Timeline

Guardian and its family of companies employ over 14,000 people that live and work in 26 countries across five continents, playing diverse roles in multiple industries. And we have one culture whose foundation rests upon our Guiding Principles.
The Early Years
1932

Guardian Glass Company begins as a small windshield fabricator in Detroit, Michigan
1957

William Davidson is named president
1968

Company goes public and changes name to Guardian Industries Corp.
1969

Permaglass acquisition adds Millbury, Ohio plant
The 1970s
1970

First float glass plant begins operations in Carleton, Michigan
1973

Second float line launches in Carleton, Michigan. This is the only Guardian plant to have two furnaces under one roof
1974

Guardian adds fabrication capability with acquisition of Glass Guard Industries in Webster, Massachusetts
1974

Upper Sandusky, Ohio automotive glass fabrication plant begins operations
1975

Kingsburg, California float glass plant starts operations
1978

Guardian enters mineral wool manufacturing in Huntington, Indiana
The 1980s
1980

Corsicana, Texas float glass plant begins operations
1980

Fiberglass insulation manufacturing begins in Albion, Michigan
1981

Guardian expands into Europe with launch of float glass plant in Bascharage, Luxembourg
1982

AIRCO acquisition in Carleton, Michigan adds new coating facility strategically located across the street from float glass plant
1982

Guardian celebrates 50th anniversary
1983

Guardian purchases Fullerton, California rolled glass plant
1983

Guardian adds low-emissivity (low-E) glass to product portfolio
1984

Guardian purchases Floreffe, Pennsylvania float glass plant
1985

Guardian acquires Llodio, Spain float glass plant
1985

Guardian becomes privately held after 17 years as a public company
1985

Auburn, Indiana automotive glass fabrication plant begins operations
1985

Guardian launches new company-wide HealthGuard program focused on employee wellness
1986

Fiberglass manufacturing expands with greenfield plant in Mineral Wells, Mississippi
1986

Guardian College Scholarship Program launches in North America to support employees and their children in the pursuit of higher-education
1988

Windsor Plastics acquisition adds automotive trim plants in Evansville, Indiana and Grand Prairie, Texas
1988

Richburg, South Carolina float glass plant, and a second float glass plant in Luxembourg (Dudelange), start operations
The 1990s
1990

Guardian launches joint venture float glass plant in Maturín, Venezuela
1991

Oroshaza, Hungary float glass plant starts operations
1991

Ligonier, Indiana automotive glass fabrication plant begins operations
1992

Guardian acquires Consolidated Glass & Mirror Company in Galax, Virginia, expanding fabrication capabilities
1992

Guardian enters Asia with the launch of the Nong Khae, Thailand float glass plant
1992

Guardian Japan Ltd. expands company reach into Japan through distribution center and sales office
1993

Gujarat Guardian Limited (GGL), India float glass plant begins operations. GGL is Guardian's joint venture float glass plant with Modi Rubber in Gujarat, India.
1993

Guardian adds a third facility in Luxembourg with the launch of the Grevenmacher automotive glass fabrication plant
1993

Tudela, Spain float glass plant begins operations
1994

Graham Fiberglass acquisition adds manufacturing plant in Erin, Ontario
1994

Guardian enters Latin America with distribution center in Sao Paulo, Brazil
1995

Guardian moves from Novi, Michigan to new world headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan
1996

Guardian acquires major interest in Automotive Moulding Company (AMC). Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, AMC has three automotive trim plants in Georgia and one in Michigan
1996

DeWitt, Iowa float glass plant begins operations
1996

Thalheim, Germany float glass plant begins operations
1996

Guardian opens float glass plant in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Guardian's joint venture float glass plant in Al Jubail is known as GulfGuard
1997

Guardian adds second float glass plant in Thailand in Rayong
1997

Glass distribution center is established in Argentina
1998

Morehead, Kentucky automotive trim plant begins operations, and Guardian acquires Lab. Radio, an automotive trim manufacturer in Valencia, Spain
1998

Geneva, New York float glass plant begins operations
1998

Porto Real, Brazil float glass plant begins operations
1998

Inwood, West Virginia fiberglass manufacturing plant begins operations
1998

Guardian enters building products distribution; Guardian Fiberglass makes investment in Builder Marts of America (BMA)
The 2000s
2000

Guardian Building Products Group acquires Cameron-Ashley Building Products
2000

Guardian opens float glass distribution centers in Veracruz, Mexico and Cartagena, Colombia
2000

