Croatia: Growing with the latest technology
With more than 260 employees and over 110,000 elements delivered in 2022, Marlex is the biggest manufacturer of PVC windows and doors in Croatia. Three years ago, the market leader expanded its product range with the aluplast smart-slide sliding system, which is based on the Roto Patio Inowa.
Executive Director Ilija Ponjavić describes the system as “technically unique”. It is sold by Marlex under the name smart slide.
Marlex’s production area today covers over 18,000 m2. The company management has always focused on consistently high quality and delivery reliability, explains Ponjavić. That’s probably why it has succeeded in increasing revenue by 15% over the last ten years. By 2026, another 18 million euros are to be invested, to double the production capacities. Already today, the level of automation in the company is high.
Growing with the latest technology
Marlex has production lines for building elements made of PVC, aluminium and timber-aluminium as well as its own insulating glass production facility. PVC window construction represents around 80% of revenue. We are continuously working on the implementation of new production technologies and efficient components, reports Ponjavić. Alongside Roto, other important industry partners include the system suppliers aluplast and Schüco, as well as Saint Gobain Glass. Ponjavić explains why:
“We prefer renowned specialists as partners.”
In the meantime, Marlex is itself very well known, but we want our own brand to be seen as being closely linked with the market leading companies in the European building elements industry.
Convincing and self-explanatory
In 2021, they started collaborating with aluplast and Roto on the Marlex smart slide system.
“In my opinion, it owes its success to the innovative closing movement, with which the sash is pressed tightly against the frame, and the pleasant operation,” said Ponjavić, summa- rising his observations after three years of successful marketing.
“Thanks to our smart slide sliding system, based on the Roto Patio Inowa, even large sashes are easy to slide and close.“
The professionals in Marlex’s dealer network as well as the end users are impressed by how the smart sliding system works. Thanks to the gentle self-closing sash, the system is so easy to operate that it’s almost impossible to get it wrong.
Efficient production – Fast installation
The employees in Marlex’s production facility find it very easy to produce a smart-slide system and to install Patio Inowa. They can draw on the existing machining centres and installation robots and thus work in the usual optimal cycle time. Thanks to the completely weldable door frame, only the sash has to be produced and packaged separately. The fixed glazing is simply secured with a glazing bead directly in the door frame.
Class RC 2 burglary protection
On request, Marlex also supplies smart slide with resistance class RC 2 in accordance with DIN EN 1627, i.e. with robust strikers on the mullion. They are part of the standard Roto Patio Inowa range and are exactly matched to the aluplast profiles. The innovative mechanism for the soft self closing sash is not disrupted by the additional locking points. Around 30% of the smart-slide systems produced by Marlex are now supplied with RC 2.
Strong service partner
Marlex was very satisfied with the support received from Roto during the production launch. Top marks were also awarded for the delivery performance, explains Ponjavić.
“We were able to build on Roto’s delivery reliability.”
He also sees the continuous further development and expansion of the Roto Patio Inowa hardware product range as optimistic for further development: “There is increasing demand for space saving sliding elements. The fact that we are able to supply smart slide sys- tems very flexibly in many formats is a great opportunity.”
This article was published in Roto Inside 53.