Crystal Galleries History
- Sam Lowes
- Sep 10
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 18
Our History
Over 40 years ago Crystal Galleries began supplying engraved wedding, birthday and retirement gifts
From a small workshop in an Enterprise Zone in Middlesbrough in the North East of England, we realised there was an opportunity to supply trade customers across the UK and Europe. We have grown significantly over the years by continually reviewing our product range and services to ensure our customers get exactly what they need to make their business a success.
This is our story…
Timeline
1982-1990s: Family Beginnings
1982 - Started by the Lowes family. Crystal Galleries began with the late George Lowes, supplying glass and crystal gifts and awards to the general public in and around Teesside. George’s children, Jeremy and Jo, later joined and helped build up the business, which is still family run today.
14 January 1983 - Formed as a limited company in 1983 we initially aimed to meet the local demand for sport trophies, wedding gifts, awards and promotional items.
1984 - We relocated to larger premises below Middlesbrough Railway Station.
1986 - We moved again to a 2000 sq/ft unit in central Middlesbrough.
1990’s - Quickly outgrowing our 2000 sq/ft unit we purchased premises with offices and warehouse space just outside Middlesbrough town centre.
1999 - Our first ever catalogue was produced ready for the Millennium and an ever increasing customer base.
2000s-2010s: Building Capacity For the Trade
We broadened our wholesale range for engravers and added engraving equipment and technical support so trade customers could get everything in one place.
2007 - We purchased a 25,000 sq/ft offices and warehouse at Westerby Road.
2008 - Moved into Westerby Road to expand our offering.
2011 - Team expansion. Following a new 102-page catalogue launch, our growth continued and additional production, customer service and warehouse staff were taken on.
2015 - Additional 8000 sq/ft of warehouse space was built at the back of our main warehouse.
2016 - Funding & machinery upgrade. A package including a £67k Tees Valley Capital Grant and UKSE facilities funded new equipment including sub-surface laser engraving (one of only three machines in the UK at the time) and supported additional job creation.
Aug 2016 - 3D engraving “next dimension.” Investment in equipment, software and training significantly improved our 3D engraving quality and lead times.
May 2017 - Assets of Rowton Crystal acquired, Rowton had been a competitor for many years and complimented the companies continued expansion.
May 2017 - 10 years with Butterwick Hospice. Our 10th year supporting Butterwick’s recognition awards (involved since 2008; full sponsorship from 2015).
2021-2022: Tested and rebuilt
3 April 2021 - Fire at Skipper’s Lane. A devastating fire over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend destroyed the full 25,000 sq ft premises. Engraving and laser machines, UV digital printers and £800K of stock was lost in the fire. With help from partners (notably Odyssey Systems), our customer service team was rehoused within days, communications restored and production restarted from temporary facilities.
Oct 2022 - Back together under one roof. The company moved into our new 22,000 sq ft premises at Letitia Industrial Estate, restoring stock levels, lifting daily output by ~50%, and reuniting the team after 18 months.
2023-Today: 40 years and forward
2023 - 40th anniversary. Four decades in business.
2024 - Our latest catalogue was published in January 2024 and features over 1,400 products, many of which are exclusive to Crystal Galleries. Wherever possible we source products directly from the manufacturer and we work with factories across the world, including China and the USA, to bring you our stunning glass and crystal gifts and awards.
Apr 2025 - Assets of Dunelm Glass, who had been another competitor for many years, were acquired and the assets and some staff were relocated to Letitia Street.
Moments of pride
Our pieces have been presented to household names including Lady Gaga, Cristiano Ronaldo and HM The Queen.
Still family-run
Crystal Galleries remains a family business: Jeremy and Jo are joined by the next generation, Ben, Sam and extended family Natalie and Alison, who work across the business alongside a wider expert team.
Want to work with the UK’s leading supplier of glass and crystal blanks?
Whether you’re a trophy shop, gift engraver, corporate distributor, or just getting started, we’re here to support your business with no minimum orders, expert advice and next-day delivery.
Engraving tips & how-to guides | Wholesale-only promotions | New product drops & bestsellers | Behind-the-scenes production stories
📧 Email: sales@crystalgalleries.co.uk
📞 Phone: 01642 225799
🌐 Website: www.crystalgalleries.co.uk
