Why Sussex Installations does not operate as a one-off fabrication shop, and how development investment is focused on solutions that can benefit many van owners.
People sometimes ask whether Sussex Installations can make a single bespoke shield or repair part for one particular vehicle. In most cases, the answer is no.
Developing a product to the standard I expect involves far more than cutting out a piece of stainless steel. It can require vehicle research, CAD, repeated prototypes, test fitting, refinements, production drawings, dedicated jigs and the tooling used to position and attach studs consistently. A new shield can represent around £2,000 in labour, materials and development before it is ready to become a repeatable production product.
I would never expect one customer to pay £2,000 for a shield. That would not represent good value for money, and giving customers good value has always mattered to me.
I would never expect one customer to pay £2,000 for a shield.
Instead, I ask whether the problem affects a current model of van, whether we have already seen a genuine need and whether other owners are likely to benefit. Where I believe the development cost can be recovered gradually through future sales, I may invest our own time and money and charge the first customer the normal product price—perhaps around £100 rather than the true development cost.
There have also been occasions where a customer could leave a useful development vehicle with us for several days and I have developed and fitted the first repair shield without charging for the shield. The vehicle and development opportunity had value to the wider product programme.
Where the requirement really is unique, I will usually recommend a reputable bodyshop. They may provide a more appropriate and much better-value one-off repair.
These extracts are from genuine five-star Google reviews.
★★★★★"A company who is willing to sell their own products for you to install at home with amazing support to help you do so. Their pure passion about this sector shines through."
Tom · Google review, 2025
★★★★★"Quality is very good and really sturdy once installed. Installation instructions are really easy to follow."
James Perry · Google review, 2025
★★★★★"The locks from Sussex Installations are optically subtle, but not to be overlooked at all. Among many other van locks they are the most elegant one without diminishing levels of security."
Taehun Seung · Google review, April 2021
Review wording has been lightly shortened for display without changing its meaning. Full reviews remain available on the Sussex Installations Google Business Profile.
In most cases no. Developing a product to the standard I expect can involve vehicle research, CAD, repeated prototypes, jigs and production drawings, representing around £2,000 in labour, materials and development before it becomes a repeatable product, and I would not expect one customer to cover that cost.
I ask whether the problem affects a current model of van, whether we have already seen a genuine need and whether other owners are likely to benefit. Where I believe the development cost can be recovered gradually through future sales, I may invest my own time and money and charge the first customer only the normal product price, perhaps around £100.
I will usually recommend a reputable bodyshop. A one-off job can distract from the development work that could go on to help many other van owners, and a bodyshop can often provide a more appropriate and better-value repair for a truly unique job.
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