Our History

Summer Lane was the first premises, then branded as ‘Sapphire Systems’.

With continued growth, Sapphire moved to Long Lane, London.

Then into larger offices and factory in Plantagenet Road, Barnet.

Sapphire Balustrades factory in Barnet.

In 2006, Sapphire spread to three regional offices. This one being Sapphire Southern in Silver Street Reading servicing South London, the South West and the South East.

Sapphire Midlands in Banbury covered the Midlands, North West London, and the North West up to Scotland.

Sapphire Eastern moved the Barnet factory further north in Hertfordshire to an out of town location near Royston.

In 2011, Sapphire Balustrades bought Scotia Handrail Systems in Peterhead which became Sapphire Scotland.

By 2009 Sapphire Southern had become the biggest part of the Sapphire Balustrades Group and moved to substantially bigger premises a mile further south in Reading.

Sapphire Head Office in Reading with balustrade factory operating lean production.

In 2015, Sapphire made a significant shift, moving all its business exclusively into the Balconies sector and ceasing its involvement in the balustrade marketplace. This year also marked the successful completion of Baltimore Tower, the renowned 45-storey twisted tower in London, featuring Sapphire’s balustrading and glass floors throughout its entirety.

Additionally, Sapphire furthered its dedication to excellence by acquiring a new, dedicated balcony production facility in Winchester. This strategic move allowed them to produce balconies more efficiently with an optimised production format.

In 2016, Sapphire experienced significant expansion, leading to the establishment of multiple UK factories. This growth not only granted Sapphire enhanced capabilities within these factories but also provided the capacity to surpass and meet the demands of its accelerated growth.

In 2017, Sapphire implemented a significant strategic shift, transitioning from a supply and install model to a supply and support model. This move brought about two substantial benefits:

1. Enhanced Accountability: By separating the responsibility of supply and installation, Sapphire ensured a higher level of accountability at each stage of the process. This division allowed a sharper focus on maintaining quality standards, both during the supply phase and the subsequent installation phase.
2. Improved Customer Experience: The new supply and support model empowered customers to directly manage the on-site installation teams, bypassing the need to go through Sapphire’s project team for every interaction. This streamlined communication process resulted in shorter lines of communication and eliminated the industry-standard mark-up costs, providing customers with a more efficient and cost-effective experience.

In 2018, Sapphire expanded its reach by creating the events brand, Resibuild. This new venture was born with the intention of not only serving Sapphire’s business objectives but also fulfilling the company’s social goals. Resibuild was established with a clear mission to advance industry standards through thought leadership initiatives and content.

By launching Resibuild, Sapphire demonstrated a commitment to driving positive change within the industry, beyond their primary business endeavors. Through this events brand, they sought to foster discussions, share knowledge, and promote innovative ideas that would contribute to raising standards and pushing the boundaries of excellence in the construction and balcony sectors.

With Resibuild, Sapphire aimed to be a driving force in shaping the future of the industry, empowering stakeholders with valuable insights and solutions, and fostering collaborations that would pave the way for a more sustainable and cutting-edge built environment. This strategic move showcased Sapphire’s dedication to not only being a market leader but also a catalyst for positive transformation and progress within the broader construction and architectural community.

Q4 2018 also saw the launch of Sapphire’s second generation of CABS (Computer aided balcony specifier) enabling 3D design of balconies with open access to all the construciton industry.

In 2019, Sapphire undertook a significant research project, focusing on fire brigades throughout the UK. This project aimed to investigate balcony fires, drawing lessons from incidents in the aftermath of the Grenfell regulation changes and proposed bills under consideration in parliament at that time.

This research initiative showcased Sapphire’s commitment to enhancing safety measures and understanding potential risks associated with balconies, aligning with their dedication to maintaining the highest standards of quality and compliance in the industry.

