18
NEW YEAR MESSAGES
Gwain Paterson,
group MD,
Thermoseal
Ryan Johnson,
MD,
Emplas
Despite the uncertainty
of the UK market
throughout 2019,
the glass and
glazing industry seems to have been
remarkably resilient. For us, the devaluation of
the pound has created a higher demand from export customers,
but has also led to an increase in the cost of raw materials. Even
with this additional pressure, we have managed to maintain our
sales prices throughout 2019 and will continue to do this for the
foreseeable future.
We supply the majority of sealed unit manufacturers in the
UK. They have an expectation of us as their preferred supplier,
to constantly evolve and develop our business whilst providing
a steady supply of highest quality products to meet their volume
requirements.
We began manufacturing warm edge spacers back in 2010,
which followed several years of research and development
to ensure that we provide a stable supply of industry-leading
products. This ambitious project also involved the expansion of
our Injection Moulding Division to manufacture our own range
of bespoke warm edge accessories.
In addition, we have developed our own technical centre
to continually evolve our product portfolio and develop new
products to meet future demands.
Over the years, we have seen the demand for higher
performance windows increase, which has meant a decline in
the requirement for traditional aluminium spacer systems and a
greater demand for warm edge spacers. For this reason, we have
found ourselves continually investing in Thermoseal Group to
increase our production capacity and develop the infrastructure
of the business.
Should revisions to document ‘L’ which are currently outlined
in the latest consultation document go ahead, there will be
further increase in demand for warm edge products from within
the UK market. The document suggests solutions which may
require the specification of triple glazing in new properties. The
requirement for triple glazing will mean a significant increase in
the volume of spacer bar and fittings within each IG unit and so
greater demand will be put on manufacturers of premium high
performance warm edge products such as ourselves.
The long term plan is to improve our manufacturing
efficiencies, to which the recent purchase of our new two
acre warm edge spacer production site in Wigan will be key.
Throughout 2020, this site will be coupled with additional
investment in our production equipment and facilities to further
automate, streamline our manufacturing processes and increase
output. We aim to keep at the forefront of the warm edge sector of
the market.
I’d like to wish everyone in the industry all the best for a
healthy and prosperous 2020.
To begin with I’d like to wish
everyone a very happy and
prosperous new year – whatever
lies ahead in 2020!
That for me is the biggest challenge for the industry in the
coming year. The political climate has had a big impact on business
– and also consumer confidence. That led to more challenging
trading conditions last year, and realistically, at the start of this at
the very least.
As a business, we’re well structured, we’ve invested in our
production and manufacturing capability and we’re privately
owned.
Emplas is still a family business. We’ve returned the profit that we
have made into the company.
The more than £5million of investment that we have made in
the automation of our lines and the expansion of our factory for
the most part has been paid for by the business. We haven’t debt
financed it or turned to venture capitalist funding.
In short, we aren’t working to pay off debt. We’re working to grow
and build – and that translates into a high degree of stability and
“e political climate has had a big
ultimately, a better customer experience.
This remains a consistent aim for Emplas in 2020. We’re good at
what we do but we can always do it better.
Two fully automated window lines mean that 90% of products
we manufacture go through just two Rotox 8-head welders. This
allows us to bring very consistent levels of product quality to our
customers. It also gives us a weekly capacity up to manufacture
3,200 frames across two shifts.
We want to be in a position where each window we manufacture
is delivered to a consistently high standard. This includes
exceptional product quality and service, because that’s what our
customers demand and need.
Investment extends across our business – cloud-based
management systems mean that our operation is highly integrated
giving us invaluable visibility of everything that we do allowing us
to track performance, learn and be better.
We’re also investing in customer support bringing new retail
point of sale resource to members of our authorised installer
network. This includes direct leads and plug-in-play website tools.
But it’s product quality and service that drives us and what’s
going to continue to drive us in the year ahead.
Predictions about market prospects as we stand now are
meaningless – there’s simply too much political uncertainty.
What I can say with confidence is that we will continue to be
better at what we do and to set the standard for customer service
and quality, doing everything we can do to support our customer’s
continuing growth in the year ahead.
www.ggpmag.com January 2020
impact on business”
/www.ggpmag.com