Guardian Science & Technology Center opens in Carleton, Michigan
2000

Guardian develops the Sun-Guard series of coated glass products for commercial applications. This would later become Guardian SunGuard® advanced architectural glass
2002

Czestochowa, Poland float glass plant begins operations
2003

Guardian Fiberglass acquires remaining shares of Builder Marts of America
2003

Guardian launches the world's largest sputter coater in Bascharage, Luxembourg
2003

Goole, England float glass plant begins operations
2003

Guardian purchases partial ownership of the Egyptian Glass Company float glass plant in Cairo
2004

El Marqués, Mexico float glass plant begins operations
2006

Guardian introduces ShowerGuard® glass, the industry's first temperable, permanently protected shower glass
2007

Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates float glass plant begins operations. Guardian's joint venture float glass plant in RAK is known as Guardian Zoujaj International Float Glass Co. LLC.
2007

Winnsboro, South Carolina fiberglass manufacturing plant begins operations
2007

Guardian celebrates 75th anniversary
2008

Ryazan, Russia float glass plant begins operations
2008

Guardian purchases Siegel-Robert Automotive
2009

William Davidson (1922 - 2009)
2009

Guardian launches SRG Global, combining the trim operations of Guardian Automotive and Siegel-Robert Automotive to form one of the world's largest manufacturers of chrome plated plastic parts for the industry
2009

Tatuí, Brazil float glass plant begins operations
Recent
2011

SRG Global opens its Advanced Development Center in Taylor, Michigan. Exclusively dedicated to research and product innovation, the new facility is slated to develop the future of plastics coating technology for industries worldwide.
2011

SRG Global launches automotive trim facility in Bolesławiec, Poland
2012

SRG Global launches automotive trim facility in Irapuato, Mexico
2012

Rostov, Russia float glass plant begins operations
2012

Koch Industries invests in Guardian Industries
2013

Ron Vaupel named President and CEO of Guardian Industries Corp.
2013

SRG Global and FALTEC Co. Ltd. celebrate grand opening of joint venture manufacturing facility, FALTEC SRG Global (Thailand) Co. LTD.
2013

Custom Glass Solutions by Guardian is established to serve diverse transportation segments in North America
2014

Guardian sells its fiberglass manufacturing plants
2015

Guardian Science & Technology Center completes expansion
2015

SRG Global doubles capacity at automotive trim plant in Irapuato, Mexico
2016

Guardian launches new coater at the Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia float glass plant
2017

Koch Industries, Inc. completes the acquisition of Guardian Industries Corp.
2018

Guardian Glass celebrates North American jumbo coater start
2020

Guardian Glass launches new coater in Czestochowa, Poland
2020

Guardian Glass Carleton celebrates 50 years of operation. The plant inaugurated Guardian Industries' float glass production
2021

Guardian Glass DeWitt plant earns EPA’s ENERGY STAR® certification for superior energy efficiency
2021

Guardian Glass introduces Guardian Bird1st™ Etch glass. Four products give architects flexibility while protecting birds
2021

Guardian Glass adds super jumbo capability
2021

No, it’s not a mirage. It’s the Maraya Concert Hall. The world’s largest mirrored building.
2021

Guardian Glass invests in expanded capacity and energy-saving technology for Goole plant
The Early Years

1932
Guardian Glass Company begins as a small windshield fabricator in Detroit, Michigan
Read More

1957
William Davidson is named president
Read More

1968
Company goes public and changes name to Guardian Industries Corp.
Read More

1969
Permaglass acquisition adds Millbury, Ohio plant
Read More
The 1970s

1970
First float glass plant begins operations in Carleton, Michigan
Read More

1973
Second float line launches in Carleton, Michigan. This is the only Guardian plant to have two furnaces under one roof
Read More

1974
Guardian adds fabrication capability with acquisition of Glass Guard Industries in Webster, Massachusetts
Read More

1974
Upper Sandusky, Ohio automotive glass fabrication plant begins operations
Read More

1975
Kingsburg, California float glass plant starts operations
Read More

1978
Guardian enters mineral wool manufacturing in Huntington, Indiana
Read More
The 1980s

1980
Corsicana, Texas float glass plant begins operations
Read More

1980
Fiberglass insulation manufacturing begins in Albion, Michigan
Read More

1981
Guardian expands into Europe with launch of float glass plant in Bascharage, Luxembourg
Read More

1982
AIRCO acquisition in Carleton, Michigan adds new coating facility strategically located across the street from float glass plant
Read More

