9th January 2026

For the Women in the Industry section in Glass News (January 2026 edition), Melanie Bivans, Glazpart Area Sales Manager for South of England was featured. In this interview, Melanie shares her background and views on Glazpart, her role and the glazing industry.

At Work

How did you get into the industry?

Whilst on maternity leave with my daughter, I’d never used a recruitment agency before. I gave it a go and my first interview was with Glazpart. At the time, I had no idea what fenestration was, let alone trickle vents and plastic injection moulding. But after some extensive googling, I managed to get my head around it and got the job!

What was your first job after school/college?

When I was at college and after I graduated, I worked in a lovely little country pub which had a bar and restaurant and held many events including music nights, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve etc. It was great times, but I worked some very long days and nights.

Brief resume of jobs up to current position?

Whilst working in hospitality, I also worked full time in a contact centre for a renowned bank. I didn’t feel it was for me so I moved into care work, first with elderly and then adults with disabilities. Looking for more sociable hours I decided to move into the hygiene sector and was offered a job in sales/account management and I loved it. After four years, I joined a national builders merchant doing much the same thing, until I joined Glazpart.

Are your skills transferable to any industry?

Yes. This is proven for me, as I’ve done a similar job is three different industries. As long as you’re good with people and do what you say you’re going to do, then you can learn about the products. In my opinion, being honest, helpful and having a good sense of humour are key skills to success.

Career path mapped or opportunities?

I’ve not had any part of my career mapped out. My original thought was to be an actress after gaining a drama school place in London. But decided not to go for a few reasons, so now I just go with the flow and take opportunities as they come. I believe in what’s meant to be, will be.

5/10 years’ time?

I like to think I’ll still be with Glazpart and in the industry. I love working for Glazpart, they are the best company I’ve ever worked for. So, I’ve got no plans to go anywhere – unless I get a massive lottery win.

At Play

All work & no play makes Jill a dull girl. True or False?

100% true! There’s no point in working really hard without some enjoyment. If you spend a lot of time working you’ve got to do the other things in life that make you happy.

Work/life balance?

I’m getting there with this one. It’s been a busy year both in work and familywise. With the big things out of the way, I’m looking forward to some good rest and relaxation after a pre-Christmas break to Lapland with the whole family. Hopefully in 2026 I can start to enjoy more of a work/life balance.

Money/leisure time no object, what would you like to do for yourself & family?

I would travel, just pack up and go wherever I fancied. I got married in Italy and I fell in love with it so I’d like to see more. An American road trip would be a dream as I love the USA. Also, just spending time with my family and to be able to say yes to anything they want. I’d also extend my bag and shoe collection, ha-ha.

At Rest

Away from work – what’s your focus?

Outside of work, family is my focus. My daughter is three going on thirteen and she keeps us on our toes plus with 4 step kids it’s always loud and busy. Also, my family and I love watching football and being big Arsenal fans we enjoy going to the Emirates Stadium, especially as they are going so well in all competitions this season.

What activities help you switch off?

As boring as it sounds, I like to go for a walk or read a book. I try to reduce time on my phone and devices in the evenings and just be with my husband and kids. I like to watch late night murder documentaries which might not help my sleep, but there’s just something about them.

© Thanks to Glass News for allowing Glazpart permission to republish this interview. You can visit Glass News website here.