– Manufacturer Now Supplies Regional Branches and Others – CHICAGO, IL, October 13, 2010 – Crystal Window & Door Systems has expanded the distribution capabilities of its Chicago production facility and now ships quality energy efficient vinyl and aluminum window and door products to company branches in the St. Louis and Cleveland areas. The manufacturer is also shipping products to window dealers and distributors and to major construction sites located throughout the Midwest. Besides the St. Louis and Cleveland areas, the Chicago manufacturing facility can now directly serve other major urban areas such as Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Indianapolis, Detroit, Columbus, Cincinnati and Nashville. This extension of distribution operations for Crystal’s Chicago plant is a direct result of the facility’s recent expansion of production capabilities with the addition of new equipment and new window lines. The expansion of production and distribution in Chicago are major steps in the ongoing integration effort started late last year between Crystal Window & Door Systems in New York and its Chicago affiliate Crystal Windows & Doors Illinois Manufacturing. Prior to the expansions and integration, Crystal’s Chicago facility only supplied the Chicago metro area and most Midwest customers received products manufactured in and shipped from New York City. Now, for most of the Crystal product lines, an expanding number of Midwest customers will benefit from improved turnaround and reduced delivery times. This expansion increases the overall capacity and flexibility of the Crystal Windows network of factories and logistics operations. The expanded distribution operations from the Chicago plant also offers potential benefits to owners, developers and architects seeking LEED credits for their buildings. With Crystal’s Union, MO aluminum extrusion facility located within 500 miles of the Chicago window assembly point, many projects within that 500-mile radius using Crystal aluminum windows may qualify for Regionally Sourced Materials LEED credits in addition to Energy Efficiency and Recycled Content LEED credits. The 80,000-ft2 Chicago plant now produces a major portion of the broad Crystal product line. Products manufactured include the Series 100, 200, 300 and 500 vinyl windows, the Series 2000A and 4000 aluminum windows, and the Series 1240 aluminum sliding patio door. Many of the Crystal standard vinyl window offerings are Energy Star® rated and when ordered with special options qualify homeowners for federal ARRA stimulus tax credit incentives.
