The Founder
After leaving Airdrie Academy at 18, Raymond began working as a technical apprentice at Honeywell, an American company. He quickly rose to the role of environmental test engineer, using his innovative spirit to excel at the job.
Raymond always wanted a career in sales and he took on positions at Crown Paint and Matchbox toys before receiving an opportunity to establish a division for Edinburgh Crystal’s new corporate business.
After a while, he realised that Edinburgh Crystal were unable to supply the needs of this new range of customers. The corporate customers were far more demanding than the consumer—looking for faster lead times and innovative design. Their technical demands in decanters and bottles, such as exacting fill levels, effective closures, prevention of lead leaching etc told Raymond that there was an opportunity to establish a business that could better meet these requirements.
Raymond established Glencairn, but was always interested in music, running dances and playing in bands or playing solo. When he set up Glencairn he was still playing part-time and thought if the new company proves difficult financially, he would just play more nights. Fortuitously, for everyone out there, the business did well.
Raymond was always insistent that his products should be aesthetic, as well as functional, and, shortly after starting Glencairn, he was fortunate enough to be introduced to Jim Drysdale, a most remarkably talented artist with huge experience—and one of life’s gentlemen with a terrific sense of humour. In those days the only people in the original factory were Jim and Raymond. And, as Raymond says, Glencairn would have had a very difficult start without Jim’s input.
From there the business has grown into an international success story. Raymond brought his sons on board to help and from those days of Raymond and Jim, working late into the night, there are now over sixty employees servicing the needs of customers across the planet.
