From The Shop Floor To The Top Draw

The Sash of today is exceedingly different to the company that was started over 40 years ago. From the humble beginnings of running operations out of a shed to an international organisation that turns over £26m annually, Sash has defined itself as the market leader in the UK and has played a pinnacle role in shaping the industry as we know it today.

But as the company has evolved, one thing seemingly remains the same and that is the ethos of Sash's dedicated workforce who are committed to delivering the best quality and services in the business. The family culture that crafted the business over four decades ago is still as strong as ever, despite the business growing to gargantuan proportions.

One part of the business that has seen its fair share of change throughout the years has been the shop floor, the heart of the business. "The shop floor is one of the most instrumental parts of the business that has to be in a position to diversify in order to cater for industry demand…and to achieve this, we consistently employ the best workforce in the business," comments Dave Ruzicka, Sash UK's managing director. "Our shop floor staff have had to take on board a lot of changes over recent years - diversification into specific areas of new business and embracing new technologies for our nearly fully automated factory, the first of its kind in the UK. Our rigid policy is to employ devoted, committed people, and consequently, long service within our company is extremely high."

Working on the shop floor has enabled employees to learn the basic skills of the trade that has given them the knowledge and aptitude to excel up the Sash ladder should they so wish. For all shop floor employees, it is not just about turning out large quantities of frames or structures on a daily basis, it is about seeing the bigger picture and understanding how their work links in to all departments throughout the company. Current Operations Director, Glenn Trevelyan, typifies just how successful the system is. "I joined the company 20 years ago as a shop floor operative and was able to quickly understand how the business operated and just how crucial my role was within it. So when it came to taking my career to the next level, I was in the best position to identify the area of the business I could best excel in."

Sash heavily believes in internal promotion and ongoing staff development, enabling its workforce to craft their own positions within the business. "For those people that feel that they want to progress within the business, Sash gets behind them 100% to ensure they get all the help they need," continues Glenn. "When I made the decision to work my way up, the backing I received was fantastic. If I did not have the invaluable knowledge I picked up by working on the shop floor, I feel that it would have taken me a lot longer to achieve my goal."

Sash's shop floor operations have become the most sophisticated in the industry. With Sash now diversifying out into new markets of opportunity, and not to mention its overseas links, this is one area of the business that has had to adapt quickly to accommodate change, turning out literally thousands of products on a weekly basis.

"We are the best because we produce the best, and this is because we only employ the best!" Comments Dave Ruzicka. "When we are looking to branch out in to other areas of business and win new work, we have to show our prospective customers what it is that makes us different from our competitors. Not only can we turn around large amounts of frames daily, we deliver the very best quality all the way down the line. Our shop floor operatives are our craftsmen and our engineers. Our products are made to last and this is something that is never compromised!"

Sash strongly believes in rewarding its staff where praise is indeed deserved. For those shop floor employees that hit their targets there is the reward of paid leave, and if they regularly hit the number of frames required a cash bonus is paid. But incentivising the staff is not the only reason Sash has a wealth of longstanding employees.

Mick Tighe, a shop floor operative, has been with the company since the miners strike back in 1997, and he comments: "Being part of the Sash team is what makes this job worthwhile. I have supervised the shop floor for many years now and I have seen an overwhelming amount of change over the years…changes that have made me operate more efficiently. We now have an array of machines that make it even more possible to achieve our targets, as well as turning out a better class of product at a faster rate. Things have really moved on! Our whole working environment just keeps getting better and better!"

It is obvious Sash is one company that will never stay the same and will always be first in line to embrace new technologies to make its international operations run smoothly. But one thing is clear, Sash's dedicated workforce is the true secret behind its success.