Glass units – too important to be an afterthought
Posted on 17/03/2021
Group Managing Director Andy Jones explains why Victorian Sliders manufactures its own IGUs.
Glass units are arguably the most important window component of all – and yet often, in fenestration, they’re treated like an afterthought.
But without an outstanding IGU, even the most sophisticated window system will underperform.
That’s why, at Victorian Sliders, we took the decision early on in our history to make our own glass units.
We concluded that IGUs were simply too important to outsource - and that the best way of guaranteeing quality and consistency of supply was to manufacture it ourselves.
It wasn’t easy. There’s a reason the vast majority of fabricators buy glass units in – setting up your own IGU line is expensive and time-consuming, and requires people with a totally different set of expertise.
But from the very beginning, Victorian Sliders has been built on exactly that kind of long-term investment.
We don’t take the path of least resistance – we put in the hard work and resources that will yield the best results for our customers over decades, not the next quarter.
Thanks to millions of pounds of investment, we operate a state-of-the-art fully automated Lisec IGU manufacturing plant with gas filling press, two further semi-automated IGU assembly lines, two glass cutting lines with edge deletion, and a Cooltemper glass toughening operation, producing thousands of glass units every week.
This investment is set to continue, with an additional fully automated IG line, two new arising lines and a second toughening plant all planned over the coming months to give additional capacity for planned growth, and futureproof our expansion plans over the next few years.
How does that benefit our customers? Making IGUs in-house means we can offer more reliable quality, shorter lead times, and can replace breakages much more quickly.
It also helps us reduce our carbon footprint as a business. By handling so many processes in-house, we’re able to reduce the number of lorries on the road, transporting components.
If you’re interested in learning more about how Victorian Sliders can help take your business to the next level, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
For more information visit www.victoriansliders.co.uk or call 01269 846200.