Leaders of Pilkington UK have charted a 12-fold increase in reeded glass sales since 2016 – an increase of more than 1,000% this year as opposed to seven years ago. The increase points to an art deco revival, according to a representative of the glass manufacturer. Pilkington is part of the NSG Group.
A representatives of the Park Glass team, which supplies the full range from Pilkington UK, said that Pilkington Reeded glass now represents more than half of its sales in the texture glass category. “We’ve noticed that the growing preference for aluminium Crittall window and door frames correlates to the popularity of Pilkington Reeded glass,” said Ollie Pryer, a director for Park Glass.
“The resurgence of the textured glass trend, once popular in the 1920s, is interesting to see. History has a way of repeating itself.”
Kirk Green, regional sales manager at Pilkington UK, added: “The growth in popularity of Pilkington Reeded glass speaks for itself. It is a testament to the transformative nature of textured glass in architecture.
“It’s used to take advantage of light and shadow for aesthetic purposes, add depth and provide privacy while allowing natural light to filter through. A blend of form and function as well as a distinct aesthetic appeal is not only reshaping the current design landscape but influencing future trends.”
Ollie continued: “Pilkington Reeded glass is truly a fantastic choice in today’s world, and for all the right reasons. Its incredible versatility to fit in with different needs and settings have made it incredibly popular across a wide range of applications. Whether it’s for your home or for a hospitality setting, this glass is the perfect pick!”
Pilkington Reeded is manufactured at the glassmakers Watson Street Works in St Helens, Merseyside – the same site where Pilkington was founded. Next year, production of texture glass products is set to move to Pilkington UK’s Greengate base, as the Watson Street Works closes (our fuller report about this change is published here.)
The Pilkington team is upgrading the Greengate furnace to take on the additional capacity that will enable the business to produce products like Pilkington Reeded. Operating out of one, upgraded furnace is set to save 15,000 tonnes of carbon each year while retaining all jobs on the site.
