Encirc Limited Review - Real Employee Experience

Published: 24 November 2025

Encirc presents itself as a modern, sustainability-driven glass manufacturer with big investments, new furnaces, and a strong long-term vision. On paper, it’s an impressive operation.

They talk a lot about innovation, environmental focus, and continuous improvement. From the outside, it feels like the kind of workplace that wants to support employees and move with the times.

However, once you’re actually working on the production floor, the experience can be very different from the polished image.

The company is certainly stable and growing - but daily working life depends heavily on your line manager, your shift, and the part of the plant you’re assigned to. Some things match the company vision, but many do not.

Editorial note: Content on this page reflects commonly reported employee experiences observed across publicly available review platforms. It represents opinion and commentary, not verified facts, and does not reproduce individual reviews.

Company Details

• Registered company name: Encirc Limited
• Previous company names: Quinn Glass Limited, Bovean Limited
• Companies House number: NI030990
• Registered (head) office address: 11 Gortahurk Road, Tonymore, Derrylin, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, BT92 9DD
• Nature of business (SIC): 23130 (Manufacture of hollow glass), 32990 (Other manufacturing)
• Derrylin site address: 11 Gortahurk Road, Tonymore, Derrylin, Fermanagh, BT92 9DD
• Derrylin telephone: +44 (0)28 6774 8888
• Derrylin email: info@encirc360.com
• Elton (Cheshire) site address: Ash Road, Elton, Cheshire, CH2 4LF
• Elton telephone: +44 (0)19 28 725 300
• Elton email: info@encirc360.com
• Bristol (The Park) site address: Kings Weston Lane, Avonmouth, Bristol, BS11 9FG
• Bristol telephone: +44 (0)117 31 24000
• Bristol email: thepark.reception@encirc360.com
• Fax (Elton): +44 (0)19 28 726 235
• Parent company: Vidrala Group
• Year of incorporation: 17 June 1996
• Number of employees: Over 2,000
• Operating locations: Chester (Elton), Bristol, and Fermanagh (Derrylin)
• Annual production volume: Approximately 3 billion glass containers

Pay and Benefits

Benefits like the pension scheme, life assurance, enhanced parental leave, and the employee assistance programme are genuinely good for a manufacturing company.

However, there are some frustrations. Bonuses tend to favour senior management - the higher you go, the more rewards you get, which leaves many shop-floor staff feeling undervalued.

Some feel the wages should be reviewed and updated more regularly to match the workload and industry averages. Still, most employees agree that if you can handle the shifts, the money is fairly competitive.

Management - The Weakest Link

If there’s one thing that appears repeatedly in negative reviews, it’s the management. Many employees describe the management structure as confusing, inconsistent, and sometimes unprofessional. You can get conflicting instructions from different managers, which leads to stress and mistakes.

Some supervisors seem undertrained or inexperienced, and there are repeated mentions of bullying, favouritism, or managers simply not listening to staff concerns.

One of the most worrying issues raised is the pressure to hit targets at all costs. Some employees feel that quality and safety can take a back seat when the numbers are slipping.

When you’re on the line, that kind of pressure doesn’t just make the job stressful - it makes it feel like you’re not truly valued beyond how many bottles your machine produces by the end of the shift.

Work Environment and Conditions

Working at Encirc is unquestionably demanding. If you’re at the “hot end” - where the molten glass is formed - expect intense heat, noise, and the kind of physical strain that takes a toll over time. Even outside the hot end, the production environment is fast-paced, noisy, and often stressful.

Facilities aren’t always well-maintained. Some employees complain about dirty areas in the plant and a canteen that could definitely be better. There’s also a feeling that, despite all the fancy sustainability messaging, day-to-day working conditions could do with more improvement and more investment at the practical level.

Shifts, Hours and Work-Life Balance

Encirc uses 12-hour shifts in many departments, and opinions on these tend to be split. Some employees like them - you get long stretches of days off that allow more free time overall. But others struggle with the long hours, especially during physically intense work.

Holidays are another sticking point. Because of the shift patterns and staffing levels, you don’t always get to pick the holidays you want. Flexibility is limited, which can cause problems for workers with families or commitments outside the job. Work-life balance is one of the areas where Encirc scores the lowest in employee ratings.

Training and Career Progression

Training is hit or miss. Encirc promotes things like the Vidrala Academy, digital learning platforms, and personal development programmes. These tools exist - but in practice, the quality of training varies massively depending on your department.

Several employees say that the training they received didn’t fully prepare them for the realities of the job.

Career progression also depends heavily on who your manager is and how much support you get. Some people do manage to move up, but others feel stuck, especially if they’re on shifts where management engagement is weak. There’s a sense that promotion pathways could be clearer and fairer.

