30 years – still growing and growing strong
Dewsbury-based employer, Oakland Glass was established in 1986 to supply sealed-units to the glazing industry. It has come a long way in three decades and is now a major supplier of glass to both the glazing and construction industry.
Some eighty per cent of the workforce are local, and many of the staff at Oakland have been with the business from the early days. In May this year, the longest serving employee(s) retired after 28 years’ service. The experience of working together over a long time has encouraged a great team spirit and an environment where new ideas can be explored and implemented. Oakland’s Managing Director, Tina Moorhouse said, ‘When a team has already built a business from scratch, achieved substantial growth, introduced new products and become adept with changing plant and technology, they’ve got the confidence and the skill to achieve anything.’
Naturally, there have been many changes over the years. Oakland started with a modest 3,000 square foot factory. Five years later they had tripled the size of their shop floor, and in 1998, they needed another move to a 24,000 square foot premises. Even that hasn’t been enough to cope with Oakland’s growth, and they now have a 37,000 sq. ft. unit at Bretton Street Industrial Estate.
Originally manufacturing was all done by hand. Now the company uses state-of-the-art CNC equipment. An automated production line runs 24 hours a day on a three-shift system. In addition, a specialist team work on bespoke glazing projects. There has been investment in glass processing equipment, new computerised systems and the introduction of digital technologies which enable effective, accurate data to be exchanged with their customer base, which now includes local authorities, housing associations, housebuilders, window fabricators, installers and joiners.
Talking about the anniversary, Oakland’s owner Richard Oakes said ‘The years have flown by. We’ve weathered the boom and bust of the economic cycle, but our appetite for growth hasn’t diminished. We’ve just taken on another factory, right next door, and are kitting it out ready to expand our sealed-unit capacity. It’s been busy, it’s been hard work, but it’s been worth it. Roll on the next thirty years.’
To find out more about Oakland Glass, call 01924 463198, visit www.oaklandglass.co.uk or email info@oaklandglass.net