WITHAM Glass, an independent glass and mirror supplier, has invested pound 150,000 in new machinery to win more business.
The new glass toughening equipment is now up and running at the Hull-based firm, which was established in 1947 and primarily serves the caravan manufacturing industry in the area.
Managing director Derek Russell, who bought Witham Glass about nine years ago, said: “That’s been a huge investment for us. It’s going to make a big difference to our customer base and what we can provide to our customers.” He said he hopes to employ more staff on the back of the investment.
Witham Glass buys in glass in its raw state from UK glass manufacturers, before cutting it to size and toughening it using a heating and cooling down process. Toughened glass is used in doors, windows, shower screens and splashbacks for example. Witham Glass also bevels, drills, paints and etches glass.
“These days there’s been a big uptake or requirement to supply safety glass and toughened glass is a safety glass”, said Mr Russell. Previously, the company subcontracted out its toughening requirements.
But Mr Russell said: “The downside to that is you lose quality control, pricing control, you lose time schedule control. We’ve brought all of that in-house now so we are in control of our own destiny. We are not dependent on somebody else.
“There are a number of other companies out there that we haven’t approached yet that prefer only to deal with people who toughen the product themselves.”
Witham Glass has a showroom and factory in Holderness Road in Hull, which has been the firm’s base since its inception and is home to its new glass toughening machinery.
But it also has a separate, newer factory on Reservoir Road, which it acquired after Mr Russell took over the business.
He said: “When I took over I realised we couldn’t carry on with the operation running out of where we were in our old factory unit so we acquired some other premises. I realised that operating out of a small unit behind the shop we couldn’t progress for a number of reasons, machinery wise, heath and safety wise and so on. I set about expanding the business, buying new machinery and so on”, said Mr Russell.
When he took over the business, the firm had four staff and it now has 13. He expects to create at least another two jobs once the new toughening equipment is operating “at full tilt”.
Witham Glass recorded an annual turnover of around pound 730,000 last year, with pre-tax profits of pound 83,000, up from sales of pound 626,000 and pre-tax profits of pound 68,000 the previous year. “Last year was our best year turnover wise and profit wise”, said Mr Russell.
“In a way really we’ve sort of bucked the trend, mainly due to the fact that although the cake isn’t any bigger in the marketplace, our share of the cake has got bigger, and that’s because of the service we provide to the customers and the prices that we provide and in no small part to the team of people who work for me.”
As well as supplying the caravan manufacturing trade, its core market, Witham Glass also supplies shop fitters, joiners, builders and small glazing companies.
The firm’s customers are based in the East Yorkshire, though it has recently had enquiries from North Lincolnshire and Grimsby as a result of its acquisition of the new toughening equipment.
“But I don’t want to run before I can walk”, said Mr Russell.
“I want to make sure I can service and look after our existing customers and as and when I’m a bit more confident of our operation on the toughening side then I will look at supplying other companies further afield.”
Its customer base includes Delta Caravans, Victory Leisure Homes, Arronbrook Caravans, Willerby and Europa Caravans. HSBC provided funding to contribute to the cost of the toughening machinery. Witham Glass is owned by Mr Russell and his wife Katherine.
When the business started, it initially specialised in domestic glazing.
It was starting to supply the caravan manufacturing industry when Mr Russell bought it in 2004.
