People power: the culture behind continuous improvement at Glazerite

Digital systems, lean manufacturing and operational excellence all have an important role to play in modern window and door fabrication. But according to Glazerite’s leadership team, sustainable improvement starts and ends with people.

Digital systems, lean manufacturing and operational excellence all have an important role to play in modern window and door fabrication. But according to Glazerite’s leadership team, sustainable improvement starts and ends with people. 

“We all work for Glazerite. They don’t work for us.” 

It is a simple statement, but one that says a great deal about how Darren Rhodes, Managing Director North at Glazerite, views leadership. 

For Darren and Rob Brearley, Group Managing Director at Glazerite, building a successful manufacturing business has never been solely about machinery, systems or production targets. It is about creating a culture where people take ownership, understand what good looks like and feel part of the business they are helping to build. 

That philosophy sits behind much of Glazerite’s approach to continuous improvement. 

The phrase “continuous improvement” is often associated with systems, processes and technology. In manufacturing environments, it can bring to mind dashboards, production metrics and automation. Yet speak to Rob and Darren, and a different picture emerges. 

For them, continuous improvement has always been about culture first. 

It is a philosophy built on empowering people, creating accountability and giving teams the confidence to make better decisions every day. 

The systems support that culture. They do not replace it. 

“Where we come from in our history is manufacturing operational excellence and lean manufacturing,” explains Rob. 

“Both me and Darren, over the 31 years we’ve known each other, have gone on separate journeys, but both journeys have been around the same processes. Lean manufacturing, best practice, no fault forward and culturally putting that into teams. 

“When we joined a window business that didn’t have many of the practices we’d seen in pharmaceutical, electronics, food and wire manufacturing, it was quite exciting because we knew those processes worked. 

“That’s what we’ve been putting in place. But we don’t sit on our laurels. We keep pushing because continuous improvement is continually improving. It never really ends.” 

Culture first, systems second 

That principle underpins much of Glazerite’s operational strategy. 

Over recent years, the fabricator has invested in systems and digital infrastructure, including its EVO25 ordering platform and Positive Release initiative. These investments have helped streamline ordering, improve workflow and create greater visibility throughout the manufacturing process. 

Yet Rob argues that technology only creates value when the right culture exists around it. 

That philosophy is perhaps best demonstrated by Glazerite’s commitment to no fault forward manufacturing. 

While the term has its roots in lean manufacturing, its application at Glazerite is as much about culture as process. 

In simple terms, no fault forward means responsibility for quality sits at every stage of production. Instead of allowing an issue to move through the factory and relying on final inspection to identify it, teams are empowered to stop, investigate and resolve problems immediately. 

For Glazerite, that creates a different mindset. 

Quality ceases to be the responsibility of one department and instead becomes everyone’s responsibility. 

The benefit for customers is significant. 

In a market where installers are operating with tight margins and demanding project schedules, every remake, service call or rejected frame creates additional cost and disruption. 

By identifying and resolving issues at the earliest possible stage, no fault forward reduces the likelihood of defects reaching despatch in the first place. That improves consistency, protects lead times and helps installers spend less time dealing with problems and more time focusing on their own customers. 

Small improvements every day 

The connection between systems and culture is something Darren believes many businesses overlook. 

“The idea behind the mystique of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement is just doing something better tomorrow than you’ve done today,” he says. 

“It’s not that difficult. 

“If you can explain to your teams that it’s not a revolution and it’s not massive step change, it’s just tiny little improvements every day. That’s all you need to do.” 

The challenge, he says, is not implementing systems. It is creating an environment where people want to improve. 

“Once you start that process and you get the culture right, it becomes self-generating,” Darren continues. 

“The teams know when we bring a new employee in who’s going to fit and who’s not. They’ll actually manage part of that process for you. 

“They’ll point out when employees aren’t quite the right fit or aren’t operating at the level they want them to. 

“And once you get to that stage, it’s quite enlightening because you know the people are on the journey with you.” 

Ownership throughout the business 

That idea of ownership runs throughout Glazerite. 

For many manufacturers, management can become heavily involved in directing day-to-day activity. At Glazerite, the aim is to create an environment where teams increasingly manage quality, standards and performance themselves. 

As Rob explains: 

“Self-sustaining. Making decisions for themselves. Looking after their values and their quality for themselves. 

“You don’t have to be that big brother as much. 

“All you’re really doing is touching the fringes. Making sure culturally, they’re fine. Speaking to each other correctly. Keeping customer focus at the heart of everything they do. 

“The structure of how we manufacture a product is pretty ingrained and slick at the moment.” 

For customers, this culture has direct benefits. 

In today’s market, every remake, missed delivery and service issue carries a greater cost than it once did. Rising material prices, labour costs and operational pressures mean there is less room for error than ever before. 

Digital tools help support that objective. 

Glazerite’s EVO25 platform has simplified ordering, reduced administration and accelerated production workflows. Reporting systems provide greater operational visibility, allowing issues to be identified quickly and acted on before they become bigger problems. 

But Darren is clear that systems alone do not create performance. 

“We’re fair, we’re consistent and we’re target driven,” he says. 

“The teams like that. 

“As long as you’re fair and consistent, they’ll chase their own targets. You don’t need to encourage them to do that once you’ve set those targets, explained them and given them the tools to achieve them.” 

Leadership beyond the office 

The tools matter, but only when people are equipped, trusted and supported to use them effectively. 

It is why both leaders spend significant time walking the factory floor, speaking directly with teams and maintaining visibility throughout the business. 

The objective is not supervision. It is connection. 

“We walk the shop floor regularly,” says Rob. “You get a great sense of the atmosphere and the environment. You know if things are going right or wrong. You can sense it with the team.” 

For Darren, creating the right culture ultimately comes back to trust, ownership and giving people the confidence to contribute. 

“We are open and honest,” he says. “You get what you see. It’s very simple. It’s not very complicated. 

“They actually appreciate that we’re not ivory tower directors. We’re actually just down-to-earth people, just like everybody else. 

“We all work for Glazerite. They don’t work for us.” 

For more information visit www.glazeritewindows.co.uk, email sales@glazerite.net or call 01933 443222.