A Scottish glazing provider has seen a 200 per cent increase in business and is set to make its first annual turnover of £1 million following support from a government-funded advice and guidance service.
Through Business Gateway, Glaze and Save accessed a £60,000 investment, one-to-one business advice, digital expertise and HR support.
Founder and chief executive of the Perth-based company, Tanya Ewing, turned to the service after experiencing a surge in enquiries earlier this year as consumers looked for ways to cut energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint.
She and her team – which has near-doubled in size in the past year – were soon enrolled in a series of webinars through DigitalBoost, Business Gateway’s digital upskilling programme, helping to grow their online brand presence.
And in the last six months, enquiries from commercial property owners looking to improve their energy efficiency ratings have rocketed by 50 per cent.
Additionally, Business Gateway helped unlock £60,000 of essential funding through Perth and Kinross Council, which financed Glaze and Save’s expansion as its headcount rose from nine to 16.
As part part of the government’s ‘kickstart scheme’ during lockdown, the firm also hired three under-25s.
Launched in 2013, Glaze and Save provides an award-winning energy saving solution that turns single glazing into double glazing, eliminating the need to replace windows.
The all-in-one slim solution, InvisiTherm, is ideal for heritage glass and listed buildings due to its adaptability to a variety of window shapes, improving thermal insulation, eradicating condensation and draughts, and reducing noise.
Glaze and Save have recently worked on several iconic buildings in Scotland, including the Glasgow Women’s Library and Scottish National Galleries.
Ewing said: “At Glaze and Save, we’re passionate about making people fall in love with their properties again, saving energy and reducing waste in the process. It’s because of the support we received through Business Gateway and Perth and Kinross Council that we have been able to capitalise on the opportunities presented to us during what has been an extremely challenging, yet unbelievably rewarding period.
“The mentoring and support have been second to none and has allowed us to continue trading, create local employment and secure business that will keep us going in 2021 and beyond. The communication with our adviser, Ann also helped us handle HR issues including furlough throughout lockdown and ensured we felt connected and sane during a really testing time.”
Ann Kerr, adviser, Business Gateway, said: “Many sectors have been negatively impacted by the pandemic, so it’s excellent to see how Glaze and Save has been able to capitalise on new opportunities and thrive as more businesses seek new ways to improve energy efficiencies.
“The commitment and drive shown by Tanya and all the team at Glaze and Save, combined with a bespoke package of Business Gateway support services have successfully leveraged the business into position for sustained growth and expansion. I am confident that the business is well placed to move forward as we edge back into normality.”
To find out more about Business Gateway and its services, visit https://www.bgateway.com/