1982
Guardian celebrates 50th anniversary
Read More

1983
Guardian purchases Fullerton, California rolled glass plant
Read More

1983
Guardian adds low-emissivity (low-E) glass to product portfolio
Read More

1984
Guardian purchases Floreffe, Pennsylvania float glass plant
Read More

1985
Guardian acquires Llodio, Spain float glass plant
Read More

1985
Guardian becomes privately held after 17 years as a public company
Read More

1985
Auburn, Indiana automotive glass fabrication plant begins operations
Read More

1985
Guardian launches new company-wide HealthGuard program focused on employee wellness
Read More

1986
Fiberglass manufacturing expands with greenfield plant in Mineral Wells, Mississippi
Read More

1986
Guardian College Scholarship Program launches in North America to support employees and their children in the pursuit of higher-education
Read More

1988
Windsor Plastics acquisition adds automotive trim plants in Evansville, Indiana and Grand Prairie, Texas
Read More

1988
Richburg, South Carolina float glass plant, and a second float glass plant in Luxembourg (Dudelange), start operations
Read More
The 1990s

1990
Guardian launches joint venture float glass plant in Maturín, Venezuela
Read More

1991
Oroshaza, Hungary float glass plant starts operations
Read More

1991
Ligonier, Indiana automotive glass fabrication plant begins operations
Read More

1992
Guardian acquires Consolidated Glass & Mirror Company in Galax, Virginia, expanding fabrication capabilities
Read More

1992
Guardian enters Asia with the launch of the Nong Khae, Thailand float glass plant
Read More

1992
Guardian Japan Ltd. expands company reach into Japan through distribution center and sales office
Read More

1993
Gujarat Guardian Limited (GGL), India float glass plant begins operations. GGL is Guardian's joint venture float glass plant with Modi Rubber in Gujarat, India.
Read More

1993
Guardian adds a third facility in Luxembourg with the launch of the Grevenmacher automotive glass fabrication plant
Read More

1993
Tudela, Spain float glass plant begins operations
Read More

1994
Graham Fiberglass acquisition adds manufacturing plant in Erin, Ontario
Read More

1994
Guardian enters Latin America with distribution center in Sao Paulo, Brazil
Read More

1995
Guardian moves from Novi, Michigan to new world headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan
Read More

1996
Guardian acquires major interest in Automotive Moulding Company (AMC). Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, AMC has three automotive trim plants in Georgia and one in Michigan
Read More

1996
DeWitt, Iowa float glass plant begins operations
Read More

1996
Thalheim, Germany float glass plant begins operations
Read More

1996
Guardian opens float glass plant in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Guardian's joint venture float glass plant in Al Jubail is known as GulfGuard
Read More

1997
Guardian adds second float glass plant in Thailand in Rayong
Read More

1997
Glass distribution center is established in Argentina
Read More

1998
Morehead, Kentucky automotive trim plant begins operations, and Guardian acquires Lab. Radio, an automotive trim manufacturer in Valencia, Spain
Read More

1998
Geneva, New York float glass plant begins operations
Read More

1998
Porto Real, Brazil float glass plant begins operations
Read More

1998
Inwood, West Virginia fiberglass manufacturing plant begins operations
Read More

1998
Guardian enters building products distribution; Guardian Fiberglass makes investment in Builder Marts of America (BMA)
Read More
The 2000s

2000
Guardian Building Products Group acquires Cameron-Ashley Building Products
Read More

2000
Guardian opens float glass distribution centers in Veracruz, Mexico and Cartagena, Colombia
Read More

2000
Guardian Science & Technology Center opens in Carleton, Michigan
Read More

2000
Guardian develops the Sun-Guard series of coated glass products for commercial applications. This would later become Guardian SunGuard® advanced architectural glass
Read More

2002
Czestochowa, Poland float glass plant begins operations
Read More

2003
Guardian Fiberglass acquires remaining shares of Builder Marts of America
Read More

2003
Guardian launches the world's largest sputter coater in Bascharage, Luxembourg
Read More

2003
Goole, England float glass plant begins operations
Read More

2003
Guardian purchases partial ownership of the Egyptian Glass Company float glass plant in Cairo
Read More

2004
El Marqués, Mexico float glass plant begins operations
Read More

2006
Guardian introduces ShowerGuard® glass, the industry's first temperable, permanently protected shower glass
Read More

