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Blinds, awnings and architectural hardware are often decided late in a project. Gil Bennett saw a better opportunity for A’Besco: to be part of the conversation earlier, while architects, designers and homeowners were still shaping what a project could become.
As General Manager of A’Besco Blinds & Awnings, Gil brought a designer’s perspective to a business with more than 40 years of history in Sydney. Known for its blinds, awnings and external shading systems, including its work as a Luxaflex Gallery Dealer, A’Besco had long been trusted by homeowners. But as the business expanded into architectural hardware, Gil recognised that the next stage of growth would depend on reaching a different audience.
“We already had a strong B2C base,” Gil says. “But our architectural hardware division was about B2B growth. We needed to be seen and remembered by the design community.”
A new chapter for a familiar name
When Gil stepped into the role, she saw a business with strong foundations and significant untapped potential.
“I saw potential everywhere,” she says. “We reworked the structure, rebuilt our systems and gave marketing the attention it deserved.”
That work marked the beginning of a new chapter for A’Besco. Rather than moving away from its heritage, the business focused on strengthening its position and broadening its relevance within the market.
Its external shading range, particularly corrosion-resistant Renson awnings, was already well suited to Australian coastal conditions. Its blinds and awnings continued to serve homeowners directly. The newer architectural hardware division, however, required a different kind of visibility — one that connected with architects, designers and specifiers before products were selected and decisions were locked in.
With a background in interior design, Gil understood the challenge. Blinds, awnings and hardware are often viewed as finishing touches, yet they play a significant role in shaping light, comfort, privacy and the overall experience of a home.
Her goal was simple: bring those conversations forward.
Looking for the right stage
Before joining ArchiPro, much of A’Besco’s marketing activity sat under the Luxaflex umbrella. While that delivered brand recognition, it did little to build visibility for A’Besco in its own right.
“It wasn’t really driving traffic to our own site or building the relationships we wanted,” she says. “I wanted something that felt genuinely design-led, a place where quality products sit in context with architecture.”
What A’Besco needed was more than exposure. It needed an environment where its products could be understood within the broader design process.
For the architectural hardware division, audience quality mattered as much as audience size. Architects, designers and specifiers needed to see A’Besco not simply as a supplier, but as a knowledgeable product partner capable of contributing to well-considered residential projects.
More than a product listing
Gil had explored other platforms, but none felt aligned with the way A’Besco wanted to present itself.
“They had the right idea but lacked engagement,” she says.
“ArchiPro felt different. It’s beautifully curated, intuitive to use and credible with designers.”
For A’Besco, the distinction came down to context. Products were not presented in isolation but alongside projects, professionals and brands, creating a richer understanding of where they fit within the built environment.
That mattered because the business was not simply trying to be discovered. It wanted to be understood.
“It’s the perfect way to get in front of architects and designers,” Gil says. “I love that I can see when someone downloads a product file or interacts with our page. The analytics give us visibility we never had before.”
Since joining ArchiPro, A’Besco has gained a clearer picture of how architects, designers and homeowners engage with the brand.
With the ArchiPro pixel installed on its website, the team can track referral traffic and better understand how users move from the platform to the A’Besco site. For Gil, that level of visibility has changed the way the business evaluates its marketing efforts.
“We weren’t getting this kind of visibility anywhere else,” she says. “Last week alone we had 58 visits come straight through from ArchiPro. And those aren’t just page views, they’re the right people looking for the right things.”
The value lies not only in traffic numbers but in understanding intent.
Architects and designers are engaging with A’Besco’s architectural hardware offering, while homeowners continue to explore its blinds and awnings. The platform allows the business to speak to both audiences without compromising the relevance of either message.
“We’re getting inquiries from across Australia,” Gil says. “For the architectural hardware division, that’s exactly the audience we want.”
Building the right kind of attention
For A’Besco, ArchiPro has become part of a more deliberate approach to growth. The business is not chasing attention for attention’s sake. Instead, it is building visibility with the people who influence what gets specified, selected and ultimately built. At the same time, it is creating opportunities to educate those audiences about the role its products can play within a project long before final decisions are made.
For Gil, that is where the real value lies.
“It’s a place to educate, to show what good design looks like and how performance fits into it,” she says. “Architects and designers are time-poor. Having everything in one place makes it easier for them to find the right solutions and for us to be part of that conversation.”
As A’Besco continues to grow its architectural hardware division, ArchiPro provides a platform that supports its reputation within a design-led environment. A 40-year-old Sydney business is not reinventing itself. It is simply being seen in a new context.
“It’s about quality over quantity,” Gil says. “That’s true for our products, and it’s true for our partnerships. ArchiPro helps us reach the people who care about both.”