The newly formed Cornwall Glass Manufacturing (CGM), part of the Cornwall Group, took a moment to celebrate ten years of IGU production in Devon and Cornwall.
The heavy rain didn’t dampen spirits and the resourceful Plymouth team served up burgers and sausages for all colleagues. Glass processors, drivers, sales team, office staff, apprentices and company directors enjoyed an informal gathering at the Langage site.
Plymouth Manufacturing General Manager Gareth Parry with Group Chairman Mark Mitchell
Joint Directors Mark Knight and Mark Norcliffe with Group Chairman Mark Mitchell, cooking up a feast!
Company founder Dave Mitchell was as gracious as ever chatting to everyone and enjoying the unmistakable feeling of camaraderie. Dave and his wife Heather started the company, originally Truro Glass Centre, trading from a potato shop in Truro, Cornwall in 1978. It was then and is still very much a family business.
Recently restructured the Cornwall Group encompasses, three production and toughening sites with Cornwall Glass Manufacturing; ten trade counter outlets with Cornwall Glass operating in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset and Mackenzie Glass, based in Bristol, glass merchant servicing the South West and Wales.
CGM Managing Director, Mark Norcliffe spoke on behalf of the company; “It all comes down to the people at the end of the day. It’s you guys here that make this place what it is. We have colleagues who have been with us from day one to and our most recent recruits who have been with us for four days! It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since we took over from Seleda at Saltash in 2015.”#
Colleagues from Cornwall Glass Manufacturing
He recalled the “temperamental compressor that used to power the site. It had an uncanny knack of breaking down” every time Mark had a holiday booked. He recounted the enormous amount of work and effort that enabled the then, Westcountry Glass to relocate from Saltash to its current site at Langage. “it was our largest investment at the time, quadrupling the size of our existing factory space and adding state of the art machinery” he laughed “I reckon it’s paid off!”
From left to right: Angus Herdman – Director, Charlie Chough (Company Mascot) Mark Knight – Joint Managing Director, Mark Norcliffe Joint Managing Director.
Group chairman Mark Mitchell echoed Mark’s words “We are proud of our values and heritage and it is felt throughout our group which I believe to be a major factor in our success”.
Here’s to the next ten years of quality IGU production.