A HULL–BASED glass company which is proving to be a smash hit is expanding as a result of its success.

KwikTuf in Fountain Street supplies toughened glass and insulating glass units to businesses and organisations across the region.

Over the past five years the firm has experienced year–on–year growth.

Now, in a bid to capitalise on its sparkling success, Kwiktuf is seeking to establish a national profile for its glass processing and new laminating capability.

A key part of the company's future plans has been the takeover of 12 Main Street, in Hull, which is situated opposite their current location.

Michelle Saville, personnel manager, said: "A crucial factor in the rise of KwikTuf has been the company's ability to deliver on time.

"Our strict adherence to a three–day turnaround and delivery in full has gained us local business without the need for a heavy sales drive."

The company was registered in 2003 when Nigel Thomas, who has three decades of manufacturing industry experience under his belt, and Paul Myers, formally operations director of Bennett Glass, joined forces to create a business they thought would fill a gap in the market.

Seven years later and the company employs 46 staff, operates 24 hours a day, five days a week, and has a fleet of six commercial vehicles regularly delivering as far afield as Doncaster, Manchester, Scunthorpe, Lincoln and Nottingham.

With the expansion has come a £200,000 investment in new equipment, including a second Intermac CNC machining centre.

Michelle said: "We have been pretty brave in the last 12 to 18 months, though the investments have been something carefully considered.

"We've recently taken the decision to purchase an RCN laminating line and second Intermac CNC machining centre.

"We expect structural glass panels, such as balustrade systems without handrails, stair treads, and floor panels, to be the main application of the machinery.

"Combining the latest technology this laminating line has to offer with the company's present processing capabilities, in effect, allows the potential for a toughened laminated product to be completed fully in-house within a 24-hour period."

Although the company limits itself to regional deliveries of toughened glass and IG units to maintain its service levels, KwikTuf aims to achieve the same reputation on a national scale for processing and laminating work.

The business already delivers to Antwerp in Belgium.

The deal of the 5,300sq ft building was handled by PPH Commercial surveyor Ben Cooper.