Ecoglass
+44 (0) 1603 415 400 | contactus@ecoglass.co.uk

Autumn 2025

CELEBRATING OUR PEOPLE

 

Mark High - Commercial Director

 

Legacy can be a heavy crown, but when it’s underpinned by the ethics of people, community and belonging, it becomes a mantle every employee wears with honour and pride.

This year, I wanted to celebrate our legacy and our people with the annual Glass Awards. Commemorate the ethics that have brought us this far as we continue to grow and evolve in the fenestration industry.

In this Autumn Awards Special, we’re honouring the commitment and strength of our people, our progress and our future outlook and what it means for our customers and our company.

OUR UNSUNG HERO - COLIN STURDY

Some people have the quality to quietly shape a team with steadiness, compassion and a kind word of solidarity when they need it the most.

Some people are so good at what they do that it becomes easy to take them for granted.

And some people become so central to your day and the way the business operates, that it really isn’t until they’re gone that we understand the full impact of their legacy.

Colin Sturdy was one of those people.

Joining Ecoglass in 1972 at the tender age of 16, Colin dedicated more than 50 years to the company. He became a Company Director in 1994, but he never let that title change who he was. Always ready to roll up his sleeves and get involved, you would see him deftly handling day-to-day challenges or staying late to ensure customer satisfaction, he consistently went the extra mile without asking for recognition.

Beyond his work ethic, Colin’s kindness and deep knowledge made him a trusted figure in our business. Customers knew they could always rely on his insights and technical knowledge, and staff found comfort and guidance in his calm and patient presence.

OUR UNSUNG HERO

We had planned to nominate Colin for this Unsung Hero Award before his cancer diagnosis. His passing in May this year makes it even more important to us to celebrate his lifetime of dedication and service. This nomination is not a gesture of sympathy; it is long-overdue recognition of the quiet, consistent, and invaluable difference he made to Ecoglass every day.

Colin’s legacy lives on in our team’s values, in the way we put customers first, and in the kindness we show one another. Though he never sought the spotlight, he was, and always will be, our unsung hero.

OUR RISING STAR - CRAIG HOPPER

The Rising Star title initially feels like a misnomer when describing Craig.  

But this star of ours has consistently demonstrated curiosity, invested in his personal growth, and the resultant career trajectory has been the slow birth of a rising star, so perhaps not much of a misnomer after all.  

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FINAL MILE

Having completed over a decade with the company, he’s graduated from the Transport Department to the Sales Team, and today – he manages our Key Accounts.  

Having joined Ecoglass in September 2014, Craig’s beginnings in transport showed him the importance of the final mile, that last customer touchpoint after the team’s full effort. 

Moving into our Sales Team in 2018 and now, in 2025, heading our Key Accounts, Craig works in collaboration with senior stakeholders across key clients, bringing a measured, consistent and valued presence to his role, something our clients deeply value. Craig puts it simply: “I pride myself on doing what I say I’m going to do. I always do what’s right by the customer because I know that long-term, this builds integrity and trust. And those traits are irreplaceable.” 

One of Craig’s first initiatives as a Key Account Manager was to build stronger connections with local businesses, not just for commercial gain, but to also foster a more sustainable and community-oriented way of working. 

Craig recognised an opportunity to create agile partnerships that offered shorter lead times, a more hands-on approach, and significantly lower delivery-related emissions. By localising our customer base, Craig not only helped to reduce our carbon footprint but also supported local enterprise, aligning perfectly with Ecoglass’s broader sustainability ethos.  

BEYOND CLIENT ACQUISITION 

Craig has strengthened trust through transparency. As Key Account Manager, he introduced a new sales reporting system to track how well we’re meeting customer expectations across production, quality and delivery. These reports are shared openly with clients; the good, the bad, and everything in between. 

Even when results fall short, Craig believes in full transparency: “hands in the air honesty”, as he puts it. That willingness to be accountable has fostered a deep sense of trust. Customers know where they stand, and that Ecoglass is always committed to doing better. 

Long term, Craig wants to bring more diverse voices into Ecoglass and the wider industry. His goal is to build a Sales Team that reflects different backgrounds, experiences and ways of thinking. He knows the value of that firsthand: 

“That was me. I came from a different industry. But I applied myself and forged a great career at Ecoglass, and now, I want to create opportunities for others to do that too.” 

His vision is a team that prioritises customers and grows together, shaping a future for glass and glazing that’s inclusive, sustainable and forward-looking. 

SHORTLISTED - GLASS COMPANY OF THE YEAR

For a clear product, things aren’t always transparent when it comes to glass.  

Between market demands, shifting regulations and changing customer needs, it can feel like everything is evolving slowly, or all at once. 

In the middle of the whirlwind sits Ecoglass. Influenced by glass innovations, translating them into installer, supplier and homeowner needs, we’re often the conduit through which change sees light.  

Ecoglass has built a legacy on care and craft. Founded in 1947, it’s a business Roger Middleton grew up in, and one that, alongside Gaby Mendham, he helped to shape into the trusted, family-run company it is today.  

Bringing a new approach to the business, when Mark High joined the company in April 2024, he brought fresh energy and insight from his experiences at Saint-Gobain Glass and Glassolutions, sharpening our focus on production optimisation, increased customer satisfaction and company growth.   

Mark introduced a new customer-centric vision grounded in three pillars:  

  • Technical expertise 

  • Product quality   

  • Relationship transparency   

It’s a vision that has helped Ecoglass strengthen internal culture and raise standards externally. We’ve seen greater cohesion across departments, clearer feedback loops with clients, and a renewed drive for consistency and care. 

With an adjusted lens, we now focus decades of collective experience and technical insight into one goal: making our customers’ lives easier. 

Through our customer charter, we take a proactive and empathetic approach. We listen carefully, understand context, and act with integrity, working to translate technical issues into tangible, real-world solutions. 

Whether it’s our Key Account programme, investment in Ecologi and Glass Forever sustainability processes, or client relationships, we act with transparency and integrity at every turn.  

We’ve built a culture of trust by being open about how we work, where we’re strong, and where we need to improve. From quoting through to delivery, our customers get clear, honest communication, not just so they can plan better, but because we see transparency as a mark of respect. We work in partnership, not in isolation. 

WE KNOW THAT THE WORLD OF GLASS WILL KEEP EVOLVING, AND SO WILL WE

In the year ahead, we’re investing in smarter account support, more advanced customer feedback systems, and stronger development opportunities for our team. We’ll also continue to grow our Ecologi partnership, expanding our tree-planting initiative as our sales increase. 

Because while the industry shifts around us, our purpose stays the same: to put our customers first and make quality glass easier to access, easier to trust, and easier to work with. 

Ecoglass isn’t the biggest glass company in the UK. But we’d like to think we’re one of the most dependable, growing not just through numbers, but through people, care and commitment. 

Published on 7th October 2025