A SALISBURY business built on strong family foundations has recently celebrated over 70 years of success and is still going strong.

The origins of Salisbury Glass Centre were humble, with Doug Gower setting up the business in a shed in 1952 in the Churchfields area pre-development.

His son, now managing director of the company, Mark Gower said: “It started off with my dad working at the shed, buying the putty, cutting the glass, and putting it into wooden frames, it was only single glazing then.

“We were a glazing company, then moved into window manufacturing, and then, manufacturing double-glazing units.”

When the business first started, Doug Gower had rented a lock-up garage in Balmoral Road so to cut the glass. The company moved a few times going to a Nissan Hut in Churchfields in the late 1950’s, then to Gigant Street and then, back to Churchfields as it expanded.  

They set up a commercial division and a domestic division, and both thrived.

Doug Gower died in 2007 but the family’s commitment to the business continues with third-generation family members committed to taking the company forward.  

Mark firmly believes that the success of the company is due to the personal touch.

“It is a saturated market and very price driven. We work in Aluminium, where there are more colours and designs. It is about quality.

 “Most of the people I grew up with are still in the company. Over 25 people have been with us between 20 and 44 years, and that’s not even counting those who have been with us for 10-20 years. Our retention is extremely high.

“We like to take on apprentices and enthusiastic people and to develop them straight from school so they can learn all the ways of the company.”

The 70 years of business success celebration party took place at South Wilts Cricket Club, and it was a relaxed, ‘family-like’ event with food and drink, a game of football, and a tug of war where some of the former employees also turned up.

Mark said: “I hope my son will remain in the company and will succeed me and that his children will too and maintain the Gower name within Salisbury Glass Centre.  That has been my thinking from day one.

He joked: “My career was mapped out in this company, although, I wanted to be a jockey first…before I grew, and then, a gamekeeper, but my dad said I needed to get a trade behind me first. The rest is history.”

He added: “I am exceptionally proud of the company and all of the people who have worked for us over the years, and I look forward to seeing the next generation of the Gower family leading into the next era with all the job opportunities that come with it.”

 

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