International Glass Manufacturer PPG Industries Qualifies Crystal for Elite Program FLUSHING, NY, September 27, 2010 – Crystal Window & Door Systems is pleased to announce that it has attained PPG Certified Commercial Window Fabricator status. Crystal has qualified for the Silver Member Level within PPG’s elite network of certified fenestration manufacturers. “Crystal has a long standing relationship with PPG, one of the leading glass and coating suppliers in the world,” said Harold Kaye, Senior Vice President of Business Development for Crystal. “Our window products offering energy efficiency and value, and PPG’s quality glass, coating and paint products are a natural fit. We are extremely pleased to have achieved their prestigious certification.” The Certified Commercial Window Fabricator national network is limited to window manufacturers that meet PPG’s stringent criteria for production. To qualify, manufacturers must fabricate insulating glass units in accordance with standards and protocols of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Insulating Glass Certification Council (IGCC), and PPG’s own standards for glass coating applications. Companies in the certified network are also subject to an annual on-site technical audit of their manufacturing processes by PPG technical inspectors to ensure compliance. As a PPG Silver Level Certified Commercial Window Fabricator, Crystal is eligible to use PPG’s low-E Solarban glass strategic products, which are sold exclusively to certified fabricators. Solarban low-E glass coatings, such as industry-leading Solarban 70XL, significantly enhance the energy efficiency of windows through solar control to transmit a high percentage of visible light while blocking a significant amount of solar heat energy and delivering low U-values (a measure of thermal transmittance). Ultimately this results in reduced cooling, heating and lighting requirements for buildings and reduced energy bills for property owners. Crystal has always fabricated its own insulating glass units (IGUs) and acquired its first “warm edge” Intercept Spacer system in 1997. The Intercept Spacer system for insulating glass units is a licensed PPG technology. The company upgraded its IGU production equipment a few years ago to the new fully automated i-3 Intercept Spacer line. This equipment accommodates variable spacer sizes without process downtime, and the highly energy efficient glass washing and curing oven/roll press equipment recycles water and saves energy. Crystal also extrudes and finishes its own aluminum window frame profiles at its subsidiary facility in Union, MO. PPG supplies environmentally friendly powder coat paint products for Crystal’s high quality factory-finished extruded aluminum profiles in a variety of standard, stock and custom colors. Crystal’s paint finishing processes are also part of PPG’s Certified Commercial Window Fabricator program audits.
