Adding value to IGU sales

Ryan Green, managing director of Clayton Glass, discusses how its #theclaytondifference is designed to help build lasting relationships.

The IGU market has undergone a period of consolidation over the last five years with companies and groups quickly building volume, yet at what cost?

The personal relationships that have built some of the smaller glass processors seemingly get lost overnight, once an acquisition goes through. Subsequently, supplier-customer relationships change, but for whose benefit?

Our business model differs in a number of ways from the major glass groups, yet we benefit from being part of the National Glass Group, the sector’s largest, independent purchasing group, boasting five members and a combined purchasing value in excess of £15 million in raw materials.

We have also invested more than £3 million in the last 18 months as we continue to improve the efficiency and quality of the products we manufacture and distribute.

As an independent, we’re already fortunate enough not to be tied to any single glass brand and so we can scour the market for products that are best suited to the needs of our customers. This also extends to the development of technologically advanced products, for example our self-tinting Smartglass Dynamic glass for conservatories, roof lanterns and vertical glazing applications.

Our latest #theclaytondifference initiative takes all of our respective service and operational USPs and presents them to the industry at large. We already supply some of the most trusted and respected brands in the sector, and we want to build on this further.

With major investments in a number of installer schemes and retail brands across the market, we are already looking to supply companies with branded IGUs next to the legally requirements for Kitemark stamping. For many, this is a great branding opportunity on a product that can last for decades and often it’s the only means of product identification further down the service life cycle.

From an operational perspective we can provide daily timed deliveries on returnable stillages either on a dedicated large capacity vehicle, or on a small van. IGUs can be scheduled in for specific delivery requirements, while our technical expertise is unrivalled with more than 10 million IGUs manufactured over the last 20 years.

Clayton Glass also benefits from an owner-managed structure, so we can be more adaptive than many other IGU companies. Nor are we distracted by the demands of other business units. Our experience and expertise is in glass and that’s why we can add value to the close relationships we have with customers.

Many of these customers have also voted for us in the National Fenestration Awards and we’ve been named IGU Manufacturer of the Year 2015 and in 2016, while we’ve also been listed as one of the 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain.

This #theclaytondifference initiative isn’t just a marketing fad, but a tangible means of differentiation for us, to help communicate the added value that we bring, that in turn allows our customers to thrive and excel in their respective markets.

We believe that staying firmly independent within a buying group offers Clayton Glass a perfect balance and the means to build on our impressive growth in IGUs. But above all #theclaytondifference is not just about what we do, but also how we do it.