Glassworks Hounsell

What Glassworks Hounsell does

Glassworks Hounsell is a family-owned precision engineering company founded in 1887 and headquartered in Halesowen, West Midlands, UK. The company operates from a 40,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility with eleven machining centres, heavy fabrication capability (up to 14 metres and 7.5 tonnes), and ISO 9001 certification maintained for nearly 20 years. Its business is structured around two pillars: (1) Glass Industry Equipment, including batch chargers (Oscillating, Static, Screw, X/Y Boom, Letterbox, and Pusher Type), Stannex tin oxide electrodes for electric melting, Aqua Sprays/Hydra Mixers, Vibratory Feeder Systems, and traditional heritage glassblowing equipment; and (2) Precision Engineering Services, including CNC turning, CNC milling, manual machining, metal fabrication and welding (MIG/TIG/ARC/GAS), CAD/CAM design, CMM inspection, and industrial painting with global shipment.

The company serves customers in more than 50 countries through direct sales and a century-old agent and distributor network. Named customers span glass container and electronics manufacturers (O-I, Ardagh, Verallia, Samsung, Hyundai, LG Electronics), aerospace and defence primes (Rolls Royce, UK Ministry of Defence), automation and robotics OEMs (Cleveland Cascades), medical technology firms, and marine and industrial machinery clients. Revenue is generated through bespoke project-based contracts, hardware sales of proprietary equipment (notably Stannex tin oxide electrodes and OBC units), and aftermarket services including batch charger refurbishment and crisis management. In April 2022, Glassworks Hounsell acquired The Electric Actuator Company, extending its product portfolio into electric actuators and marking its first M&A transaction.

Name

Glassworks Hounsell

Legal name

Glassworks Hounsell Limited

Website

https://glassworkshounsell.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Glassworks Hounsell is a family-owned UK precision engineering company (founded 1887) specializing in glass industry batch charging equipment, Stannex tin oxide electrodes, and bespoke CNC machining and fabrication services for aerospace, defence, medical, and industrial clients in 50+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Engineering and Industrial Manufacturing Equipment

NAICS

Glass Container Manufacturing (327213), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339), Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing (32721)

SIC

Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567), Glass & Glassware, Pressed Or Blown (3220)

akta.pro primary industry

Glass Fabrication & Processing Services (Cutting/Edging/Drilling/Polishing) (IMADAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sheet Metal Machinery (Laser/Plasma/Waterjet Cutting, Punching) (IMAHADAD)

Keywords

• Precision engineering
• Batch charging systems
• CNC machining services
• Metal fabrication
• Tin oxide electrodes

Headquarters

HQ city

Halesowen

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Custom Precision Engineering Services: Bespoke precision engineering services including CNC turning, CNC milling, and manual machining for complex components. Services range from one-off prototypes to repeat production runs.
2. Metal Fabrication and Welding: Heavy-duty metal fabrication and welding services including MIG, TIG, ARC and GAS welding. Fabrication capabilities up to 14 metres in length for structural steel applications.
3. Batch Charging Equipment: Design, manufacture, and supply of batch charging systems and spare parts for glass industry furnaces. Includes refurbishment and crisis management services.
4. Tin Oxide Electrodes: Stannex tin oxide electrodes and connector systems for electric melting applications. Electrodes are individually made, numbered, tested and approved before despatch.
5. Heritage Equipment: Traditional glass heritage equipment including blowing irons, gathering irons, punties, and marver tables for hand glassblowing processes.
6. Inspection and Quality Services: In-house CMM inspection services, quality data records for full traceability, FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing), water testing facilities, and NDT where appropriate.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Glassworks Hounsell manufactures batch charging equipment and tin oxide electrodes for the glass industry, and provides precision engineering services including CNC turning, CNC milling, metal fabrication, manual machining, and CAD/CAM design. Operations are run from a 40,000 sq. ft. facility in Halesowen, West Midlands, serving customers in more than 50 countries.

