Glencairn Crystal: the family business with a worldwide name for excellence
Any connoisseur of fine whisky will tell you that to make the most of your drinking experience you need a glass of matching quality.
At a specialist studio in East Kilbride, Scotland, Glencairn Crystal is doing just that and producing iconic glassware fit for a King É quite literally.
For the world’s leading crystal glassware company can now boast a new Royal seal of approval after being honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise for InnovationÉ for the fourth time in its history.
It’s an accolade that says everything about the philosophy of the family business Ð to produce the finest whisky glassware while putting care for the customer and staff at the forefront of everything they do.
The business, founded by Raymond Davidson in 1981, employs more than 70 people and sells its glasses, bottles and decanters to the business and consumer markets across the world.
It is now managed by Raymond’s two sons, Paul and Scott Davidson and family values continue to underpin the company.
For 25 years, Glencairn Crystal has produced the iconic Glencairn Glass – the first glass designed specifically for whisky.
Recognised as the official glass for whisky in the UK, and throughout the whisky industry internationally, it is the world’s favourite whisky glass, used by millions of consumers and distilleries around the globe.
Glencairn have now sold 50 million of the glasses and continue to supply worldwide demand by producing five million a year.
It is the most famous of all Glencairn’s glassware, but just one of the array of products crafted at the Crystal Studio, which include high-end bottles and decanters featuring intricate metalwork, unique application processes and state-of-the-art engraving techniques.
The studio currently engraves 5,000 pieces of crystal a week for a hungry UK and international market.
While these are the bread-and-butter products of the business, it also creates exclusive bottles and decanters for some of the rarest whiskies and spirits in the World.
One 80-year-old Glenlivet, presented in a one-off Glencairn decanter, sold for £140,000, while three other decanters of 64-year old rare malt are currently valued at £1.5m each.
Scott Davidson, who is New Product Development Director for the business, is understandably proud of the Kings Award and the values the company holds.
He said: “We are delighted to have been recognised for our work with The King’s Award for Innovation. To be granted such a prestigious award for the fourth time in the past 20 years is incredibly special.
“The attraction of the King’s Award is that big wow factor. It’s the most prestigious in the UK and recognition that we’ve been doing pioneering things since we started 44 years ago.
“For a company like ourselves, that is known in around 150 countries across the globe, it’s the King’s word and a mark of approval that we are worthy and reputable
“As a family run business for more than 40 years, we have a valued team of talented employees who have innovation at the core of everything we do. This award is a testament to the passion, creativity, and dedication of everyone here at Glencairn Crystal, and to our mission of pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for our customers in crystal and glass.”
By embedding world-leading invention and highly bespoke branding into its proprietary decanters and bottles, Glencairn works with spirits companies, globally, to elevate the value of their brands, showcasing, in the best possible light, the craftsmanship that has gone into every one.
The company first received the Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2006 for the Glencairn Glass, followed by the Queen’s Award
for International Trade in 2012
and 2017.
The business is perhaps the only company in the world that carries out the entire process of developing a whole decanter including the design, development, metal-ware, assembly and decoration.
It introduced innovations built over the years to achieve all of this in-house on a large scale, which was one of the key reasons they applied for the award this time around.
Winning these accolades reinforces the values built into the DNA of the business from the day it was founded.
Scott says: “The business is built on a commitment to personal service and quality workmanship and we believe that a focus on family values delivers both a better product and leads to customer-orientation.
“We treat everyone with the respect and warmth that a family would demand. Such values are not just words in a marking plan Ð we live by them.
“We are first and foremost a family business and business decisions are made by the family. We value our staff very highly and treat them as part of that family.
“It does get harder as you grow, but we continue to put people first, try to make sure they can enjoy their day’s work and provide an enjoyable environment to work in.
“We insist that people get away by five every day because we realise we all have lives to live outside
of work.”
The company has enjoyed steady growth from day one, looking to double turnover every five to six years.
It plans for further growth in the future, looking to expand into the fertile new markets in South Korea, China and India.
The team of more than 70 includes a wide range in terms, experience and expertise, but the business is particularly proud that it is bringing in a significant number of young graduates who can build a long career.
Says Scott: “These creative, talented young members of our team are the future of our business.”
By Andrew Edwards
www.glencairn.com
