Spotlight on member – Peter Roden

Spotlight on member – Peter Roden

In March this year, Peter and Susan Roden, owners of Mitchell Glass were invited to the GGF offices for VIP treatment to celebrate their company’s longevity and their personal contribution to the industry.

At The President’s Reception held at St Bride Foundation Institute in the shadow of St Paul’s Cathedral, the GGF presented Peter (a former GGF Scotland Chairman) with a special “Outstanding Service to the Industry” Award. In this interview, Peter shares his views on the GGF and re ects on industry changes.

How does it feel for your company and your work in the glazing industry to be recognised by the GGF?

It’s both a privilege and honour for R Mitchell (Glass) Ltd to be recognised and presented with an award at the President’s Reception to celebrate our outstanding service to the industry since 1875. When Robert Mitchell started his simple glazing business in Hawick in the Scottish Borders, I doubt he could have imagined the company’s growth and the type of work, such as glass extensions, Secured By Design (SBD) windows, and bespoke timber doors, now being carried out by our experienced team.

How has the industry changed over the last 25 years?

When I started selling windows in the 1980s, satin anodised aluminium windows were popular. Then PVCu windows came on the scene, they were warmer with less condensation and cheaper so had more customer benefits. Timber windows were always popular but I think the market has gone full circle and highly insulated aluminium with large expanses of glass have become very popular thanks to television programmes like Grand Designs. I’ve seen massive changes in glass from simple single panes, to the first insulated glass units and through to the latest high tech coatings offering solar control and insulation.

Customers have also changed. They are now more informed due to the internet and don’t just want “double glazing” as in the olden days. They do their research on energy efficiency and insulation properties and are more aware of the choices available. Today, salesmen have to go the extra mile to keep up to date with trends and industry knowledge.

How important is a company’s heritage when it comes to winning business and consumer con dence?

For Mitchell Glass it’s everything. To survive this long, we made sure we looked after our customers and continue to do so. Our industry’s reputation
is still poor in some areas as many companies have disappeared through the years and have not honoured warranties. Our customers usually have researched us on the internet, read our history and though some are simply focussed on price, most understand the value and trust we offer. We honour our guarantees which means customers recommend us and come back for more work.

With a strong brand name and rich history, what are your plans to keep your company and brand name prominent?

In this throwaway age, we focus on the principles that have shaped our company through the last 144 years. “Strict attention to orders” was the promise made by Robert Mitchell in 1875 in his first newspaper advertisement. We try to uphold this principle and integrate it into the company’s culture. Our current mission statement reflects this as we aim to “delight” our customers.

My son Lewis has been Business Development Manager in Mitchell Glass for many years now and became Managing Director earlier this year. He was instrumental in building our spectacular aluminium showroom which has attracted many customers and helped them to compare different doors and profiles. We are now planning an upgrade to our PVCu showroom to display our new SBD windows. I am confident that under Lewis’ direction we will continue to give outstanding service to our customers in the years ahead and in doing so keep our brand name and reputation prominent in the industry and to homeowners.

What do you value most about being a GGF Member?

Membership helps us to keep up-to-date with industry changes, regulations and future innovations through regular meetings and publications. At GGF Scotland meetings, invited speakers usually give good relevant presentations and it is always useful to discuss challenges and technical issues with GGF staff. Also, meetings have many enthusiastic Members who are happy to share knowledge and experience. We’ve been in the GGF since 1987 and have enjoyed many benefits and I hope we continue to enjoy many more.