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USGlass 2011 Product Of The Year
Readers Vote for a Few of Their Favorite Products

Forget brown paper packages tied up with strings—the glass industry’s favorite things come on pallets, in boxes or in pieces assembled onsite by a manufacturer’s technician. And do we ever have the lowdown on those favorite products for you! USGlass asked subscribers in the retail and glazing contractor categories in November to vote on all of the products featured in our pages in 2011 for those they felt were the most significant product introductions, updates and hot sellers. Below is a recap of those products selected by our readers as the winners of the USGlass 2011 Product of the Year Awards.

Learn more about all of this year’s product innovations by visiting our archives at www.usglassmag.com (and by turning to this month’s Showcase department on page 72).

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

Most Significant …

… Glass/Value-Added Glass Product of 2011
PPG Introduces Its Latest Star
Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries has introduced Solarban® 72 Starphire® glass, a solar control, low-E glass designed to provide high visible light transmittance, clarity and strong solar control performance.

To maximize clarity, Solarban 72 Starphire glass insulating glass units feature one lite of uncoated Starphire glass and one lite with an advanced triple-silver coating that is engineered exclusively for use on a Starphire substrate.
http://www.ppg.com

… Door/Window/Wall of 2011
Kawneer Doors Provide New Solutions for Thermal Requirements
Kawneer Co. Inc., an Alcoa company in Norcross, Ga., has introduced its AA®250 and AA®425 thermal entrance doors. Thermal breaks in the door, door frame and threshold isolate the interior metal components from the exterior metal components. A door rail and stile design with a double air cavity provide an added layer to the thermal barrier and dual weathering around the perimeter of the door, in conjunction with a low conductance polymer door stop that minimizes air infiltration.
http://www.kawneer.com

... Dynamic Glazing Product of 2011
Dynamic Glazing + Triple-Lite = Energy-Efficient Glass
Sage Electrochromics Inc. of Faribault, Minn., has unveiled what it says is the world’s most energy-efficient window glass. The new product is the first to marry electronically tintable dynamic window technology with high R-value, triple-lite construction.

Tests show the dynamic, triple-glazed glass has an insulating R-value higher than 8, compared to an R-3 value typical of most low-E double lite glass. Combining insulation with the glazing’s dynamic tinting capability provides a 16-percent energy improvement over triple-lite glass with low-E, and better than a 50-percent improvement over single lite glazings, according to the manufacturer.
http://www.sage-ec.com

… Metal Product of 2011
Alcoa’s Panel Helps Clean Itself
A team of more than 50 scientists from Alcoa in Eastman, Ga., worked for more than four years to perfect an architectural coating with the ability to actively break down pollutants such as smog and to covert them to simple compounds that wash away in the rain. The result: Reynobond with EcoClean powered by Hydrotect™, a coating that cleans itself and the air around it.

According to the manufacturer, when exposed to sunlight the compound titanium dioxide (TiO2) becomes a catalyst that breaks down any organic pollutants on its surface, while creating a super hydrophilic, water-loving surface that washes clean with the smallest amount of water.
http://www.alcoa.com/aap

… Glass Flooring Product of 2011
Walker Steps into Glass Flooring
Walker Glass in Montreal has introduced a line of anti-slip acid-etched glass products. Walker Textures™ Traction surface provides a new design option on glass by combining discretion and security without impeding the natural flow of light. The slip-resistant properties of Traction glass are derived entirely through acid-etching, whereby portions of the glass surface are removed to varying depths by a controlled process.
http://www.walkerglass.com

… Glass Component of 2011
ArgoEdgeSealPLUS™ Protects TPU and PVB Interlayered Composites
Argotec Inc. in Greenfield, Mass., has introduced ArgoEdgeSealPLUS™ to protect both thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayered laminated glass composites.

In 1995 Argotec co-developed an edge seal used to protect the perimeter of autoclaved glass-polycarbonate composites for bullet- and blast-resistant applications: BOC-9450 Edge Seal™. ArgoEdgeSealPLUS™ is an enhanced upgrade of this product that is compatible with all TPU- and PVB-laminated glass composites. A new foil layer is sandwiched between two sheets of polyurethane. This patent-pending construction better protects TPU and PVB interlayers from damage due to penetration by moisture, cleaning solutions and the solvents found in window caulks and sealants.
http://www.argotec.com

… Hardware Product of 2011
Select a Concealed Hinge
Select Products Ltd. in Portage, Mich., has designed the new SL31, SL38, SL44 and SL48 concealed geared continuous hinges for a variety of storefront entryways. The SL31, SL44 and SL48 fit 1 3/4-inch doors; the SL38 fits 1- to 1 3/8-inch doors. The Pair-Matched™ hinge leaves, lifetime lubrication, anodizing after machining and coated, corrosion-resistant fasteners give them unmatched durability.

