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Product of the Year
USGlass Readers Chose Their Favorite New Products

Did you find yourself overwhelmed by a multitude of new product introductions in 2009? Then see what your peers say proved among the most significant introductions of the year.

USGlass subscribers in the retail and glazing contractor categories were asked to vote on the product introductions they felt were the most significant in 2009. Of course, you don’t have to take their word—visit www.usglassmag.com to search our archives for any product introductions you might have missed.

Product submissions are welcome throughout the year. Please send your new product information to mheadley@glass.com.

Following are the Most Significant :

Glass/value-added of 2009
June 2009 USGlass:
PPG Introduces Five Blue Architectural Glass Tints
PPG Industries in Pittsburgh has introduced five blue glass tints, giving it a broad palette of tints and performance options.

Two new glass substrates are among the new options. Pacifica glass has been added to the Oceans of Color collection of ocean-inspired tinted glass, which now has Atlantica, Azuria, Caribia and Solexia glasses. Solarblue glass joins Solargray, Solarbronze, Optigray 23 and Graylite glasses in the collection of Earth and Sky Tones.Three additional tints can be specified by adding Solarcool reflective coatings to Pacifica and Solarblue glasses, or by combining Pacifica glass with subtly-reflective, color-enriched Vistacool coating.
www.ppg.com

Fire-rated glass product of 2009
February 2009 USGlass:
A Clear Choice for Fire-Rated Glazing
As codes have become more stringent, architects, specifiers and building owners are looking for cost-effective fire-rated glazing. 

FireLite® ceramic glass from Technical Glass Products (TGP) in Kirkland, Wash., is one “clear” choice for corridors, lobbies, sidelites and other highly visible fire-rated locations.FireLite is fire-rated for up to 90 minutes and passes the required hose stream test. It is 3/16 inches thick, available in large sizes and can be installed in standard fire-rated frames. It is listed by Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
www.fireglass.com 

What Else 2009 Had to Offer
In surveying the USGlass glazing contractor and retail subscribers on which products introduced in 2009 they considered to be among the most noteworthy, our readers had a few suggestions of their own:

*C.R Laurence’s glass rail wedge system and Taper Loc handrail system *Genius retractable screen sheer advance screen *Dreamwalls Color Glass by Gardner Glass Products *EnergyCore vinyl frame by Mikron *The Glass Racking Co.‘s transport trolley system *Cardinal’s latest shower doors

Send your new product information to mheadley@glass.com
and become a contender in the 2010 Product of the Year awards.

Decorative glass product of 2009
June 2009 USGlass:
Walker Adds New Textures 
Montreal-based Walker Glass Co. Ltd. is expanding its Walker Textures™ Nuance Stock line of patterned acid-etched glass and mirror with the introduction of the 300 series. The stock line of acid-etched patterns is available in five distinctive designs with the 100 and the new 300 series. 

The 100 series is an acid-etched finish that combines Velour and Satin for a true sense of privacy. The 300 series is a satin finish on clear glass for increased visibility to the decor through the glass. Both of these series feature a relief effect that adds character to the glass surface.
www.walkerglass.com

Curtainwall, window wall or storefront product of 2009
August 2009 USGlass:
Kawneer’s SS Unitwall Makes Installation a Breeze
Norcross, Ga.-based Kawneer Co. Inc. has announced the launch of its pre-glazed 1600 SS Unitwall™ curtainwall system.

1600 SS Unitwall is a pre-glazed, screw spline solution, designed for low- to mid-rise projects. A split mullion design, implementing screw spline joinery, allows glazing contractors to preassemble and glaze panels in the shop. An expansion horizontal allows fully pre-glazed units (less pressure plates and covers) to be stacked on top of each other.

It is offered in both stock lengths and fabricated for pre-glazing, and also is available in a vertical SSG version and a dry-glazed fully captured version.
www.kawneer.com

Commercial door or window product of 2009
June 2009 USGlass:
Wausau Doors Welcome ADA Requirements 
For projects such as residential towers and high-rise hotels, hardware must meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility criteria. In response to this, Wausau Window and Wall Systems’ terrace doors now offer low-profile sills on both in-swing and out-swing models for improved accessibility. Part of the Advantage by Wausau product line, these terrace doors are pre-engineered, competitively priced and available on accelerated delivery schedules.

The terrace doors feature a polyamide nylon barrier that enhances thermal and condensation performance, while a single, European styled handle actuates multi-point locks.
www.wausauwindow.com 

Piece of equipment and/or machinery of 2009
June 2009 USGlass:
Besten’s TAPE
MT1500 IG Line Increases Throughput
The new totally automated production equipment (TAPE) MT1500 from Besten Equipment Inc. in Solon, Ohio, enables insulating glass (IG) fabricators to produce between 1,400 and 1,600 units per shift on a single line. The new equipment layout in the offering pairs two applicators in a single line to improve efficiency and prepare fabricators for higher-volume triple-pane IG unit production.

