OSWALDTWISTLE-based S.G. Aluminium had an unpromising start in business, launched as a sideline by a glazing company as a way of selling more glass.

Managing director Iain Stanners was a joiner, working mainly on fitting shop fronts in high streets throughout East Lancashire.

Anodised aluminium had just been introduced to the market at a time when Arndale-style shopping developments were springing up throughout the UK.

That was 30 years ago and S.G. Aluminium is now one of the country's leading specialists in architectural aluminium.

Its work is seen by millions. One of its specialities is football stadia and most of the top clubs in the North West have used the companies expertise, including Blackburn Rovers, Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton and Manchester City.

It has worked recently at the St George's Shopping Centre in Preston and was part of the team involved in the construction of the award-winning Roy Castle Research Centre in Liverpool.

S.G. Aluminium is currently working on a £1.5 million contract for the Lowry Galleria in Salford, a shopping and leisure development next to the Lowry Centre.

Also in Manchester, the company is working on the new stadium for the Commonwealth Games where it has contracts worth around £450,000.

The business has certainly come a long way since its launch in 1970. "We started off servicing the shop front market," said Iain Stanners. "The idea then was that as all the town centres were being redeveloped, there would be a big demand for aluminium shop fronts. It all started off as a means of selling more glass." The aluminium business soon eclipsed its parent and became a limited company in its own right in 1975. The Stanners family took full control in 1983.

Based at Watson Street Works in Oswaldtwistle, the company employs between 70 and 100 people, depending on the range of contracts being undertaken.

S.G. Aluminium offers a full design, fabrication and installation service, generally within a 100-mile radius.

Iain is predicting continued steady growth for the company, despite fears of a recession.

"There is no doubt that businesses like ours are linked to the construction industry," he said. "I am told that there is still demand for office-type buildings and health and fitness clubs are still a growth area. Public sector spending also helps us with projects for new schools and hospitals.

"I have been in business for 30 years now and can pick out good and bad times in the seventies, eighties and nineties. Business has its cycles and I have no reason to believe that this next 10 years will be any different."

Iain is also known as a director of Blackburn Rovers FC, having joined the board in 1983. He has seen the club from the gloomy days of the old second division through to the giddy heights of the Premiership and has no doubts who should take the credit.

"Jack Walker transformed everything," added Iain.

"You cannot over-estimate the satisfaction that the club's success brought to the whole town."