Five years ago, in January 2019, our founding team set up MyDek, a brand specialising in non-combustible deck systems for balconies and terraces. In a time when the safety of high-rise apartment residents was jeopardised by substandard materials and construction methods, our company was born with a steadfast commitment to addressing this critical issue. We passionately share the universally recognised right that residents should feel safe and be safe in their homes, and to achieve this we adopted our unique vision of Safe, Smart and Sustainable that we apply across all our products and innovations. With this approach, over the past five years we have been able to make the equivalent of more than 40,000 balconies safer in the UK and beyond.
Founding the Vision: Our founding team established our shared vision – to enhance the safety of the apartment community through the supply of Safe, Smart and Sustainable products. Deciding on our company name, MyDek, marked the inception of a brand that would quickly become synonymous with quality and reliability.
Early Milestones: February 2019 witnessed a significant breakthrough as we produced our first aluminium decking profile. By the spring of the same year, our customer relationship management system was operational, our corporate identity was established, and our website was developed, setting the stage for a robust online presence.
Firsts and Achievements: April 2019 was a pivotal month, marking a partnership with our first extrusion and powder coating factory, coupled with the fulfilment of our first customer order. May 2019 saw MyDek’s official market debut, heralding the beginning of our journey to provide secure and resilient living environments. By August 2019 we were celebrating our first major order over £250,000, a testament to the growing recognition of our commitment to safety.
Navigating Challenges: In March 2020, the world faced an unforeseen challenge with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Undeterred, the MyDek team swiftly transitioned to remote working, ensuring business continuity. By April 2020 we had adapted to the changing landscape by setting up third-party logistics for all of our warehousing and distribution.
Growth and Expansion: July 2020 marked a significant moment in our journey as we unveiled a new brand identity and website, reinforcing our commitment to innovation and excellence. After partnering with an additional production plant in September 2021, we experienced a surge in demand with some major projects secured.
Identifying our culture: Spring 2022: The team at MyDek realised we had created something special as a business that had its own unique culture and values and wanted to capture this so that it could be verbalised and used to keep us true to ourselves as the business continued to grow and new staff joined the team. Today, our special set of values under the acronym L.I.F.T.S guides our decision making our self assessment and ensures we keep aligned and motivated as a high-performing team.
Enhancing Sustainability: September 2022. Whilst aluminium is a material that is easy to recycle, MyDek made the decision to source as much of our aluminium in recycled billets to create the most sustainable decking we could. Now, around 80% of our aluminium billet is sourced as recycled material.
Major New Product Launch: In March 2022, we launched Luxura®, a market changing A1 Fire Rated Composite decking, expanding our product offerings and solidifying our position as an industry leader. Luxura® has created a significant shift in the market as customers appreciate the superb natural appearance of the decking plank and solid feel underfoot. The high performance material is more durable, has a maximum fire rating and is more resilient to wear and tear. 2023 has seen record sales growth in this product with demand continuing to rise.
Pinnacle of Success: The trajectory continued to soar as we reached our highest revenue quarter in September 2023. In November 2023, it was with a sense of real achievement that we concluded the year with a strong financial balance sheet. This provides a strong foundation for the business to continue our expansion and give our clients confidence in supply stability in the years ahead.
Reflecting on the past five years of MyDek’s journey, Richard McMullan, Business Development Director, says:
The past five years have truly been an exciting journey for us at MyDek. From starting the company with our aluminium decking range to launching Luxura® and seeing our vision come alive with every balcony made safer, gives us a true sense of fulfilment. As we mark this milestone, it’s a heartfelt thank you to our team and the communities who believe in what we do. Our commitment to crafting safe, smart and sustainable solutions is a personal promise, and as we look ahead, we’re eager to keep creating products that make a real difference in people’s lives.