Looking to the future through a window from the past

Michael and his father Robert in the new showroom

TIME has turned full circle for an iconic Oldham manufacturing business which has returned to its home of 32 years ago.

Michael Griffiths, whose father Robert and business partner David Smith founded the Aluminium Window Company in Clegg Street, Oldham, in 1978, has bought showroom premises at the junction of Shaw Road and Huddersfield Road — where the founders made window frames in the cellar for 20 years.

“Once I knew the premises were on the market at the right price it was an easy decision to return,” said Michael, now the managing director of AWC Windows Ltd, which has a manufacturing site in Arkwright Street, Westwood.

The ground-floor showroom has a large range of frames and doors and will be complemented by phase two in September showing conservatories, rooflines, garage doors and solar energy products.

AWC is arguably one of the largest suppliers of conservatories in Oldham and the surrounding area.

With the introduction of PVC windows in the early 1980s, the company changed its name to AWC and embraced the latest development in replacement windows.