Case Studies

Armour Glass Ltd

Armour Glass LtdNick & Tony

Window of opportunity opens up in recesssion for Keighley replacement glass firm

A Keighley glaziers business is coping so well with the recession it plans to expand!

Brothers Nick and Jean-Paul Berard set Armour Glass Ltd, of Goulbourne Street, up 18 months ago. With two other employees they have been operating from a base in Forward Mills for the past six months. The firm offers replacement glass to a variety of customers, though it mainly caters for the domestic market.

Jean-Paul, who lives in Oakworth and brother Nick started off as fitters and were that busy having to buy glass off other people they decided to manufacture their own glass units. They found a gap in the market due to a lot of other glass shops closing, they think possibly because some had stayed too small and others tried to grow too big.The brothers are being careful, they could be a lot bigger than they are, a lot of companies ask them for 90-day credit, which Armour Glass doesn't offer. Despite the need to be cautious, the company's success means it should be able to take on more staff.

Currently they have two fitting teams and are looking to have four teams by the summer, with two vans but now really need four.They travel a lot to win customers covering West and North Yorkshire and are starting to encroach into the Lancashire area.

They have found that elderly people in particular seem to appreciate that old windows could have their glass replaced for a fraction of the cost of buying entirely new frames. The brothers business focus is based on quality, nothing leaves their workshop if it's not 100 per cent.

The brothers have received business advice from Airedale Enterprise Services Kickstart Business Adviser Charles Kitchen.

Charles put forward a successful business case to Bradford Council's Kickstart enterprise support programme securing a professional services award for Armour Glass Ltd.

The award has helped to set up a professional accounting system for the business and a vehicle wrap for one of the companies vans.

Jean-Paul said,"I would recommend Kickstart to any business, Charles has been very, very helpful and we are most grateful."

"We were particularly worried about getting the book-keeping right and have now employed our own bookkeeper, also the vehicle wrap on one of our vans has proved a real success helping to secure us two new contracts."

 

 

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