XL-size contracts push Cumbernauld’s Cube Glass revenues skywards and international partnerships start to pay dividends
In one of its strongest trading advances on record, innovative Scottish glass and aluminium specialist Cube Glass has boosted its revenues by well in excess of £1 million as well as developing lucrative new international partnerships.
The Cumbernauld-based tech pioneer has pushed its turnover to a record £4.5 million in the year to October 2023, up from £3.25 million the previous year. It now hopes to consolidate future revenues in the region of this level.
The main driver of the exceptional growth in 2022/23 was a single, unusually large contract for screens for flats and retail units on a massive community benefit programme led by one of Scotland’s foremost social housing developers.
In its now-accepted role as one of the country’s leading precision manufacturers, Cube Glass is also steadily introducing new and international industry-leading products with a view to maintaining its value to the market.
Gary Thorn, Founder and Managing Director of Cube Glass, said: “Last year was probably the most exceptional year for Cube Glass since the company was established 20 years ago, driven by new levels in contract size.
“But, while our main competitors concentrate almost exclusively on commercial deals, we also have a strong pipeline of residential work and we are building strong relationships with smaller, high-end architectural practices which specialise in this field.
In domestic work, there is a significant move towards slimmer sightlines and doors with bigger panels and more glass – a trend which is being led by the international partners with whom we now regularly interact.”
Cube Glass has had a fruitful relationship with high-end French design and engineering specialist Bel’M, as well as its prestigious existing supplier relationships with industry-recognised specialists such as Senior Architectural Systems, Metal Technology and Schuco.
Thorn said the company was now sitting in a comfortable niche in which it had demonstrated the capacity to take on large contracts but also maintained the ability to undertake smaller and more challenging projects.
He said: “Some larger competitors are essentially running production lines, but we now have so much experience and expertise in the factory, in project management and especially in design that we can contemplate more challenging individual projects.
The flexibility and experience of the fabrication teams is also quite unique, in that they can turn their hands to anything and are happy to undertake challenging work from which other, larger manufacturers might shy away.”
Thorn said the company’s aim for 2023/24 was to maintain market share, improve quality and spread the word about its capabilities and ambitions. It is also giving back to the community with support for three local football teams as well as sponsorship of Ladies’ Night at Hamilton Park, the Lanarkshire racecourse’s biggest social event of the year.
Cube Glass, which was established in 2004, focuses on curtain walling, doors, windows, glass roofing systems and shop fronts as well as bullet, bomb and blast resistant glass. It supplies sectors including education, health, industrial, social care, commercial property and residential homes.
