Shattering The Glass Ceiling – Firman Glass’s Success Story
Managing director Jody Hodgson on the family firm’s varied services, mantra and exciting new partnership…
A family-run firm carries a charm in the business world. The idea of a company forged through familial relationships where employees have emotional as well as economic ties is a compelling one, and certainly a great motivating force. However, in the case of family-forged Essex-based glass manufacturer, Firman Glass, there are great success stories to shout about too.
For Managing Director, Jody Hodgson, the story starts in 1975 when his parents started Firman Glass in Romford, a town conveniently located close to London and its seemingly limitless list of high-end clients. “I have been here since birth,” jokes Hodgson of his association with the firm, but the fact the company spans a fifty-year legacy and has weathered numerous recessions, market changes and even Brexit evidences its market agility. Apart from its longevity, Firman Glass has carved out its commercial success by offering both specialist services and various glass products to businesses across industries. Glass solutions encompass standard, bespoke, decorative and structural glass options as well as being able to offer some of the largest glass sizes on the market, enabling the firm to capture as many customers as possible.
From toughened glass to decorative glass, fire-resistant insulating glass units, and much more, the product range is certainly wide. Not only this, but Firman Glass also supplies high-quality branded glass products including Firmatuff and Colorfirm, so all bases are covered.
For Hodgson and his team, it’s the outfit’s “yes and can-do attitude,” that has made them a leader in the glass processors and structural glazier world, where no customer sector is off limits and enquiries can always be answered.
Specialist knowledge defines day-to-day life at Firman Glass, and while architectural glass products are the main offering, and commercial clients the main focus, Hodgson confirms they are more than happy to take on domestic clients and offer free, professional advice to interested parties who are unsure of their glass needs via their dedicated office team in Romford.
Product and service variety, market resilience and great customer service aside, Firman Glass has a very exciting partnership to reveal with SCHOTT, a German multinational glass company.
Today, the Romford family firm is the “Fire Resistant Processing Partner of SCHOTT Technical Glass Solutions GmbH”, and underwent a rigorous qualification process to gain the partnership, which included samples taken from Firman Glass for independent comparison fire tests and final product testing at SCHOTT’s factory in Germany.
The top-tier partnership isn’t just a great feat for Firman Glass in terms of building their global industry reputation, it has also made them the firm to choose for UK customers seeking the PYRAN® S product due to there being no import or export fees, or possible delays caused by the post-Brexit reality.
On the topic of Brexit, Hodgson explains that “material supply issues,” as well as rising energy costs in the UK have contributed to current business challenges, although he admits this is “the same for everyone.” Furthermore, while stumbling blocks, whether economic or legislative, are an inevitability in business, quality of leadership and company culture is what gets a firm out the other side. Hodgson has a great mantra for these moments, “the boss who demands loyalty may not get it,” he says, “but the one that inspires it will build a great team and get results.”
Whenever challenges do present themselves, the team as a whole possesses the mindset of “working a way through to get the job done,” it sounds like a simple proposition, but it’s an effective one and no doubt spurred on by the fact that Firman Glass is run by family, who have a vested interest in making the company successful.
In short, this isn’t a day job for the folks at Firman Glass, it’s a lifestyle, and one which has paid off in varied and quality customer offerings, a globally recognised partnership and a fifty-year legacy, here’s to the next fifty years!
T: 01708 374534
W: www.firmanglass.com
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