Case Studies
Issue No. 30 - August/September 2006
Neo adds to independent matrix
Fast Movers: SA Independent Glass
For George Neo, managing director and founder of SA Independent Glass, the opportunity to succeed was transparent.
“In 1989 I was discussing business opportunities over a family dinner and identified the potential of glass in a trend to bring the 'outside inside' and the increasing demand for more, bigger and higher performance glass,” George says.
“This culminated in the decision to establish SA Independent Glass Pty Ltd in 1990.
George operated the business from home for four years before moving to a a warehouse in Wingfield, then a bigger warehouse in Wingfield.
SAIG was on its way to becoming one of the largest independent glass wholesalers in SA. Since 1998 its operations have broadened into many flat-glass related market segments. SAIG has focused on developing value-added product segments, which has improved business performance and increased SAIG's market share in those areas.
The fast-growing independent glass wholesaler is growing share in selected markets such as commercial architectural glass, safety and security glass, bullet-resistant glass, environmentally friendly glass, aluminium fabrications, furniture glass and digitally printed glass. It is also venturing into glazing and retail.
With production processes becoming cramped even in the larger Wingfield premises, and beginning to hinder growth, George took the decision to build a brand new production facility in 2003. A much larger, purpose designed and built factory was built in Woodville North.
The new facility, at 4600 square metres, is twice the size of the previous factory. The increased space allows room for more production lines and a new glass toughening plant, the first of its kind in South Australia. Allowances have also been made for future expansion plans and anticipated growth from new innovative products and glass treatment processes.
The new toughening plant, which opened in 2004, meant SAIG met the requirements for p...