Product overview

Glassworks Hounsell is a precision engineering company offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for the glass manufacturing industry and general precision engineering sectors. The portfolio comprises two main categories: Glass Industry Equipment (including batch chargers, tin oxide electrodes, and heritage equipment) and Precision Engineering Services (CNC turning, CNC milling, metal fabrication, CAD/CAM, inspection, and materials processing). The Glass Industry segment is anchored by the Oscillating Batch Charger (OBC) as a flagship product with over 1150 units supplied globally, complemented by Static, Screw, X/Y Boom, Letterbox, and Pusher Type Chargers, Aqua Sprays/Hydra Mixers, Vibratory Feeder Systems, and Stannex Tin Oxide Electrodes with connector systems. The Precision Engineering division provides CNC turning (up to 535mm diameter), CNC milling (7 machines including 4-axis), heavy-duty fabrication (up to 13m and 7.5 tonnes), manual machining with tool room, CMM inspection, CAD/CAM design, and industrial painting/shipment services. The company also acquired The Electric Actuator Company in April 2022 to expand into actuator products. All services are backed by ISO 9001 certification and delivered from the company's 40,000 sq. ft. facility in Halesowen, West Midlands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Stannex Tin Oxide Electrodes: Pure, isostatically-pressed tin oxide electrodes for electric melting applications in the glass industry, including rods and blocks with custom connector systems.

