Glass Lanterns at Scotch Whisky

There’s not much that Gray & Dick don’t know about high-end structural glazing and not much that the tenth largest Scotch whisky company, Ian Macleod Distillers, don’t know about crafting premium Scotch whisky, gin, and rum brands. It was therefore the perfect blend when these two market leaders came together in a project to create a new corporate headquarters in Broxburn for the fourth-generation Scottish independent distiller.

A new whisky HQ
When Ian Macleod Distillers outgrew its administrative base in Broxburn, it saw an opportunity for a new, purpose-built headquarters which would meet its business needs and serve as a local landmark in the industrial and commercial heartland of West Lothian.

The requirements of a main office, storage building, car park could be considered as standard. But the company had resolved to create a headquarters which would be as unique and timeless its brands, which include Glengoyne, Tamdhu, Isle of Skye and Smokehouse Scotch. The answer lay in heritage and glass – two of Gray & Dick’s specialisms.

      

Landmark glass lanterns
With their proven expertise in bespoke fabrication work, Gray & Dick were commissioned to make and install the building’s defining feature – two prominent glass lanterns modelled on the louvred ventilation shafts found on most traditional Scottish distilleries. This blending of modern glass with a traditional distillery feature promised to create a defining structural feature.

We crafted the lanterns in double-glazed units, with a laminated inner skin. Laminated glass is a tough alternative to ordinary glass, providing a robust structure that is hard to break. The lanterns were assembled and glazed at ground level to ensure quality and speed, and lifted into position by a 200T crane. The glazing was finished with an optically clear EnduroShield protective coating, bonded to the surface to create a non-stick barrier resistant to corrosion, etching and staining. When it came to installation, we used 60 by 60 box section steelwork together with the specialist RAICO carrier system. When the full project is completed, these prominent glass lanterns, supplied by Gray & Dick, will celebrate the proud history of Ian Macleod Distillers and shine a light on its promising future. 

    

Our services
Gray & Dick is the market leader in the design, supply, and installation of high-end structural glazing with proven expertise in heritage projects. With more than 40 years’ experience, we partner with the best brands to deliver a long-lasting product that will transform commercial properties.

Contact
To find out more about our design services, call us on 0141 952 9619 or send us a message via our website contact page.