The second spacer applicator on the TAPE MT1500 drives the increased throughput, although camera squaring technology added to the applicator head also helps total IG application cycle time. When a lite of glass stops beneath one of the applicators, the digital camera snaps a picture and the equipment instantly adjusts for the location of the lite on the application bed. Spacer application starts immediately thereafter.
www.besteninc.com

Glass component of 2009
January 2009 USGlass:
Saflex® Provides Silence
Outdoor noises can be obtrusive when they make their way inside. In response, Saflex®, a unit of St. Louis-based Solutia Inc., has developed what it calls SilentGlass Technology™.

SilentGlass combines three interlayers that decouple and disseminate sound waves for sound dampening performance. This patent-pending product features an acoustical interlayer that transforms sound energy into heat energy, which then easily and quietly dissipates. According to information from the company, utilizing SilentGlass technology in a window can result in a reduction of up to 10 decibels in the “transparent” frequency, or up to a 50-percent reduction in perceived sound. 
www.saflex.com 

Window film of 2009
July 2009 USGlass:
Ultra-Vision Keeps the View Clear
In June SunTek® Window Films parent company Commonwealth Laminating & Coating Inc. in Martinsville, Va., introduced a new line of architectural window film: Ultra-Vision™. This line of unique, high-end, spectrally selective window films offers the end-user relatively high visible light transmission and total solar energy rejection, as well as relatively low visual reflectance. The ULV 70 and ULV 50 products in the line feature all-metal, 1.5-mil construction with a dry adhesive. The film is manufactured using all non-corrosive raw materials, so silicone edge-sealing is not required to take advantage of the manufacturer’s warranty.
www.suntekfilms.com 

Glass tool of 2009
July 2009 USGlass:
Bohle Extends Range with Toyo Supercutter
Bohle America Inc., headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is now offering Toyo’s full range of glass cutters in North America in addition to its own products. The company hopes to expand customer choices with the addition of the Supercutter range alongside its own Silberschnitt and Diamantor products.
www.bohle-america.com 

Scratch removal tool of 2009
March 2009 USGlass:
Scratch Hog™ Repairs Glass
Durango, Colo.-based Glass Technology says its Scratch Hog™ glass repair system recently has passed tests for ASTM standards for distortion and structural integrity results. According to information from the company, the Scratch Hog™ system has been seeing additional interest from companies looking for cost saving alternatives during tough economic times.
www.gtglass.com 

Transportation and/or handling equipment of 2009
January 2009 USGlass:
JLG Helps Glaziers Reach for the Sky
McConnellsburg, Pa.-based JLG Industries Inc.’s SkyGlazier® accessory is a manufacturer-authorized glass and panel holding accessory for boom lifts. It is mounted below the platform’s frame and has a channel positioned directly in front and below the platform’s floor so that lites can be contained outside the platform and easily secured to the platform’s railing. The design leaves the platform without any encumbrances o there is plenty of room for workers and their tools. 

The platform has a 1,000-pound capacity, and an electronic platform leveling system and swing speed proportioning are standard. 
www.jlg.com  

Solar product of 2009
September 2009 USGlass:
PPG Introduces Solarphire PV and AR
Solarphire AR (anti-reflective) glass from Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries was engineered to maximize solar energy transmission to solar-collecting photovoltaic (PV) cells. Solarphire AR glass is formulated with a proprietary anti-reflective coating that facilitates the efficient conversion of solar light into energy. In 3.2-millimeter thicknesses, Solarphire AR glass yields a solar-weighted transmittance of more than 93 percent.

The company also has introduced Solarphire PV glass to maximize solar energy transmission for PV modules. Because of its clarity, Solarphire PV glass delivers enhanced transmittance in the ultraviolet/visible portion of the solar spectrum, between 350 and 1,100 nanometers, where crystalline PV cells are most responsive to the sun’s energy. This clarity is the result of a proprietary glass formulation that, the company says, allows Solarphire PV glass to transmit more solar energy than competitive products, which increases the energy efficiency of solar cells.
www.ppgsolarphire.com

Hardware of 2009
August 2009 USGlass:
CRL Offers New Adjustable Shower Door Hinges
Los Angeles-based C.R. Laurence Co. Inc. (CRL) is now producing adjustable Vienna and Cologne hinges for the frameless shower door market in wall-mount and 180-degree glass-to-glass models.

Adjustment to accommodate the desired angle, up to 90 degrees, is done after the door is hung. The Allen set screws are loosened and the door turned to the desired closed position. By merely tightening the Allen screws, the door will self-center to the desired angle.

Vienna hinges are designed with square corners, whereas the Cologne hinge has radius corners and beveled edges. They are made for 3/8- to ½-inch tempered safety glass, and come in up to 24 different finishes. Custom finishes also are available.
www.crlaurence.com

USG
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