2007
Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates float glass plant begins operations. Guardian's joint venture float glass plant in RAK is known as Guardian Zoujaj International Float Glass Co. LLC.
Read More

2007
Winnsboro, South Carolina fiberglass manufacturing plant begins operations
Read More

2007
Guardian celebrates 75th anniversary
Read More

2008
Ryazan, Russia float glass plant begins operations
Read More

2008
Guardian purchases Siegel-Robert Automotive
Read More

2009
William Davidson (1922 - 2009)
Read More

2009
Guardian launches SRG Global, combining the trim operations of Guardian Automotive and Siegel-Robert Automotive to form one of the world's largest manufacturers of chrome plated plastic parts for the industry
Read More

2009
Tatuí, Brazil float glass plant begins operations
Read More
Recent

2011
SRG Global opens its Advanced Development Center in Taylor, Michigan. Exclusively dedicated to research and product innovation, the new facility is slated to develop the future of plastics coating technology for industries worldwide.
Read More

2011
SRG Global launches automotive trim facility in Bolesławiec, Poland
Read More

2012
SRG Global launches automotive trim facility in Irapuato, Mexico
Read More

2012
Rostov, Russia float glass plant begins operations
Read More

2012
Koch Industries invests in Guardian Industries
Read More

2013
Ron Vaupel named President and CEO of Guardian Industries Corp.
Read More

2013
SRG Global and FALTEC Co. Ltd. celebrate grand opening of joint venture manufacturing facility, FALTEC SRG Global (Thailand) Co. LTD.
Read More

2013
Custom Glass Solutions by Guardian is established to serve diverse transportation segments in North America
Read More

2014
Guardian sells its fiberglass manufacturing plants
Read More

2015
Guardian Science & Technology Center completes expansion
Read More

2015
SRG Global doubles capacity at automotive trim plant in Irapuato, Mexico
Read More

2016
Guardian launches new coater at the Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia float glass plant
Read More

2017
Koch Industries, Inc. completes the acquisition of Guardian Industries Corp.
Read More

2018
Guardian Glass celebrates North American jumbo coater start
Read More

2020
Guardian Glass launches new coater in Czestochowa, Poland
Read More

2020
Guardian Glass Carleton celebrates 50 years of operation. The plant inaugurated Guardian Industries' float glass production
Read More

2021
Guardian Glass DeWitt plant earns EPA’s ENERGY STAR® certification for superior energy efficiency
Read More

2021
Guardian Glass introduces Guardian Bird1st™ Etch glass. Four products give architects flexibility while protecting birds
Read More

2021
Guardian Glass adds super jumbo capability
Read More

2021
No, it’s not a mirage. It’s the Maraya Concert Hall. The world’s largest mirrored building.
Read More

2021
Guardian Glass invests in expanded capacity and energy-saving technology for Goole plant
Read More
×
1932
Guardian Glass Company begins as a small windshield fabricator in Detroit, Michigan

Guardian Glass Company was founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1932. The company’s 20 employees produced roughly 100 laminated windshields a day in a plant on Detroit’s Lower East Side. Its only equipment was a press used for laminating glass to the interlayer; all other work was done manually. Sales during the company’s first year totaled $130,000. Guardian adopted the logo incorporating a big G surrounding a knight on a horse. The logo represented security and protection against wind, weather and debris that Guardian windshields gave to drivers and passengers of vehicles. During World War II, Guardian was producing millions of square feet of laminated glass for windshields in trucks, jeeps and other military vehicles. In the early 1950s, Guardian began production of curved, laminated windshields and in 1970, Guardian became the first company to enter the U.S. primary glass industry in nearly 50 years when production started at a new plant in Carleton, Mich. Guardian’s history of progressive management, innovative thinking and steady growth continued. Today, Guardian operates plants on five continents and our products and systems grace vehicles, homes and construction projects all over the world.