All Select geared continuous hinges are made from up to 100-percent recycled content. The manufacturer can match any paint color on the gear cap or the entire hinge and fasteners; a choice of anodized colors also is available.
http://www.select-hinges.com

… Software Product of 2011
FeneTech Has Apps For Glass
This year FeneTech Inc. in Aurora, Ohio, promoted its integrated FeneVision ERP software, which features quoting, order entry and purchasing, among other functions.

New this year were FeneVision’s new Business Intelligence feature as well as the iPad and tablet PC apps, Business Monitor and Factory Monitor. These applications provide complete visibility of business operations, accessible anytime and anywhere.
http://www.fenetech.com

… Machine/Equipment of 2011
Edgetech Distributes Spyglass
Edgetech I.G. in Cambridge, Ohio, distributor of Sparklike products, has announced the availability of Spyglass, a laser-based gauge for measuring and detecting insulating glass unit structure, coatings and thicknesses.

Spyglass can be used as a production quality tool that confirms finished units are properly constructed and as a field service tool for determining specifications for replaceunits. Users can instantly measure installed IG units and order the right type.
http://www.edgetech360.com

… Coating of 2011
AkzoNobel Lets the Lead Out
AkzoNobel Extrusion Coatings has eliminated the use of lead compounds from all paint brand formulations including TRINAR®, ALUM-A-STAR®, and ACRA-BOND® ULTRA. This also includes products such as the reformulated high-solids POLYDURE® E, and the newly introduced CERAM-A-STAR® EXtreme for fiberglass applications.
http://www.akzonobel.com

… Material Handling/Transportation Product of 2011
Power and Versatility from the MR1611LDC Lifter
The MR1611LDC below-the-hook vacuum lifter was developed by Wood’s Powr-Grip® in Laurel, Mont., to meet the challenge of constructing curtainwalls and handling other architectural components. The lift bar can be assembled in two different lengths, providing the ability to install material under overhangs. The variable length and width of the pad spread allows configurations ranging from 53 ¼ inches long by 12 inches wide to 169 inches long by 49 inches wide. Capable of handling loads ranging from 700 to 2,800 pounds, the MR1611LDC features a DC power source for maximum portability and continuous 360-degree rotation.
http://www.powrgrip.com

… Product Resource of 2011
Guardian Highlights Sustainable Options
The industry’s only online energy calculator that compares the offerings of all players was among the highlights of Auburn Hills, Mich.-based Guardian’s GlassBuild booth.

The new SNX 62/27 architectural glass is just one of the products architects and specifiers can plug into the company’s new building energy calculator. This tool provides comparisons of building energy costs for multiple glazing options from multiple manufacturers, and their impact on design in prototypical buildings based on multiple variables.
http://www.guardian.com

… Protective Glazing Product of 2011 – TIE
A Fire-Rated Privacy Solution
Longueuil, Québec-based Unicel Architectural’s patented Vision Control® louvers-in-glass is now available combined with Pilkington Pyrostop® glazing from Technical Glass Products (TGP) in Snoqualmie, Wash., the first such product assembly to achieve Underwriters Laboratories’ (UL) fire protection classification. Vision Control insulating glass units now incorporate glazing with fire-ratings of 45, 60 and 90 minutes.
http://www.unicelarchitectural.com

Kawneer Expands Hurricane-Impact Resistant Offering
Kawneer Co. Inc., an Alcoa business in Norcross, Ga., reports that new configuration of its AA®3350 IsoPort™ single-hung window have been tested successfully for hurricane impact resistance according to the standards set forth in the Florida Building Code and ASTM impact and cycle protocols and test standards. The AA®3350 IsoPort™ single hung window is available with a 3 ½-inch frame depth and utilizes a polyamide thermal break for strong thermal performance.
http://www.kawneer.com

… Bath Enclosure/Shower Door of 2011
CRL Shower Features Clarvista by PPG
C.R. Laurence Co. in Los Angeles has unveiled a new shower door display featuring Clarvista™ glass by PPG Industries of Pittsburgh.
The glass is made with a coating that seals the glass surface, enabling it to resist corrosion caused by heat, humidity, soap and household cleaning products. Clarvista glass is available with Starphire ultra-clear or conventional clear glass.
http://www.crlaurence.com

USG
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