Glass innovator rewarded: New facilities and enterprise award signal CGI’s coming of age

A new purpose-built factory and sales growth of 29% in the past year has helped us consolidate our position in the world's fire glass markets, especially as over the last four years our sales have grown by over 85%. It is a market that is going through change generally, as we see the further tightening of fire and safety legislation.

CGI International is now established as a leading manufacturer and supplier of specialist glasses, mainly fire resisting products such as Pyroguard, which are either manufactured by us or sold exclusively in many world markets. Our high sales growth, particularly in overseas markets, has been acknowledged by a Queen's Award for International Trade which was presented by the Lord Lieutenant on 21 June.

This prestigious award recognises our success in securing export contracts for a sustained number of years, and is one of the premier awards available to UK businesses.

Export achievement

Over 70% of the company's business is currently in overseas markets and that figure is growing. Our products are specified for prestigious buildings right around the globe – from Hong Kong Airport to the Houses of Parliament – and we have new partnerships in Holland, Germany, Sweden, Ireland and the USA.

However, the UK remains an important market for the business, and sales there have been equally buoyant. We've also been expanding our stockists network in this country, with the newest additions being in Manchester and Hull.

The move from Warrington to a much larger, purpose-built industrial unit in Haydock, Merseyside, at the beginning of 2003, combined with substantial investment in new machinery and additional personnel, has made a significant contribution to these impressive results.

Our new high-tech headquarters gives us the space and facilities we need to expand and enhance our production capability, and to receive UK and international customers and business associates – for example our Dutch agents Hogla and their Benelux-based clients. We were able to host a visit by some 20 staff from our Dutch customers, who were able to see the process for themselves and ask detailed questions. We also hosted a visit by our Swedish agent and some 20 of their customers' staff.

We offer the widest range of fire glasses of any single manufacturer

International House comprises 30,000 sq ft of single bay manufacturing space, plus 5,000 sq ft of office accommodation on two levels. Substantial capital expenditure was also allocated to provide a second manufacturing line and additional oven capacity.

We have also been strengthening the sales and marketing team with the appointment of Paul Gee as Northern Sales Manager and Sarah Makin as Sales and Marketing Assistant. Phillip Millward recently joined us to head up our sales effort at board level.

While we offer the widest range of fire glasses of any single manufacturer, our Pyroguard range of laminated fire resistant safety glass is undoubtedly the driving force of the business. This product line offers a choice of integrity glasses that have the added benefit of radiation control, and covers clear and wired products with 30 and 60 minutes performance ratings.

We have also been focusing on the critical area of approvals, as well as new product introductions. A major step forward has been a wider range of approvals for the UK door market plus key successes in tests to the new more exacting EN standards. In fact, we achieved a first when Pyroguard was tested successfully in conjunction with leading European partition system maker, Maars API, to the new EN 1364 standard, which is applicable across most of the EU, including the 10 new member countries.

Pyroguard 7mm Clear Glass has also been tested to meet the recently implemented Building Regulations Document M on vision panels in doors, and as a result its Certifire Certificate of Approval has been extended to approve a huge glass size of 375mm x 2125mm. Demonstrating a different application for Pyroguard, a specially laminated floor panel managed 37 minutes' integrity and 28 minutes' insulation in a fire test in conjunction with Firman Glass. The panel was just 36mm overall but incorporated both fire and load-bearing performances.

I feel confident that CGI will continue to exceed growth targets and develop opportunities in new and existing markets. Fire-rated glass is a growing sector within the overall glass market, chiefly as a result of ever-tightening fire and safety regulations. For example, the new Part M of the Building Regulations relating to vision panels in doors will have a major impact on both door firms and glass companies like ourselves. The expected implementation of additional standards in a number of key overseas markets will help pave the way for CGI's continued growth and success as a key player in the industry.