CompanyNews

United Glass Corp. Closes the Columbus Operations of Mid Ohio Tempering
Louisville, Ky.-based United Glass Corp. (UGC) closed the Columbus, Ohio, operations of Mid Ohio Tempering (MTO), effective October 11. Company chair and chief executive officer Lawrence O’Connell said the decision to close MTO was made to improve the operating efficiencies of all UGC branches and to allow more capacity out of the larger facilities. About 40 employees were affected by the closure.

“We decided some time ago that to survive the economic downturn we’d have to improve our efficiencies,” O’Connell told USGlass. “So, we made the decision to close MTO, which was a small shop that really only handled specialty work such as polishing, edging, beveling, hole-drilling, etc.”

O’Connell added, “The response from customers so far has been positive, because they would prefer to have their orders come in on one truck.” He explained that customers in the Columbus region previously were serviced with a combination of partial services from that facility as well as one of the other larger facilities. Customers’ orders now will be filled from one of the major facilities with a single truck delivery.

The MTO equipment will be going to the company’s locations in Atlanta, Michigan and Pittsburgh, which will allow those branches to expand their value-added production capabilities.

“Making it easier for our customers in that region to do business with us, and increasing capabilities at the Michigan, Pittsburgh and Atlanta facilities will only improve the UGC operations and allow us to meet the needs of our customer base,” O’Connell said. “In these troubling times that our industry and customers are facing it is imperative that quality, pricing and timeliness of deliveries be as efficient as possible.”
www.ugcglass.com

Strybuc Industries Acquires Replacement Hardware Mfg. Co.
Strybuc Industries, a national wholesaler and manufacturer of door and window replacement hardware, announced has completed the acquisition of Replacement Hardware Manufacturing Co. Inc. (RHM) located in Hialeah, Fla.

RHM was established in 1981 and founded by Mary Squires. Strybuc says RHM’s strength is its emphasis on high-performance patio door rollers, handles and accessories, jalousie and awning hardware. The company also stocks a wide variety of parts for all types of doors and windows, as well as specialty tools for the door and window industry.
www.strybuc.com

Sika Corp. Acquires May National Associates
Sika Corp. in Lyndhurst, N.J., has acquired May National Associates Inc., a manufacturer of silicone and polyurethane products for sealing and bonding in the construction market.

The acquisition will further expand Sika’s position in sealing and bonding by enabling the company to build up its silicone sealants offering, particularly in the growing solar and façade markets in North America.

May National, founded in 1984 in Lakewood, N.J., manufactures and markets a full range of silicone, polyurethane, hybrid and acrylic sealants and adhesives. The company has annual sales revenue of approximately $20 million and 60 employees. It will operate as a subsidiary of Sika Corp. and will be managed under the existing May National management team.
www.sika.com

Unicel Architectural Forms Distribution Agreement with METRA Systems
Unicel Architectural, a Longueuil, Québec-based manufacturer of aluminum and glass solutions, has announced an exclusive licensing agreement with METRA Systems that encompasses the marketing and distribution of the METRA solar shading systems and motorized louvers in North America. METRA Systems, a division of METRA in Italy, provides aluminum products and solutions designed to improve architectural sustainability, performance and aesthetics.

“The METRA solar shading systems and motorized louvers are the perfect extension to our aluminum and glass solutions,” says Jean-Francois Couturier, chief executive officer of Unicel. “We can now provide architects with a complete selection of the industry’s finest vision and daylight control solutions for virtually any building design. We are excited to offer Europe’s premium solar shading systems to the North American marketplace.”
www.unicelarchitectural.com

Erie Architectural Relocates and Expands
Erie Architectural Products Inc. has relocated and expanded its Lakeshore, Ontario, headquarters. The new 11-acre property will provide the company with more than double the production capacity of its previous facility in Blenheim, Ontario, with additional of room for future growth. “We are investing today for tomorrow,” says Ron Stronks, president.

According to information from the company, the Lakeshore location was selected during the expansion process because it allowed for the retention of existing staff. The location also is relatively close to the company’s U.S. affiliate companies and the Detroit Metro Airport.

“Being a part of the greater Detroit-Windsor community gives us greater access to future professional engineering talent,” Stronks says. “As well as expanding our production capacity, we are committed to further growing the engineering team within our business.”
www.erieap.com


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