IN ONE of its most imaginative and potentially far-reaching strategic alliances so far, leading precision manufacturer Cube Glass has become the selected supplier in Scotland for Swiss-owned and Portugal-based Panoramah.
The partnership will position the innovative Scottish glass and aluminium specialist as the gateway for the new trend towards using large panes of glass in both domestic and commercial settings which show more of the view and less of the frames.
Panoramah makes a unique range of minimalist sliding doors and curtain walling with ultra-thin sightlines at its two factories at Porto in North Portugal. It manufactures its own glass and has invested millions to take its product worldwide.
It is now one of the largest glass transformers in Europe with a 9-metre furnace and the ability to process double- and triple-glazed units up to 29 sq m. This capacity has proved critical as glass absorbs new functions and admits irregular and curved shapes.
Gary Thorn, Founder and Managing Director of Cube Glass, said: “The whole team at Cube Glass is very excited to be working with Panoramah, which is pushing the boundaries in terms of what can be done with glass. Its products are quite amazing.
“It was looking for a partner in Scotland as part of its international expansion strategy and I had met its representatives at trade shows so, after very productive and informative visits to its sites, the alliance naturally fell into place.
“Panoramah has very ambitious expansion plans. It wants to double its footprint in order to cut down its lead times and, although it is more famous for its sliding doors, its curtain walling is catching up as a main product.”
The partnership is the latest venture by Cube Glass which already has 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 Schüco.
Thorn said he expected to see other manufacturers respond to the technical challenges raised by Panoramah by introducing their own ranges of thinner sightline glass products with potentially more competitive pricing.
He said: “There is no doubt that Panoramah’s is an expensive system, but there will be clients out there who only want the best and who can afford it and, as people become more aware of what can be done, its popularity will increase.”
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.
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.
