When Patrick Schüddig, Ingo Wedel and Ralf Wiesner took over the company, which was founded in 1864, as partners and Managing Directors around 20 years ago, Schwan Glas (www.schwanglas.com) had a very different set-up than today. At that time, the company not only processed and refined glass, it also had its own insulating glass production.
Patrick Schüddig remembers: "After the takeover, we first concentrated on the pure trading business and the grinding shop. At the same time, we turned our focus more and more to the interior glass business and have never regretted this decision. On the contrary, it has meant that we are also always on the lookout for special products that few companies offer."
Ingo Wedel adds: "With the focus on interior glass, we then gave up our insulating glass production. Today we are traders and manufacturers. We focus on processing glass, we have just invested in a new, large vertical CMS Profile processing centre. And we also manufacture laminated glass and LSG using the bagging process (with ovens from Tema and TK)."
Starting out as Schwan Glas employees
Matthias Rehberger / GW
This changeover to a new market orientation was a challenge for Managing Directors Schüddig and Wedel, who now actively manage the company, as both have long grown close to the traditional Schwan Glas company.
Patrick Schüddig and Ingo Wedel have been with the company since the beginning: First they did their apprenticeship in the company and later expanded and deepened their know-how with a part-time degree. And then one day the offer came to take over Schwan Glas.
"And we 'had' to accept this offer in order to keep the company alive," recalls Ingo Wedel, who is now the technical director at Schwan Glas.
Supplier for trade and industrial customers
Matthias Rehberger / GW
Patrick Schüddig: "We have many small and medium-sized customers from the trade, whom we not only supply with products and also assemble them, but also support with advice, which is gladly accepted." As a supplier, Schwan Glas addresses its product range to craftsmen in interior design, carpenters, metal and exhibition stand builders, among others, as well as to other glass processors, glaziers and glass builders.
Earlier in our series: Glass Natter from Regensburg: Strong women in glass
The comprehensive range includes a large variety of glass for interior fittings, LSG and laminated glass (including special design foils and laminated design elements), mirrors, lacquered glass from our own production and much more. In case of requests for special glass with colours or special laminates, the experts then also sample the requested glass for their customers.
"Our customers are looking for individual products"
Ingo Wedel: "CNC processing with our processing centre (Intermac) as well as the associated glass grinding shop (Lattuada) are an important mainstay; in addition, we lacquer glasses ourselves, do matting and offer many other surface finishes. We can also respond to customers' individual wishes in terms of colours and design."
As a speciality, the glass specialists actually laminate on ornamental glass. Wedel: "Our customers appreciate this individuality. In addition, we manufacture individual glass products from batch size 1."
Patrick Schüddig adds. "We are a manufactory. And with our experienced, well-trained skilled workers, we can realise such products in the highest quality."
Schwan Glas
At Schwan Glas, lamination takes place in the bag process in the silicone mat. This allows a very high quality to be achieved. This has proven itself. In addition, the energy costs are lower than with autoclaves and cast glass can also be laminated in the bag.
Special products, such as the specially laminated glasses, also bring industrial customers from the glass sector to Schwan Glas, as well as from other industrial sectors, such as partition walls, interiors and also from the marine segment. Here, the highest quality and often minimal tolerances are required.
For the standard business, the company delivers its products within a radius of 50 to 60 km. With its special products, it is active in the entire DACH region and Benelux.
Successful with special and niche products
When asked about niche products, Patrick Schüddig, who is in charge of special products and development at the company, explains: "Special products that have a unique selling proposition are very interesting for us. What is important with such products is the added value they offer, which distinguishes them from standard products. And we are always on the lookout for such applications. We also have great fun developing such glasses."
Currently, the glass specialists are working with a partner who has developed a tintable smart glass based on liquid crystal film. "Smart glass is an exciting growth market. Together with our partner, we want to market the new glass," says Schüddig.
And further: "We have built up a sound knowledge base here at the site, which we are constantly expanding and which we pass on to our employees. So we have very good skilled workers."
See also: 4 great reasons for making insulating glass out of safety glass
Matthias Rehberger / GW
Further education and training was also a key reason for becoming a partner in the Flachglas MarkenKreis, with Schwan Glas also making particular use of the training opportunities and materials that the glass network offers
The environment also on the agenda
Avoiding plastic packaging is also on Schwan Glas‘ agenda. Managing Director Schüddig explains: "We are currently working on a concept to change our packaging. We are not only focusing on eliminating plastic packaging materials, but also on recycling. In future, we will use paper for packaging (sensitive) glasses and paper tapes that can be easily recycled. I got the inspiration for this from an article I read in GLASWELT."
On the recipe for success of Schwan Glas, Patrick Schüddig says: "We are offering solutions for craftsmen and planners, for which we guarantee quality and fast delivery times."
Matthias Rehberger
Schwan Glas
Matthias Rehberger / GW
Schwan Glas
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