The company is anticipating annual revenues in the region of £50 million for the current financial year to the end of March, and is headed up by chief executive Scott Martin.
What is it exactly that you do?
We manufacture pressure vessels and heat exchangers, we provide onsite mechanical solutions, and we also perform non-destructive testing and inspection services.
Who are your clients?
Our customers are in the energy and industrials markets. We work with those in the wind industry, the oil and gas sector, chemicals and power generation, as well as those in emerging markets relating to hydrogen, carbon capture and energy storage.
Why did you decide to take the plunge?
I saw the potential in the businesses we acquired in 2011 in the buyout, recognising that they were non-core to their former owner and would benefit from some investment.
I also recognised that a much larger group could be built around these businesses by establishing complementary capability, and we did this by completing several more acquisitions.
What do you least enjoy about your job?
Any mundane tasks that take me away from important strategic areas.
What are your ambitions for Glacier Energy?
We’re aiming to double the size of the group within three years and for the company to be recognised as a key player within the energy transition, establishing a long-term legacy for the business.
What would most help you to achieve these goals?
A stable political environment with a long-term energy strategy and policies for the good of the country. Ever-changing approaches driven by political factors are extremely unhelpful for the energy industry and therefore the country as a whole.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned?
Act decisively and don’t procrastinate – whether it is a problematic business or a poorly performing employee, it is preferable for all sides to take prompt action for everyone’s best interests.
Where do you find yourself most at ease?
I play tennis competitively and this gives me a welcome release from the pressure of the CEO role. My tennis matches are often intense, but the pressure is different to that of the boardroom.
If you weren’t in your current role, what job would you most fancy?
Director of football at an English Premiership club – a strategic role with no involvement in the day-to-day to management of the players.
What phrase or quotation has inspired you the most?
“Attitude is Everything.” A can-do, positive attitude makes a huge difference in every aspect of life.
What is the best book you have ever read? Why is it the best?
“Winning” by former General Electric CEO, Jack Welch, which contains valuable business lessons that are relatively straightforward to apply in practice.
What has been your most challenging moment in life or business?
Managing cash flow in the post-Covid period was extremely difficult and put a huge strain on the business and its people, as well as our suppliers. At times, the future looked bleak, but we came out of the challenging period strongly with great positive momentum in the business now.
What do you now know that you wish you had known when starting out in your career?
Nothing specifically – I think part of the fun is learning as you go, picking up new experiences and applying it in the future.