How Andrew Taylor turned Huddersfield-based Specialist Glass Products into a major force in business world

Despite admitting in his own words “school and me didn’t get on,” Andrew Taylor has excelled in life – building up one of the UK’s leading glass suppliers.

Having started in the glass industry as an apprentice in 1983, Andrew launched his business, Huddersfield-based Specialist Glass Products, which this year aims to reach £11million turnover and continues to win prestigious contracts – as well as featuring on TV.

Andrew ‘s story shows how hard work, and an uncompromising commitment to customer service can take you to the top.

He says: “I started working at a local glass merchant where my father was the manager I started as an apprentice, and I served my time as a glass cutter. I became charge hand glass cutter, foreman glass cutter, works foreman and eventually works manager at a site in Bury, Lancashire.

“It was a big company and eventually got bought out by Pilkington Glass in 1996, which is obviously a massive company. A couple of years later they had a major shake-up, closing some branches down and merging others.

“They created a big hub in Salford, and I was moved in there as Works Manager.

“We converted from a processing site to a merchants’ site, and it was very successful – the largest part of Pilkington’s ‘downstream’ operation.”

He continues: “After a couple of years, Pilkingtons started bringing graduates in and were cherry picking candidates and the opportunities for someone like myself were really very limited. Education wasn’t really my thing and school and me didn’t get on too well.

“Going to university in my early 30s wasn’t something I wanted to do and, even if I had done, I’m not sure how many great opportunities there would have been for me. I didn’t see myself doing that same job year in year out for the rest of my working life.

“I had a good relationship with many of the customers, particularly one who asked me to go and work for him several times over a period of years. Each time he asked me to go something seemed to crop up for example I got a promotion, a pay rise, or a new company car.

I jokingly said to the customer one day ‘if you give me a BMW sports’ car then I’m coming’ and he went out and bought one the same day. I thought he must be very committed, and I went and joined him.”

“We were doing glass bending. It was a small business with a turnover of just around £450,000.”

Almost two decades ago, he decided to set up a business that would become a major player in a specialised sector.

“In March 2003 I decided I’d leave and start Specialist Glass Products, predominantly doing flat glass as I only had a couple of years’ experience in the curved glass industry.

“I spoke to another guy who was working for my previous company, and my brother who was working for Pilkingtons, and they decided that they needed a new challenge and would come and join me.

“I need support both in doing the job and raising the finances. We each put £15,000 as a loan into the business, and we got some further funding from the Small Business Loan Guarantee Scheme, and some asset finance and we were on our way.

“In the first year we did about £500,000. Year ending March 2022 it was £9.6m.

“If we carry on the way we’re going, we’ll end this financial year at around £10.5 or £11m. When we started there were just the three of us. Now we have about 100 staff. “

The company’s quality products are now due to feature on the popular Channel 4 show Grand Designs.

Millions of viewers will have the chance to see how passionately the company cares about delivering outstanding results for its clients.

Andrew comments: “We were filmed for Grand Designs in September 2020. It was a house being built in a very affluent area of Cheshire and we did all the inside glass, but also some of the exterior balustrade.”

And earlier this year the company completed the installation of more than £1m worth of signage on Crossrail’s new London railway, the Elizabeth line.

Using Pilkington Optiwhite low-iron glass, the panels were bent, toughened, and laminated, incorporating the printed design required for each station.

Andrew says: “As part of the tendering process, we were asked to provide glass samples, which were subjected to extensive smoke and blast testing, and it’s a testament to our capabilities and expertise that we came through with flying colours and were awarded the contract.”

So, what does the future hold for Specialist Glass Products?

He is determined to keep investing to ensure the company stays ahead of the competition.

Andrew concludes: “We’ve heavily invested year on year and want to carry on doing so.

“ We’ve got a new laminating cutting table coming in December, a £400,000 investment which will enable us to supply glass into different markets to what we currently do.

“There’s a lot of competition but we focus on quality, service, and price in that order.

There is no sign of the pace easing as Specialist Glass Products, keeps on growing.

He added: “We recently got a £100,000 order and they’re paying us £15,000 extra to get the job done this month. That clearly shows our commitment to customer service.”