Moreover, in the same year, Sapphire extended its balcony portfolio to international markets. By venturing overseas, Sapphire successfully undertook projects in Dublin and forged partnerships with companies as far away as Belcanto in New Zealand. These international collaborations enabled Sapphire to offer its cutting-edge balcony technology to markets on the other side of the world, showcasing their expertise and innovation in a global context.

The expansion into new territories highlighted Sapphire’s ability to adapt to diverse environments and cater to a broader clientele, reinforcing their reputation as a leading player in the international balcony industry. This strategic move further solidified their position as a trusted partner for balcony solutions, both within the UK and beyond its borders.

In the year 2020, Sapphire commenced with remarkable events held in prestigious locations such as The Shard in London during January and Auckland, New Zealand in February. However, as the Covid pandemic had a profound impact globally, Sapphire proved itself well-prepared by adopting virtual communication tools like Zoom and Teams even before the pandemic. Additionally, providing laptops to all staff proved to be a wise investment, facilitating a seamless transition to remote work, which greatly benefited their customers during these challenging times.

During the early days of the pandemic, Sapphire made two courageous commitments. Firstly, they prioritized their staff’s well-being by choosing not to furlough any employees. Instead, they worked closely with each individual, offering continuous support to ensure their health and productivity remained intact.

Secondly, Sapphire pledged to increase their support for charities that faced significant hardships during the pandemic. Taking a proactive approach, they selected monthly charities and contributed a donation per mile for each staff member’s physical activities, be it walking, running, cycling, or rowing. This initiative not only promoted staff well-being but also facilitated charitable giving, reflecting Sapphire’s commitment to making a positive impact on their community.

Furthermore, in 2020, Sapphire launched COACH, a cutting-edge 3.0 version of their software. This upgraded version transformed the previous CABS system into a highly advanced 3D rendering tool with the ability to perform structural and cost calculations. The new software proved to be an invaluable resource, enabling the downloading of crucial information and contributing to more efficient and precise project execution.

Overall, 2020 was a year of adaptability, resilience, and innovation for Sapphire, as they navigated the challenges of the pandemic while continuing to make strides in technological advancements and social responsibility.

In the year 2020, Sapphire commenced with remarkable events held in prestigious locations such as The Shard in London during January and Auckland, New Zealand in February. However, as the Covid pandemic had a profound impact globally, Sapphire proved itself well-prepared by adopting virtual communication tools like Zoom and Teams even before the pandemic. Additionally, providing laptops to all staff proved to be a wise investment, facilitating a seamless transition to remote work, which greatly benefited their customers during these challenging times.

During the early days of the pandemic, Sapphire made two courageous commitments. Firstly, they prioritized their staff’s well-being by choosing not to furlough any employees. Instead, they worked closely with each individual, offering continuous support to ensure their health and productivity remained intact.

Secondly, Sapphire pledged to increase their support for charities that faced significant hardships during the pandemic. Taking a proactive approach, they selected monthly charities and contributed a donation per mile for each staff member’s physical activities, be it walking, running, cycling, or rowing. This initiative not only promoted staff well-being but also facilitated charitable giving, reflecting Sapphire’s commitment to making a positive impact on their community.

Furthermore, in 2020, Sapphire launched COACH, a cutting-edge 3.0 version of their software. This upgraded version transformed the previous CABS system into a highly advanced 3D rendering tool with the ability to perform structural and cost calculations. The new software proved to be an invaluable resource, enabling the downloading of crucial information and contributing to more efficient and precise project execution.

In May 2020 the MHCLG (UK Ministry of Housing, Communities and local government) also asked us to write a whitepaper on laminate glass and conclude on our thoughts about whether it was a safety risk or a safety benefit.

Overall, 2020 was a year in Sapphire’s history of adaptability, resilience, and innovation for Sapphire, as they navigated the challenges of the pandemic while continuing to make strides in technological advancements and social responsibility.

In the year 2021, Sapphire achieved a momentous milestone in its history by attaining carbon neutrality. This accomplishment was the result of a dedicated process that involved measuring, reducing, and offsetting their remaining carbon footprint. It marked a bold and essential initial step towards their ultimate goal of achieving true Net Zero status, reaffirming Sapphire’s commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible business practices.

