How do I judge a glass shop’s cutting table and tempering supplier setup?
Watch the cutting table run, check its accuracy and maintenance history, and ask what breakage it produces. Then look at the tempering arrangement: who does it, how long it takes, what it costs and what happens if that supplier stops. Most shops depend on one tempering source, so confirm there is a backup.
Request service records for the table and any digital controls. Watch a few cuts of different sizes and check edges, squareness and waste. Ask the operator what goes wrong and how often glass is scrapped.
For tempering, get the supplier’s name, pricing, turnaround times and how orders are placed. Ask whether the arrangement is a written agreement or a handshake with the owner. A relationship held personally by the seller may not carry across to you.
Ask what happens when the tempering supplier is slow or down. Find out whether another supplier has ever been used, and what that did to lead times and cost. Visit the supplier if you can, and ask how they see the shop as a customer. Then ask your lawyer to look at any written terms, and have an equipment appraiser value the cutting table if the deal depends on it. Do not forget your own plan for the setup. If the shop sends most work out for tempering, think about whether you want to keep it that way or invest in your own capability later. Ask the owner about lead times that customers have accepted and whether any contract depends on a promised turnaround. Understanding the current arrangement helps you judge how much freedom you will have to change it.
Key takeaways
- Watch the cutting table work and ask about scrap and repairs.
- Learn who tempers the glass, how long it takes and how it is agreed.
- Confirm a backup tempering source exists.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to diversify your supply chain
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