Products and services

• Oscillating Batch Charger (OBC) Optimal batch coverage charger suitable for all furnace types and sizes. Glassworks offers 6 standard sizes with customisation options and has supplied more than 1150 units worldwide, with over 50 years of industry experience.
• Static Charger (SC) Durable and expense-conscious batch charger suited to challenging operating conditions that effectively seals a 'doghouse', featuring a Twin Pusher System for extra control and production flexibility.
• Screw Charger (SCC) Suitable for all furnace sizes, applied when sealing is the main priority such as when using Oxy fuels or manufacturing fibre glass. Manufactured to ISO 9001 standards with bespoke options available.
• X/Y and Boom Chargers (XYC/BC) Tailored chargers for electric furnaces of all shapes and sizes with capacity between 1.5-100 tpd, manufactured to ISO9001:2008 standards.
• Letterbox Charger (LBC) Custom-manufactured to specific mechanical and electrical requirements to ISO9001:2008 Standards, suitable for all furnace sizes with closed doghouse.
• Pusher Type Charger (PTC) Basic and rugged charger for open doghouses on furnaces of varying sizes, with bespoke units and retrofitting expertise available.
• Aqua Sprays / Hydra Mixers Bespoke units for introducing finely controlled wetted batch to address inconsistencies in moisture content and dust dispersal.
• Vibratory Feeder Systems Integrated vibratory feed systems using electromagnetic or counter balance motors with technical advice bespoke to individual requirements, retrofittable with full technical support.
• Stannex Tin Oxide Electrodes Pure, isostatically-pressed tin oxide electrodes for electric melting applications including All Electric Melting, Mixed Melters, Risers and Feeder Channels, and Boosting. Each electrode is individually made, numbered, tested and approved before despatch.
• Tin Oxide Connector Systems All connector systems manufactured in-house for Rod and Block electrodes, paired to electrodes and designed as a complete package for customers.
• Heritage Equipment Traditional glassblowing equipment including blowing irons (punties), gathering irons, and marver tables for hand glassblowing processes.
• CNC Turning Services Precision CNC turning services from high-volume production to complex one-off parts, including Manual Turn up to 535mm diameter and 2000mm length, CNC Turn to 350mm diameter x 600mm length, and twin spindle CLX machine capacity.
• CNC Milling Services UK-leading CNC milling services with high precision, competitive pricing and fast turnaround. Houses 7 CNC Millers including 4-Axis machines with a large VMC (WELE 316) supporting workpieces up to 3000mm x 1500mm x 800mm.
• Metal and Steel Fabrication Services Industrial fabrication and welding services including MIG, TIG, ARC and GAS welding to BS4872 standards. Supports fabrications up to 13 metres long and 7.5 tonnes with a dedicated 4,000 sq. ft. assembly shop.
• Manual Machining and Tool Room Specialist manual machining and tool room equipped with grinding machines and a heavy-duty Wotan boring machine for purpose-focused solutions.
• CMM Inspection Services Industry-leading CMM inspection services with a large CMM for high tolerance work, UKAS-traceable calibration, and full quality data records for traceability.
• CAD/CAM Design Services High-quality CAD/CAM design services using Fusion 360 as programming/estimating tool supported by Simco for program delivery and backup. Uses 2D (AutoCAD), 3D (SolidWorks) and Fusion360 software for design and modelling.
• Batch Charger Refurbishment Full batch charger refurbishment focusing on crisis management including 100 point inspection, water pressure checking, material thickness measurement, painting, stripping, and sandblasting. Can return used chargers to 'like new' state.
• Industrial Painting and Global Shipment In-house painting zone with ventilated spray booth for finishing of core products, plus a dedicated packing facility for worldwide shipment with wooden crates heat-treated to comply with international trade packaging requirements.
• The Electric Actuator Company Design, build and supply of electric actuators for customers worldwide. Acquired by Glassworks Hounsell in April 2022, with operations and manufacture moved from Bradford to Halesowen.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1150 OBC units supplied worldwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Electric Actuator CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Glassworks Hounsell acquired The Electric Actuator Company in April 2022. The two businesses had a historic relationship spanning over fifty years, with Glassworks Hounsell being a longstanding customer and one of Electric Actuator's major clients. Operations and manufacture of actuators moved from Bradford to Halesowen, continuing production with the same exacting standards. The transition includes continued support from Electric Actuators over three years for smooth business handover.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Zippe Industrieanlagen GmbH: German manufacturer of batch chargers, cullet processing and glass recycling equipment — directly competes with Glassworks Hounsell's Oscillating Batch Charger and related furnace feeding systems for the same container and float glass customers.
• Horn Glass Industries AG: German supplier of complete glass melting furnaces and batch charging systems serving container, float and specialty glass producers worldwide — overlaps with GWH's batch charger and tin oxide electrode portfolio on the same furnace build projects.
• Sorg GmbH & Co. KG: German engineering company focused on glass furnace design and batch charging technology, including electric and oxy-fuel melting — directly comparable to GWH's electric melting expertise and Stannex electrode offering.
• Körting Hannover AG: German glass industry machinery supplier with a portfolio spanning batch charging, furnace equipment and process gas cleaning — competes with GWH for batch charger contracts at European container and specialty glass plants.
• Sklostroj Turnov a.s. Czech Republic-based manufacturer of glass forming and melting equipment serving hollow, container and technical glass producers — competes in the same furnace-side equipment category as Glassworks Hounsell.
• Bottero S.p.A. Italian manufacturer of glass processing machinery for flat glass, container glass and hollowware — a direct competitor serving global glass manufacturers with whom GWH is regularly co-specified or compared at trade shows.
• Pennekamp GmbH & Co. KG: German refractory and tin oxide electrode manufacturer for glass melting furnaces — directly competes with Glassworks Hounsell's Stannex tin oxide electrode line in the electric melting consumables market.

Broad incumbents

• Bucher Emhart Glass: Swiss-based division of Bucher Industries that is the global leader in glass container manufacturing equipment — a much larger incumbent that supplies end-to-end forming, inspection and batch handling systems to the same O-I, Ardagh and Verallia customers GWH serves.
• Bystronic Laser AG: Swiss-listed supplier of sheet metal processing machinery and automation — a larger, broader industrial machinery peer operating in the same West Midlands/CNC fabrication ecosystem where GWH provides bespoke fabrications and welded assemblies.

Regional players

• Renishaw plc: UK-listed precision engineering and metrology group based in Gloucestershire — a fellow British precision engineering firm of comparable heritage with strong metrology/CNC exposure but serving different end markets (measurement vs. glass furnace).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/glassworks_h
• Facebookfacebook.com/Glassworks-Hounsell-946246415491336
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/glassworks-hounsell-limited/about

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Glassworks Hounsell