, albeit one that now fills the entire building across two floors.
The following year marked another milestone as IDSystems began manufacturing their own products for the first time. “Customers would ask us to recommend window or sliding door suppliers who could match the quality of the German bifolds,” Carl explains. “When we couldn’t find any, we decided to make them ourselves.”
Today, the company’s Norfolk-based manufacturing facility in Rackheath extends to almost 56,000 square feet, with nearly 70 staff based there.
“The glazing expertise that exists in Norfolk is huge. The skills and experience of the staff that have worked for the company over the years have been crucial in not only the finished projects, but also the design and development of cutting edge doors and windows”
IDSystems is not just about selling bifold doors, but inspiring a new approach to architecture and home design in the UK.
“There was such a buzz because we could really see the opportunity as soon as we started,” says founder Richard Hunter. “We loved going to some of the early exhibitions because showing off what those doors could do inspired so many projects.”
“Over time, we’d go from talking to homeowners and architects and explaining how the systems worked, and then you’d start to see drawings for houses and extensions that had been specifically designed to accommodate our products. That was fantastic.”
Since then, IDSystems has continued to innovate, creating UK firsts for modern glazing – first in the slim frames of theEDGE and then the UK’s first high-performance slide & turn door system with vistaline. This influence on British home design has been recognised, with IDSystems being named a Grand Designs Premier Partner, in recognition of product quality, outstanding service, and product innovation.
Never a company to stand still, IDSystems is looking ahead to the next 25 years. “What we’ve always been really good at is being ahead of the industry.” Richard explains, “The “ID” in IDSystems stands for Innovative Design, and we’ve never stopped trying to improve the products that we install so that we know our customers have the best possible doors and windows for their homes.”
To mark the anniversary, the Norwich showroom on Diamond Road is undergoing its biggest-ever transformation. The space is being completely reimagined to showcase the latest aluminium glazing systems and products to set home improvement trends for the next 25 years.
The new showroom design will show off windows and doors in ‘real-to-life’ installations, created in partnership with bespoke kitchen companies, flooring suppliers, and interior designers to offer inspiration beyond just the glazing.
From a small team to an industry leader, IDSystems’ journey is a testament to the vision, high-quality work and dedication of the people at its core. For them, the 25th anniversary is not just about celebrating the past, but about building a clear vision for the future.
Whether you’re planning a new build or renovating your home, our innovative glazing systems can transform your space. Discover the quality and design of our award-winning bifold doors, sliding doors, and aluminium windows and one of our showrooms, or contact our expert team and discuss your project.
