Barber Glass Industries
in Guelph, Ontario, will soon offer 130 by 240 inch oversized glass
fabrication when it opens its newest facility in Collingwood, Ontario.
Expanding for oversized glass fabrication
Barber Glass Industries in Guelph, Ontario, will soon offer 130 by 240 inch oversized glass fabrication when it opens its newest facility in Collingwood, Ontario.
As part of its most recent plans for expansion, the company has secured approximately 170,000 square feet of industrial space located approximately 90 minutes north of Toronto, which is expected to be fully operational by January 1, 2009. This facility will focus on the addition of oversize capabilities in cutting, laminating, tempering and insulating. When up and running, the company will be capable of producing a CNC fabricated, tempered and laminated insulated glass unit with dimensions up to 130 inches high by 240 inches wide. In addition, the company will add increased back painting, silk screening and waterjet cutting capabilities and products.
Established in 1883, 2008 marks Barber Glass Industries’ 125th year in the glass industry. Company representative, Michael Wellman says much of the company’s success and continued growth over its long history is attributed to its continued commitment to capital investment in line with becoming a truly world class glass fabrication facility.
“Combined with our capability to provide increased levels of service, the upcoming additions to our product offering will provide our customer base with an excellent glass supply resource,” says Wellman, adding that some limited production may be available as early as September, depending on the progress of
the expansion.
CR Laurence acquires Sommer & Maca Industries
A new chapter in CRL history.
CR Laurence (CRL) has acquired Sommer & Maca Industries (Somaca). Donald E. Friese, CRL’s chairman and CEO, made the announcement in March 2008, stating that the purchase will bring together the products and services of both organizations to enhance the company’s product lines with larger inventories that will be available from all its North American locations, including its four Canadian branches.
“It is with great pleasure that we can now call Sommer & Maca a member of the CRL family of companies. Somaca has been a pioneer and leader in the glazing industry for more than 85 years, supplying tools, hardware and supplies. This is a new chapter in the history of both CRL and the glazing industry, and we look forward to continuing to serve the needs of all of our customers.”
Somaca is well known as a glass machinery manufacturer and will continue to maintain the Somaca name within CRL’s new glass machinery division. The former president of Somaca, Dick Carroll, will stay on as president and is looking forward to building the business group for CRL and the industry.
“We plan to produce even more high quality machinery in Cicero, Illinois, and we will be expanding the facility to add additional state-of-the-art machinery and engineering expertise,” says Friese. Somaca also supplied the stone industry, and CRL will continue to carry the products for the stone and granite industries.
Friese adds, “This is an opportunity for us to learn about Somaca’s business and bring it into ours. We are a strong team and we will work well together. The best
part of any acquisition is the opportunity to bring more talented people into our operations to help us grow our business and better serve our customers.”
CRL has more than 40,000 products and the expanded product lines this acquisition brings will give glass industry professionals more flexibility to source products for the glass and stone industries.
In an effort to make the transition as smooth as possible for Somaca customers, CRL has added the company’s stock numbers into CRL systems, including the CRL Online Catalog at crlaurence.com. Customers in Canada can easily check stock and place orders online for these products.
Leading edge topics presented at technical meeting
The Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance (IGMA) says that Michael Collins, managing partner and co-founder of BIM World, will be making a presentation on the BIM World software products during the IGMA Summer Technical Meetings scheduled for the week of June 16, 2008 in Whistler, British Columbia.
“There has been a lot of industry buzz on this new project software which provides integrated technology and service solutions for project management. We are pleased to be able to offer this presentation to our members,” says Margaret Webb, IGMA executive director.
In addition to the presentation on BIM World, members will be provided with updates to both the US and Canadian Energy Star programs. Brian Hubbs, from RDH Building Engineering, will present a seminar on ‘Marketplace Trends & Challenges for Glass Products’; and Chris Barry, Pilkington NA, will be presenting ‘Innovative Applications for High Transmission Glass’.
Complete meeting information is available from the IGMA web site at: www.igmaonline.org
Specialty glass company celebrates 80 years
S.A. Bendheim Company has passed its 80 year milestone in the specialty glass industry.
What began as a husband and wife team in the wholesale stained glass business in Greenwich Village, New York City, has grown into a company with five divisions, a New York City showroom, glass processing and distribution facilities and 100 employees.
Today, S.A. Bendheim is a national importer, fabricator and distributor of more than 2000 types of specialty glass.
Re-positioning glass shops in the market
Glass Doctor is seeking Canadian glaziers and entrepreneurs with the pioneer spirit vital to duplicating the success of the largest network of independently owned and operated full service glass shops in the US.
“We’re offering Canadian glass service professionals the opportunity to take their businesses to the next level,” says Mark Dawson, president of Glass Doctor. “We believe there is a place in the Canadian glass services marketplace for full service, mobile glass shops that offer high quality products and fast service.”
More than 160 Glass Doctor franchisees across the US offer complete glass repair, replacement and related services to the residential, automotive and commercial markets at more than 360 locations. Service technicians install and service a variety of glass products, including low-E windows, insulating glass units, tub and shower enclosures, entry door panes, windshields, storefronts, furniture and mirrors.
“What most glass shops fail to realize is that this is a service industry first and we just happen to work with glass,” Dawson says. “Whether the shop focuses on autoglass or residential glass, the customers are the same. Autoglass shops typically shy away from the residential business and vice versa. With our technical training, we can help a glass shop add a whole business segment with a ready-made customer base,” he says.
“In looking at the Canadian glass market, we believe there are a number of shops that may have reached the owner’s potential, but not the potential for the shop in
that market. The systems in most glass shops, whether designed consciously or unconsciously, are perfectly designed to get the results that business is producing. If a glass shop owner wants to get a different result, then the owner needs to change the business systems. Glass Doctor offers business systems, service systems and marketing systems that produce results by re-positioning the glass shop in the market.”
Glass Doctor is part of The Dwyer Group, an international franchisor of service industry companies based in Waco, Texas.
Industry appointments
Glasslam N.G.I. has appointed Ted Paetkau of Fenestration Components International as its sales representative in western Canada and Brian Hall of MEH Sales/Brichem as its sales representative in eastern Canada for the company’s Air-Tight Spacer products as well as all of Glasslam’s laminated and decorative glass products.
Air-Tight, Generic, is a flexible EPDM spacer offering tremendous warm edge performance, and Air-Tight Smart Edge, the One Step Product, is an EPDM spacer with a pre-applied secondary seal.
Kevin Sullivan, senior vice-president, chemicals, for PPG Industries announced that he will retire in July. Sullivan joined PPG’s fiberglass business in 1973 as a management trainee.
PPG Industries has also appointed Douglas S. Pegg to the position of vice-president, packaging coatings, based at PPG’s global headquarters in Pittsburgh, Ohio. Pegg joined PPG in 1985 as an engineer at the company’s Clarkson, Ontario, coatings facility.
Re-Lowe-cating
Frank Lowe Rubber and Gasket Company is relocating to a brand new 60,000 square foot facility. The new location offers the company room to expand its operations, increase efficiencies and further enhance its commitment to its customers.
The new address is: 44 Ramsey Road, Shirley, New York, 11967. The telephone and fax numbers remain the same: (800) 777-0202, (631) 777-2707, fax (631) 777-2560. Web site: www.franklowe.com
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