The bespoke architectural glass and facade maker glassHUS has reported a near-full order book for the first time in its four-year history, reflecting the upturn in commercial development.
A flood of new contracts has allowed the Sunderland-based firm — which produces architectural glass, aluminium facades and curtain walling for commercial clients and bespoke private developments — to move to new premises at the city’s Rivergreen Industry Centre. As part of the expansion glassHUS has invested almost £50,000 in new machinery, giving it the chance to manufacture bespoke facades. It now employs ten full-time workers.
Launched in 2009 as a design company, new confidence in the construction industry earlier this year forced it start to fabricating its own products, including a £300,000 contract from Robertson Construction to create a new facade for part of South Tyneside College.
This is the second phase of the college project in which the company has been involved and repeat business has been vital to glassHUS’s success. It is currently working, for the second time, with GMI Construction on a new retail store in Harrogate.
Other contracts involve work at Sunderland City Council’s Turbine Business Park, a RG Group retail park development in Cramlington, Northumberland, and designs and production for a project in York. It has also secured contracts for a science park and motor dealership in Cumbria.
“We used to get the product outsourced by an accredited fabricator. However, due to the upturn in the order book we felt it was a good opportunity not only to expand and become more competitive, but also to maintain our high quality standards,” said glassHUS managing director Simon Tuckwell who, with business partner Steven Henderson, financed his company’s launch with a £10,000 personal loan.
Their first major contract was with Woolwich Civic Offices in London, involving the design of a glass atrium main entrance screen. Within four months, glassHUS had four staff and was looking to move from its original start-up site at Doxford Park to Sunderland’s and Innovation Centre.
The business also has secured work in Birmingham and Leeds – and even delivered a contract Abu Dhabi. “We considered setting up an office in Manila because of the design expertise there, but decided against it because we’d lose the commitment to service and focused drive we have in Sunderland,” said Tuckwell.
Since glassHUS began manufacturing rather than subcontracting, staff numbers have more than doubled. “Our sector has been buoyant since the spring and the signs are that this will continue,” he added. “We are a company that wishes to continuously improve its product and services and we will look at the order book again next year to see whether we need to increase staff numbers.”
Despite starting at the height of the recession “glassHUS is a fantastic example of a growing local business which is selling bespoke Sunderland-designed and manufactured products across the UK,” said Sunderland City Council deputy leader, Cllr Harry Trueman.
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