Consolidation in IGU industry – warning
26th June 2018

EMPLAS MD Ryan Johnson has warned of the impact of consolidation on the IGU industry, explaining that the company’s recent acquisition of Padiham Glass was aimed to shield itself from its effect.

Speaking at an event to mark its 40th anniversary, he told more than 150 customers and guests: “We’re seeing continuing consolidation and significant change in the IGU market.

“Taking a controlling stake in Padiham Glass, we’re to some degree able to insulate ourselves and our customers from its wider impact.

 “It allows us to control our costs and to drive up quality. The investment we have made in our two Schirmer cutting and machining centres have driven step change in our manufacturing process.

The MD also highlighted the opportunities that ownership of its glass supply offered customers. “Glass is our second biggest purchase cost and there are opportunities to make more from it. Energy efficiency, solar control, acoustic glass – these are significant opportunities.

“If we embrace glass, understand it and take advantage of it, it gives us a far stronger argument to take to the homeowner and persuade them that they should replace windows that in most cases have already been replaced once already”, he said.

Deputy MD Kush Patel told visitors of the role played by the new machinery they had seen in the Wellingborough factory : “The £3.5m investment that you’ve seen and we’re making in our factory, is being done in response to challenges in the market.

www.emplas.co.uk