Washington glass manufacturer looks to expand

A Washington-based manufacturer of glass and double glazing has already reached its first year targets within months of trading and and is now looking to expand in the town and double its workforce.

Fastglass supplies window companies across the North East and has taken advantage of Tedco’s Read for Business start-up programme to get off the ground.

Managing director John Davies started Fastglass after being made redundant during the recession and has already recruited seven staff.

Mr Davies said: “I started working in the glass industry on a self employed basis, but earlier this year I decided the time was right to move into manufacturing my own units.

“I am surprised how quickly it’s taken off. I did a business plan for the first two years and after six months we had reached where I was expecting to be in a year.

“Demand has far exceeded all our expectations, and we are continuously investing to increase our capacity. A lot of what we’ve had is through word of mouth because we supply a quality service.”

The companys rapid growth now mean John is looking for new premises and is keen to remain in Washington.

He said: “We have really outgrown the factory. We have a three-year lease and I have spoken to the landlords. If we take other premises from them, we would be able to move into a bigger unit but that won’t be for another six to 12 months.

“We have two vans and we go as far north as Seghill and south to Hetton le Hole, and there’s plenty more business in that catchment area.

“We’ve had terrific support from the City Council’s business team from the start, and it’s good to know they’re there to offer practical and strategic advice that’s relevant to my business.”

Cllrr Harry Trueman, Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “Sunderland has a long and proud manufacturing history, from our shipbuilding heritage to the arrival of Nissan in the 1980s and the strong supply chain that has grown up to service the car maker.

“We’re well-known for our skilled workforce and can-do attitude, and we’re delighted a new generation of manufacturers are choosing Sunderland to start their businesses. Fastglass is a great example of an SME manufacturer that has benefited from both the business support that is available locally and the central location that puts it directly in touch with its customer network.”