Full technical support is key when specifying glass for commercial projects, Glass Express Midlands has said, arguing that modern architectural demands on building products require specialist advice.

“When we speak to architects and specifiers, many of them say they often don’t get the advice they need from other suppliers when designing projects,” said Glass Express Midlands’ sales director, Fraser Caithness.

“Given that the technical capabilities of glass are improving year by year, and the Building Regulations place new demands on building components – whether that’s thermal, security, acoustic, or weather tightness, etc – companies like Glass Express Midlands are often best placed to share that specialist knowledge to their clients.”

Glass Express Midlands operates out of a modern manufacturing facility in Oldbury, in the West Midlands, and has recently invested in a new cutting table for the specialist provision of oversize units to commercial projects.

The company also has a full technical team that liaises with clients on product specification and installation.

“We are involved in some exciting projects, and we are sourcing specialist glass from our partners within the UK and specialist sites across Europe,” said Fraser. “Glass makes a big impact, but it wouldn’t be right to supply these products without proper consultation.

“For example, what often gets overlooked is the weight. How are the contractors going to handle these products on site? Have they considered access points and specialist machinery? And if there is a delay on site, how are they going to install it? Also, have they properly considered the advantages of different glass types, and whether toughed and/or laminated?

“These are things we design-in to the manufacturing process, and we can advise our clients of best practice on site.

“Where architects and specifiers are already talking to the specification teams of the large glass manufacturers, then we can offer complementary technical support,” he said. “So, when our customer comes to us and asks for a particular product, we can say ‘yes, we can supply that,’ rather than trying to switch them over to something else.”