In today’s challenging economic climate, the role of a supplier goes beyond simply delivering a product. Cornwall Group chairman Mark Mitchell gives us his view.
Running businesses in the glass industry today means navigating a constant storm of rising costs, unpredictable energy prices, and supply chain disruptions.
Every day, I speak to customers who are under pressure to keep their own costs down while still delivering high-quality products. It’s not easy. But I believe that as a supplier, it’s our responsibility to take on as much of that burden as we can, so that our customers don’t have to.
For example, we recently undertook a mammoth challenge, investing more than £3 million into three new state-of-the-art Glaston Tempering Furnaces. The magnitude of this investment cannot be understated; the process of decommissioning not just one or two, but three specialist toughening plants, to then reinstall with the new upgraded machinery to become fully operational again in just a four-month period – it’s a once in a generation undertaking.
But I know what people are thinking: why invest so heavily now, when so many businesses are holding back?
The answer is simple. By making these investments ourselves, we’re keeping our customers’ costs down in the long run.
Rising electricity prices have been a huge challenge for our industry – industrial energy costs have gone up more than 60% since 2021, and volatility means they could spike again at any time. We installed more energy-efficient furnaces because we can’t afford to be at the mercy of these fluctuations.
And more importantly, our customers can’t afford to either.
A furnace that isn’t working at its best isn’t just a maintenance headache – it leads to wasted energy, increased downtime, and higher production costs. If we hadn’t made the significant step to invest in new furnaces, we eventually would have been forced to raise prices.
That’s not the way we do business. Investing in new technology means we can stay efficient, keep prices stable, and continue offering the high-quality glass our customers expect.
And it’s not just about controlling energy costs; efficiency is everything in this industry. Glass wastage, production bottlenecks, and slow turnaround times all add hidden costs.
We’ve always taken pride in delivering on time and at a competitive price, but that’s only possible if we continually improve our processes. By upgrading our furnaces and investing in better equipment, we’re cutting down on waste and improving our output, meaning our customers get their orders faster, without paying a premium for it.
We’ve also noticed a shift in demand at the beginning of 2025. Thicker glass products – 10mm, 12mm, 15mm, and 19mm – used to be considered specialist, but now they’re everyday orders. If we hadn’t invested in the right toughening technology when we did, we’d be struggling to meet this demand.
Our customers need a supplier they can rely on, not one that’s scrambling to catch up.
We’re taking this long-term approach because we’re not in this business for short-term gains. I want our customers to be able to plan for growth with confidence, knowing they won’t suddenly be hit with price hikes or supply shortages.
That’s why we’re constantly investing, and without these investments, we wouldn’t be as prepared as we are for what’s coming next.
I understand that times are tough, and I know that many companies are cautious about committing to big changes, but standing still isn’t an option.
The government’s Net Zero 2050 strategy means stricter regulations on energy efficiency are coming, and businesses that don’t adapt will find themselves on the back foot. We’re making these changes now so that when those regulations come into play, our customers won’t be left stranded, needing to find a compliant supplier.
For us, investing in the future isn’t just about staying ahead of the competition: it’s about ensuring that our customers can keep their businesses running smoothly, without worrying about unpredictable costs.