Nick Dutton is joining Ryan Green and Clayton Glass as a strategic partner as the glass manufacturer restructures its operations to create a stronger nationwide offering aligned with the changing needs of the UK market.
The restructuring will see Clayton reshape its manufacturing footprint and concentrate production across strategically located sites, giving the company the right capacity, in the right locations, to support the products and services today’s glass market demands.
Nick, previously of Brisant Secure where he led the development of the Ultion brand, will work alongside Clayton’s existing leadership team, with a particular focus on product innovation, commercial development and growth. His involvement will also see him take a shareholding in the business.
Ryan Green, Founder of Clayton Glass, said:
“The glass market has changed and Clayton needs to continue to change with it. That means having the right capacity, in the right places, producing the right products for the market we’re actually serving today.”
The changes are designed to improve manufacturing efficiency and capacity utilisation while allowing Clayton to concentrate its resources behind the products, service and innovation that will drive the next phase of the company.
For Clayton’s customers, continuity is at the heart of the restructuring. The company will continue to manufacture and supply sealed glass units nationwide, serving customers of all sizes through its multi-site manufacturing and distribution network.
There will be no interruption to existing product warranties, while customer service and continuity of supply will remain central to Clayton’s operations throughout the transition.
Central to Clayton’s future product offering is the hugely successful Triple28™, its 28mm triple glazed unit, developed to make the move from double to triple glazing significantly easier for fabricators and installers.
Clayton will remain a multi-site operation, retaining the manufacturing capacity, logistics and geographic reach required to provide a genuinely nationwide service.
Opinion
This is a hard market. The cost of production is rising constantly, and with major energy price hikes predicted in the new year, it only looks set to rise further. As a manufacturing business in this sector, you can either choose to make the hard choices now to give yourself a better chance of success in the future, or you can stick your head in the sand and hope it all blows over. The latter is not a plan, by the way. Blind optimism can be dangerous in business.
What should grab the market’s attention is the return of Nick Dutton – this time in the glass sector. His proven track record in other parts of the fenestration sector will be a major asset to the new-look Clayton Glass. Product innovation, marketing prowess, and a sharp eye for new opportunities are going to be incredibly valuable.
A key aspect to take note of here as well is the confirmation that all warranties will be honoured, bills will be paid, and there will be continuity of service. This is a physical change of a company to suit the market we are in now, not the market that was.
And that is what we should all be taking note of. The market we are in looks a hell of a lot different from that of even just a couple of years ago. The challenges we all face are acute, severe, and require addressing. Plans need to be made and then remade. You either change and adapt to the environment you’re in, or you don’t. If you don’t, well, we know where that ends up.
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