Independent manufacturer’s new plant will help expand the reach of SunGuard® glass

Guardian Industries’ Glass Group in Europe, a manufacturer of high-quality commercial, residential, interior and automotive glass products, is pleased to see one of its UK customers in strong growth mode.

Westcountry Glass, a sealed-unit manufacturer and glass processor that is part of Cornwall Glass & Glazing Ltd., is making the largest investment in its 37-year history. Westcountry Glass is relocating from Saltash to a new plant in Plymouth and quadrupling the size of its current factory space. The 40,000-square-foot plant in Langage is due to be fully operational this month and is adding 40 new local jobs, Westcountry announced.

“This £5 million investment in new premises and equipment will help Westcountry respond to the needs of the commercial construction industry in the Southwest of England,” said Westcountry Director Mark Norcliffe. “The expansion will see our delivery routes go up the M5 corridor and across the M4, growing the reach of the Cornwall Glass Group to new counties and customers, with exciting new possibilities.”

Guardian, a strong supporter of the independent glass industry, welcomes this new expansion. “We’re delighted to see a valued customer such as Cornwall Glass continue its strong growth in the UK,” said Luis Homet, Guardian’s Regional Sales Manager for Western Europe.

Cornwall Glass includes the Guardian SunGuard^® SuperNeutral^® (SN) range of products in its portfolio, and this latest growth means that more architectural building customers will have fast, easy access to the innovative SunGuard glass series. Guardian SunGuard SN products offer excellent performance, very good selectivity related to light transmission and solar control, and low U values for good thermal insulation. The glass also is easy to process with the Temporary Protective Film (TPF) applicator.

The TPF is used on all SunGuard SN products to protect the coating before and during processing, helping to secure higher yields through manufacturing.

Westcountry Glass said the new plant will allow it to improve product quality and reduce energy consumption while also adding manufacturing capabilities, including a state-of-the-art toughening plant and CNC processor. As a result, the firm will be able to offer customers a wider range of glass products, with a special focus on meeting growing demand for the processing of more highly efficient, low-E glass.

Its planned installations include an AG-Series Gapless Forced Convection Glass Tempering Furnace, which will be the first to be installed in the country. With a bed size of 2,850mm x 4,200mm this will greatly enhance the company’s ability to toughen a full range of glass types for its new, larger, double- and triple-glazed IGU line.

The new processing equipment will be capable of polishing glass in all thicknesses to the capabilities of the toughening plant, and will included two new jumbo Intermac (6m x 3m) cutting tables.

“We are pleased to have been a long-term partner supporting Cornwall Glass over the years, and we see their continued growth as an opportunity to only further strengthen this relationship,” said Guardian Sales Manager Fraser Caithness.

For more about the Guardian SunGuard SN series of high-performance solar control and thermally insulating glass products, visit www.guardianglass.co.uk.

For more about Cornwall, visit www.cornwallglass.co.uk.