USA-made fire rated glazing goes big in 2020
As the year ended, we hope you had the chance to view the video we shared showing the upgrades and improvements done to our “TITAN METAL PRODUCTS” factory (a division of SAFTI FIRST), the manufacturer of our GPX Builders Series Doors, a move that continues our desire to be a fully vertically integrated U.S. manufacturer for our domestic architectural community. This was done as a direct response and to be positioned for the increased demand for full-vision, code-compliant, 60 and 90 minute, temperature rise doors in exit stairwells and other code required applications.
With that major expansion now complete, we are pleased to announce and share that the second phase of this $8 million expansion, upgrading our fire rated glass manufacturing facilities in Merced, California, is underway. This will include the erection of an additional 45,000 sq. ft. building having 30 ft. high ceilings. This will help keep up with the demand for our award-winning SuperClear 45-HS-LI and SuperClear 45-HS products and will also provide for the safe handling of the increased glass sizes of our 60-120-minute fire resistive SuperLite II-XL and SuperLite II-XLB products recently tested and approved and future planned size increases in these ratings. It is for these reasons and the demand for these products that we “raise the roof” to accommodate this growth and increased our product sizes.
The second phase of SAFTI FIRST’s $8M expansion includes the erection of an additional 45,000 sq. ft. building with 30 ft. high ceilings that will house state-of-the-art, automated glass manufacturing equipment.
The new building will have “state-of-the-art,” automated manufacturing equipment increasing our production on-time capacity and maintaining the high product quality and service while providing safe working conditions to maintain our safety record that we are very proud of. In the new physical building, we are adding new Bromer automated glass handling and loading systems. A new Lisec fall line and fall table. A new Bromer automated glass cutting and break-out tables. A new Billco vertical glass washer. A new Bovone vertical glass polisher. A new Perfect Tech double belt seamer. A new Glaston tempering line. We’ve designed oversized glass-pouring racks to accommodate these larger sizes that we’ve tested and passed – stay tuned for further announcements!
We are still very busy in the research and development department, and we are looking to upgrade that facility as well. The success of our SuperClear 45-HS-LI and SuperClear 45-HS product launch last year has focused us on bringing new, USA-made products to the market. Before SuperClear, architects were settling for foreign-made, expensive, brittle and tinted ceramics because there was no monolithic, 45- minute product that met the hose stream test. SuperClear changed all that, and now architects have a USA-made, clear, safe and affordable 45-minute product that meets the stringent hose stream test. SuperClear is a true game-changer. As indicated by it recently winning several product awards in the architectural and glass industry.
The second phase of SAFTI FIRST’s $8M expansion includes the erection of an additional 45,000 sq. ft. building with 30 ft. high ceilings that will house state-of-the-art, automated glass manufacturing equipment.
We are still working diligently to bring several new and exciting products to the glass industry in this new year – and new decade! Thanks for staying tuned into our continued progress!