Culture and Workplace Relationships

Despite the issues with management, one of the consistent positives across reviews is the people you work alongside. The shop floor teams often have strong camaraderie - everyone is going through the same pressure, heat, noise, and long shifts, and that tends to create a tight bond.

Many workers say their colleagues are the best part of the job.

The culture, however, is inconsistent. Some describe a supportive atmosphere; others describe a “blame culture” where mistakes are punished instead of learned from. High turnover doesn’t help either - constant new faces can make it harder to build stable teams.

Safety and Production Pressures

Safety should be a top priority in a glass plant, but employees report mixed experiences. While there’s official training and modern equipment, the constant push for output can make some workers feel pressured to prioritise speed over caution.

Some negative reviews mention concerns about quality and safety being compromised when targets are under threat. Even the perception of this is damaging, because it creates distrust between workers and management.

When you work around molten glass and heavy machinery, you need to know your managers have your back - and not everyone feels that way.

Job Security and Stability

To be fair, Encirc does seem financially stable. They invest in new technology, rebuild furnaces, and modernise their facilities, which suggests they’re here for the long haul. For many workers, this is a positive sign: there’s no sense that the company is at risk of shutting down or downsizing.

However, industrial relations have been rocky in some areas. Strike action in certain parts of the business shows that not all is smooth beneath the surface.

When workers feel the need to fight for reasonable pay rises or maintain collective bargaining rights, it indicates deeper frustration with how the company engages with its workforce.

Pros and Cons of Working at Encirc Limited

Pros:

• Good job security - as a large manufacturer with long-term contracts and a major parent company (Vidrala), the risk of redundancy is generally low.
• Above-average salary for production roles - base pay tends to be higher than smaller factories and includes shift allowances.
• Overtime opportunities - plenty of chances to boost earnings, especially during busy periods or staffing shortages.
• Modern machinery and large-scale production - employees gain experience working with advanced equipment in a globally recognised manufacturing environment.
• Strong focus on sustainability - the company invests in energy-efficient technology and recycling processes, which some employees see as a positive mission.
• Company benefits - decent pension, staff events, subsidised meals onsite (varies by location), and access to training modules.
• Opportunities for internal movement - some workers manage to transfer between departments or progress to technician or team leader roles.
• Long-established organisation - stable, reputable employer within the glass manufacturing industry.

Cons:

• Extremely hot and physically demanding environment - working near the furnaces and production lines can be exhausting, especially on 12-hour shifts.
• Harsh shift patterns - rotating days/nights, long hours, and inconsistent sleep schedules frequently reported as main reasons for quitting.
• Management often described as disorganised or disconnected - reviews frequently mention poor communication, favouritism, or a lack of support.
• High pressure with unrealistic expectations - frequent production targets, machine breakdowns, and understaffing create stressful conditions.
• Limited appreciation for employees - many workers feel undervalued despite the demands of the job.
• Training can be inconsistent - some workers report being “thrown in at the deep end” with minimal guidance.
• Work culture varies widely by department - certain teams are supportive, while others suffer from cliques, poor leadership, and low morale.
• Career progression not guaranteed - despite internal vacancies, advancement often depends on who management prefers rather than performance.
• High turnover - constant staff changes lead to heavier workloads for those who stay.
• Safety concerns - although procedures exist, production-floor staff sometimes report corners being cut due to time pressure.
• Repetitive and monotonous tasks - long periods monitoring machines, inspecting bottles, or doing the same movements each shift.
• Poor work-life balance - 12-hour rotating shifts often clash with family life and personal time.

Final Verdict - Should You Work at Encirc?

Encirc is a mixed experience. It’s not the worst manufacturing job out there - the pay is decent, the benefits are fairly strong, and the company seems stable and forward-thinking in some areas.

If you’re physically fit, OK with long shifts, and able to tune out the heat and noise, you might find it manageable.

But you need to be ready for inconsistent management, production pressure, limited flexibility, and a physically demanding environment. A lot of the problems come down to communication and leadership, not the job itself.

If the company invested as much effort into developing managers as they do into sustainability PR and new furnaces, the employee experience would be significantly better.

In short: Encirc can be a good job if you know what you’re getting into and you don’t mind hard, hot, and sometimes stressful work. But for those wanting strong leadership, a calm environment, and a healthy work-life balance, Encirc might be a tough fit.

Important to know: Most issues at Encirc aren’t about the work itself, but about organisation, communication, and the pressure that comes with running 24/7 production. If you prefer clear direction, consistent management, and predictable routines, you may find the environment challenging.