Furthermore, in 2021, Sapphire expanded its global presence by building its first North American showroom. The showroom is strategically situated in Vaughan, Ontario, in close proximity to Toronto, one of Canada’s prominent cities. This expansion into the North American market showcased Sapphire’s continued growth and strengthened their position as a leader in the industry on an international scale.

These significant developments in 2021 reflected Sapphire’s ongoing dedication to innovation, environmental stewardship, and expanding its reach to new markets, reinforcing their reputation as a forward-thinking and responsible company in the balcony industry.

In November 2021, during the Shard Flagship event, Sapphire showcased their adaptability by successfully restarting in-person gatherings after running numerous virtual events throughout the pandemic. This significant occasion also marked the launch of their thought leadership book, a remarkable collaboration featuring contributions from 95 subject matter experts across diverse viewpoints within and beyond the balcony industry.

The thought leadership book, a testament to Sapphire’s commitment to knowledge sharing, delved into various topics, offering valuable insights and solutions to critical challenges and opportunities in the field. This initiative solidified Sapphire’s position as a leading force for positive change, promoting innovation, and elevating industry standards.

The Shard Flagship event and the thought leadership book demonstrated Sapphire’s resilience and unwavering dedication to thought leadership and fostering connections within the balcony industry.

n 2022, Sapphire celebrated its momentous 30th anniversary with an exclusive VIP event at their Reading Head Office, commemorating three decades of excellence and innovation in the balcony industry. The event featured a look into the future direction of Sapphire as well as an exhibition on the rich Sapphire history.

Throughout the year, Sapphire took its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy to new heights. They initiated a cross-departmental effort dedicated to ongoing research and establishment of a business-critical ESG strategy. This initiative focused on the principles of transparency, ethical leadership, and substantiated by physical evidence, reaffirming their commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices.

Moreover, 2022 was a pivotal year for significant Research and Development (R&D) efforts at Sapphire. They dedicated resources to researching, testing, and launching various new low-carbon innovations. One such innovation was the introduction of a new low-carbon balcony anchor, further enhancing thermal breaks and contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions. Additionally, Sapphire introduced a new postcode calculator, leveraging local data points to calculate lifetime thermal performance based on postcodes, enabling project-specific data insights.

The year 2022 showcased Sapphire’s enduring dedication to progress and sustainability, both through their exceptional R&D endeavors and their strengthened ESG strategy. These initiatives underscored their continuous efforts to lead the industry with cutting-edge solutions and sustainable practices, positioning them as a forward-thinking and responsible industry leader.

In 2023, Sapphire achieved significant milestones in their commitment to environmental sustainability and innovation. They launched the Sapphire ESG Roadmap, making them the first balcony company globally to take the following groundbreaking steps:

1. Commitment to the SBTi: Sapphire became a pioneer in the balcony industry by committing to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This ambitious commitment underscored their dedication to setting science-based targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, aligning their efforts with global efforts to combat climate change.
2. Complete End-to-End Lifecycle EPDs: Sapphire took a bold and transparent approach by completing end-to-end lifecycle Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for their full balcony system and thermal breaks. This comprehensive environmental assessment provided valuable data on the ecological impact of their products throughout their entire lifecycle, from raw material extraction to disposal.

Additionally, in 2023, Sapphire unveiled an entirely new generation of balconies. These innovative designs not only reduced carbon emissions but also significantly reduced the overall weight of the structures, enhancing safety and enabling a world of new possibilities. One notable example was the introduction of the crescent corner, offering a fresh and exciting architectural feature to their balcony offerings.

Sapphire’s achievements in 2023 demonstrates their unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of sustainability, safety, and design within the balcony industry. By embracing cutting-edge technologies and embracing a holistic approach to environmental responsibility, Sapphire continued to establish itself as a leading force in sustainable construction and architectural solutions.