Westcountry puts £5million into four-fold growth plan
9th February 2016

WESTCOUNTRY GLASS is making the biggest investment in its 37-year history, with a move to a 40,000sq ft factory housing new toughening and CNC lines.

The £5million move not only represents a four-fold expansion in premises for Westcountry, part of the Cornwall Glass Group, but will also give it a greater reach with deliveries along the M5 and M4 corridors, as well as enabling it to offer bigger units and a wider product range.
Principal supplier Saint-Gobain Glass is backing the move with technical support as well as ongoing product training, and it the processor is using several of SGG’s glasses in the refurbishment of the Plymouth factory itself.

Westcountry Glass completed the move at the end of last year from its 10,000 sq. ft. Saltash factory to the new unit in Plymouth. The toughening plant at the centre of the expansion plan is able to produce glass up to 2850mm x 4200mm as well as using advanced technology to give more uniform and consistent heating.

Investment has also been made in automated jumbo cutting facilities. Two sealed unit lines now support growing IGU business enabling products to be manufactured in house with enhanced lead times.

Company Director Mark Norcliffe said: “The new expansion will see Westcountry Glass’s 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.”

The main window refurbishment is using 6mm SGG Cool-Lite SKN 154 II,. It has a g-value of 0.28 and the ability to achieve an optimum centre pane U-value of 1.0W/m2K.

The reception area is being refurbished with 19mm SGG Diamant extra clear glass which has very little residual colour due to a low iron oxide content.

Picture, l to r, Kelvin Price, Tim Hanlon, Ian Barnett and Louise Oldham of West Country Glass and SGG’s James O’ Donoghue.

www.saint-gobain-glass.com