For this round of Meet the Team, we’ve got the OG himself, Roger Middleton, in the hot seat!
There was some jitteriness and ‘I wonder what will happen’ nerves (admittedly, only from the interviewer; Roger, as ever, was as cool as a cucumber), but the interview became a wonderful trip down memory lane with Roger as we covered everything from his early days in the business to the endless curiosity and pursuit to do better that has resulted in the success we’re at today.
Interviewer: Let’s start with your early days, when did you join the company?
Roger: In 1964, aged 15. We were a very small company then and I wasn’t trusted to do much more than sweep the floors and learn the trade from the ground up.
Interviewer: I suspect, quite a bit has changed since then?
Roger: Quite the understatement! I always wonder what my father would have made of what we have today. He would have been endlessly fascinated by the modern machinery available, the speed and precision at which we can work. It's a fast-paced industry that’s constantly evolving and innovating, and for me – being at the heart of the action was always important.
When I first took over the business, one of my first actions was to purchase some lifting equipment. It sounds quite simple now, but back then my focus was to find ways to automate systems and add more precision and speed to the manufacturing process.
Interviewer: What prompted the growth of Ecoglass, moving from the city centre premises to the one you have today, along with the continued growth in your product and service offering?
Roger: Honestly, keeping up with customer demands! It's embedded in the DNA of the business that we always find a way to deliver what the customer wants. Today, that can be slimmer units, sustainable solutions, or even triple-glazing. We’re constantly innovating with the times because I see no value, opportunity or excitement in being stagnant. That's not interesting to me.
What fascinates me is looking at a problem and stripping things down to their individual components, understanding how it works and seeing how we can do it better. More than 60 years on, you can say not much has changed there!
Interviewer: And from what I've seen, you still like to get involved with this today. The development of EcoSlim happened under your watchful eye, and on the rare occasion that we have faults that require root cause analysis, I know you’ve been involved in site and customer visits.
Roger: You're right, I do like to get involved where I can, and new product development is always exciting; for example – during testing we realised that a fully krypton-based unit was going to be the best option for optimal performance of the product. It's a more expensive solution, but also the highest quality we can offer, and that was central to the development of the design.
As for root cause analysis – it's not something I do very often, but yes, getting out on site, assessing issues not just from a manufacturer's perspective but also as a fitter, a life I've known all too well, I can often view the challenges, problems and opportunities on site with over 60 years of insight and experience. It keeps the old grey matter going and I really do enjoy interacting with our customers and supply chain partners to keep up with the latest industry developments and news.
Interviewer: And the industry does have a lot happening. Between the cost of silver rising, inflated energy costs, and increasing pressures on sustainability and the changes being brought by the Future Homes Standard, there’s a lot to keep on top of.
Roger: There is, and you can add talent acquisition to the list as well. The industry needs knowledgeable, fresh talent to continue the legacy of innovation and development.
All too often in construction, glass is an afterthought. Something that can fill a hole in the wall. The complexity of glass is reduced to its most basic essence, and it’s a huge disservice to the innovation and potential of the product.
Interviewer: Closing the conversation out, I always like to ask about favourite holiday, food or TV/Film recommendations – what have you got for me?
Roger: For food, I would always suggest Scotts at Mayfair. I love seafood and it’s long been a speciality for the restaurant. If there’s a special occasion to mark, it’s always my first preference.
As for holidays, I really do love skiing. I managed to go again recently and I really enjoyed it.
Interviewer: Any particular resorts that you’d recommend for skiing?
Roger: All of them! I’ve luckily never been to a bad one. Whether it’s North America or closer to home in Europe, as with anything, it’s what you make of it – and I certainly make the most of my skiing trips!
Interviewer: Thank you for your time today, Roger, it was lovely to learn more about your history at the company and motivations for growth.
Roger: Good to speak. Thank you.