星空传媒

Glass UK has done much to make bespoke glass structures more popular and accessible in its short history. As a supplier of fully engineered glass projects, the Buckinghamshire business has been behind some highly individual projects. These include some eye-catching glass boxes and designs for mews type properties, barn and other conversion projects, to a recent project for oversize doors and balustrades for the refurbishment of London's Royal Festival Hall.

Established nearly six years ago, Glass UK is a division of the LMC Group, along with sister company Metal UK, which specialises in a design and installation. Glass UK is managed by Rod Milicevic, also one of the main shareholders. The parent company was founded 1976 as LM Contracts by Rod's father, Lujbo Milicevic. Other key personnel at Glass UK are Neil Sharda, Production Director, and Warren Evans, Sales Director.

In many ways, the company has ridden the property boom: 鈥楨veryone with some cash has turned into a property developer, and some of them are coming up with great ideas', says Rod Milicevic. 鈥楢 lot of our work is by referral or from people who have seen something similar.'

Glass UK assists architects and designers to develop complex glass projects, and works with various structural engineers to prove the designs. Concealed door gear in the floor is a common touch to keep that all-glass look.

Although components and toughened glass are bought in, two of the major ingredients for landmark glass projects - oversize sealed units and laminated glass - are manufactured in house.

Sealed units can be made to various configurations in sizes up to 6 metres by 2.4m. Frameless glass doors, branded Sheerglaze, use a thick spacer bar to provide support. 鈥楥ertainly, on the Sheerglaze the idea is to go bespoke repeatable', says Rod Milicevic.

'XXL' laminated glass units are cured on a custom-made 6m x 3.2m light table. The company uses UCB's Uvekol liquid resin lamination method, which allows edges to be exposed to moisture without concerns of delamination. Another benefit of the resin pour systems is with toughened laminated glass, when there are roller waves, the resin takes up the gaps.

New premises, new areas

New premises in St Iver, Buckinghamshire, have given Glass UK scope for expansion since last year. New cranes, silicone applicators and fork lifts are part of the ongoing investment in new equipment.

鈥業n fact, we already calculate that turnover is up by 50 per cent since we moved to our new premises,' says Neil Sharda. 鈥榃e're confident we can make St Iver a centre for glass innovation during the next 12 months.'

Splash backs, work tops, glass tiles - even glass floors - are also being studied with a view to providing future market growth. These are an outlet for the Glass FX colour treatment which can be specified in any colour and is 20-year guaranteed. Glass FX is a non-silicon spray-on product which provides a tough, durable finish.

The company has recently begun to offer the Blink intelligent glass technology, which offers on/off image projection. A Bluetooth operated blind within a sealed unit is another product in development.

鈥榃hat's important to us,' says Neil 鈥榠s that we maintain our core business, whilst establishing other viable product lines that we know have both a market and the long term potential for us to capitalise on.'