Glazerite reflects on 25 years in the industry
Glazerite Group managing director, Rob Brearley, reflects on how far the fabricator has come in 25 years and looks ahead to what the future might bring for the business and its installers.
Our footprint and portfolio may have changed but one thing has remained constant for the Glazerite UK Group over the last 25 years: our desire to deliver high-quality products for our installers, underpinned with exceptional service.
Doing our best for our customers remains as true to Glazerite today as it did in 2000 when the doors opened on our original 1,000ft2 factory in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. With just four members of staff and one product – the Veka Matrix 58mm – Glazerite aimed to fabricate 40 frames per week.
By 2004, our Veka frames were proving so popular we had expanded our premises and were fabricating nearly 400 frames per week.
Strong partnerships
Fast-forward to today and our range has grown significantly, with access to a staggering 10 profile options for our UK-wide installer partners.
Veka has been at the heart of our operations throughout the last quarter of a century, and today, as one of its largest UK fabricators, we produce its full product range. Innovations like Omnia, with its true double flush design and outstanding thermal efficiency, have set a new benchmark in performance and aesthetics, which gives our customers a competitive edge in this ever-evolving market.
Strong supplier relationships have been critical in enabling us to deliver innovative, high-quality products for our installers, that help them to stand out in their markets and thrive, even when times are tough. This customer-centric ethos has been at our core since 2000 and remains at the heart of every business decision today.
Committed to customers
In 25 years, we’ve grown geographically too, from one site in Wellingborough to the addition of our North Division in Bolton, our East Division in Peterborough, and a sales office and trade counter in Bristol.
Last year we opened the doors to our North Division in Barnsley, where we fabricate the full Deceuninck range of 2500, 2800 and flush profiles, as part of our strategy to deliver further price points and choice for installers.
Our customers’ success is at the root of our own, and to meet the needs of our installer base, our people strive for excellence for customers in everything they do. From a handful of staff in 2000, Glazerite now employs a workforce of 250+ skilled fabricators and functional teams across the UK, all committed and driven to deliver the best customer service and high-quality windows and doors.
Continued investment
Fuelling this commitment is continued investment in our people and facilities, with the latest machinery, fleet and technology key to our growth. Over the last 18 months alone we’ve invested £1 million to underpin our business capacity, capability, and quality.
Operational investment to ensure our customers receive a quality portfolio is underscored by a sound IT infrastructure and an effective online ordering system. We’ve also implemented lean manufacturing principles at each of our sites to improve flow and work practices and optimise output, from receipt of profile through to despatch of products and beyond.
This includes training across the workforce to understand and implement 5S across workstations with a focus on stock control and waste management. We are actively driving this throughout our business, and we constantly challenge what we do as we strive for quality.
The industry and consumer landscape has changed significantly in 25 years, with digitalisation, materials innovation and considerations like energy efficiency, colour, style, security and smart tech impacting customer trends, spending and priorities. Reflecting trends is key to our strategy and to deliver on that we will continue to invest.
In 2025, our focus remains first and foremost on delivering quality for our installers, underpinned with strong supplier partnerships, dedicated people and efficient operations. We aim to continue to lead in trade fabrication, offering leading products and cutting-edge solutions for installers and homeowners alike.