Essential KBB - Clear Vision
'From its rural farmyard base in West Sussex, Ion Glass is fast-earning a tip-top reputation for contemporary bespoke glass work.' by Amelia Thorpe
A farmyard is perhaps one of the least likely places you would expect to locate a top-end glass specialist, but that's exactly where you'll find Peter Hazeldean. He's the driving force behind Ion Glass, the company fast-earning a reputation for its bespoke glass products, from simple frameless shower screens to technically complex staircases.
The site of the company workshop in this rural setting belies the dynamism at work: "We are, to my knowledge, the largest supplier of wholly bespoke frameless shower screens in the country and the only people producing bespoke curved shower screens" says Peter.
As two cows in a nearby field look balefully on, our photographer Andrew's camera starts whirring. Peter, however, is reluctant to stop talking to have his portrait taken, even for a moment. "To be honest, I'm just so excited about what we do", he says.
And it's not just shower screens that are earning Ion its singular reputation. "We are producing more and more outrageous things in glass," says Peter of the company's increasing focus on architectural and structural glass elements. "Our attitude is that it doesn't really matter how off-the-wall the brief is, because we have access to the right expertise. If you have realistic budget we can make if for you."
So just how did Peter get where he is today? He left the UK for Australia with his family at the age of 12 and lived there for 24 years. After qualifying with a BSc in engineering from the University of Queensland, he set up a lawn mowing business. "Three years later, I had a staff of 40 and a turnover of Australian $2m," he laughs. He moved from landscaping to commercial furniture, then into the bathroom business, before becoming involved in glass showers and glass heating about 10 years ago. Spotting the trend towards glass shower screens, he set up Ion Glass three years ago to provide bespoke solutions. Today, the company designs and specifies screens, worktops, panels, splashbacks, doors, table tops, staircases, balustrades, room dividers and wall cladding, even furniture, and specialises in colour coated, tinted, sandblasted and textured finishes. Recent work includes vast glass screens for the Daylesford Farm complex in Gloucestershire and coloured glass balustrades and wall cladding for Terminal Five.
"We engineer the glass, Ion produces the detailed, technical drawings for each bespoke installation, including fixing methods and fits on site. "So for a staircase, for example, we produce the metalwork, glass and fittings, and erect the entire struccture - it make for joined-up thinking."
"A lot of people think of glass as being fragile which is not correct," he explains. "Yes, it is if you mistreat it, but that's the same as everything. Once fitted, glass isn't fragile at all."To his mind it is the durability of glass and the versatility of its application that will encourage its continued popularity. So, what's next on the agenda? "To be honest, the easy way for us to grow this business is to take on larger projects, as we grow we will divide the company into three: bath fittings, back painted glass and glass staircases & structural glass." He also sees the potential for developing off-the-shlef products, such as glass vanity units and shower screens. But it's clear that what excites him most is being given a technical challenge. "It's great when clients encourage us to push the boundaries" he says.