×
1957
William Davidson is named president
×
1968
Company goes public and changes name to Guardian Industries Corp.
×
1969
Permaglass acquisition adds Millbury, Ohio plant
×
1970
First float glass plant begins operations in Carleton, Michigan
×
1973
Second float line launches in Carleton, Michigan. This is the only Guardian plant to have two furnaces under one roof
×
1974
Guardian adds fabrication capability with acquisition of Glass Guard Industries in Webster, Massachusetts
×
1974
Upper Sandusky, Ohio automotive glass fabrication plant begins operations
×
1975
Kingsburg, California float glass plant starts operations
×
1978
Guardian enters mineral wool manufacturing in Huntington, Indiana
×
1980
Corsicana, Texas float glass plant begins operations
×
1980
Fiberglass insulation manufacturing begins in Albion, Michigan
×
1981
Guardian expands into Europe with launch of float glass plant in Bascharage, Luxembourg

The Bascharage, Luxembourg float glass plant was Guardian’s first in Europe and set the stage for worldwide expansion. Luxembourg’s central location between Belgium, France and Germany gave the company ready access to Europe’s most important glass regions. A small number of U.S. trained managers and technicians moved to Luxembourg to assume leadership roles within the plant. Guardian wanted to show its European employees the possibilities of working in a new and exciting environment, for a company that intended to lead the way in Europe as it had in the U.S. In a careful process of give-and-take, Guardian learned how to function as a European company while a European workforce learned how to function as part of the Guardian team. Guardian’s move shook up the glass establishment and the company was later dubbed the "raging bull" in Europe by the Financial Times. In 2016, Guardian celebrated 35 years in Luxembourg with the official opening of its new offices in Bertrange.

×
1982
AIRCO acquisition in Carleton, Michigan adds new coating facility strategically located across the street from float glass plant
×
1982
Guardian celebrates 50th anniversary
×
1983
Guardian purchases Fullerton, California rolled glass plant
×
1983
Guardian adds low-emissivity (low-E) glass to product portfolio

Low-Emissivity, or low-E, glass has microscopically thin, transparent metal coatings that reflect long-wave radiation, and helps make homes and buildings more energy efficient in both warm and cold climates. Low-E glass was first manufactured in Europe and then introduced in the early 1980s to North America. In 1983, Guardian was one of the first companies in the United States to manufacture low-E glass after adding sputter coating technology at its Corsicana, Texas float glass plant. Today's low-E coatings are multilayered, complex designs engineered to provide high visible light transmission, low visible light reflection and reduce heat transfer. Many building projects today incorporate low-E glass to significantly reduce energy use and costs, thereby reducing a building's carbon footprint. Guardian Glass manufactures advanced low-E coatings for residential and commercial applications to meet the needs of its customers around the world.

×
1984
Guardian purchases Floreffe, Pennsylvania float glass plant
×
1985
Guardian acquires Llodio, Spain float glass plant
×
1985
Guardian becomes privately held after 17 years as a public company
×
1985
Auburn, Indiana automotive glass fabrication plant begins operations
×
1985
Guardian launches new company-wide HealthGuard program focused on employee wellness

In 1985, Guardian introduced HealthGuard -- an ambitious and focused effort to elevate the well-being of its employees and control health-care costs. This global health program was an extension of William Davidson’s longtime belief both in the virtues of competition and in the proposition that Guardian should support its employees in every possible way. “I believe HealthGuard is one of the best programs we’ve ever offered Guardian employees,” said Davidson. “Encouraging people to take charge of their health and reduce health-care costs is a worthy objective. I have personally believed in the value of physical fitness for many years. HealthGuard does not tell employees how to live. It encourages them to consider the effects of lifestyle on their well-being. The decision to accept those recommendations and to act on them is up to each person.” Company health programs would become more common in the coming years, and Guardian was a recognized leader in the arena. The company’s innovative approach was featured in a CNN News special. HealthGuard helps Guardian employees and their family members improve their lives through educational initiatives, physical activity, health screenings and community outreach. Learn  more

×
1986
Fiberglass manufacturing expands with greenfield plant in Mineral Wells, Mississippi
×
1986
Guardian College Scholarship Program launches in North America to support employees and their children in the pursuit of higher-education
×
1988
Windsor Plastics acquisition adds automotive trim plants in Evansville, Indiana and Grand Prairie, Texas
×
1988
Richburg, South Carolina float glass plant, and a second float glass plant in Luxembourg (Dudelange), start operations
×
1990
Guardian launches joint venture float glass plant in Maturín, Venezuela
×
1991
Oroshaza, Hungary float glass plant starts operations
×
1991
Ligonier, Indiana automotive glass fabrication plant begins operations
×
1992
Guardian acquires Consolidated Glass & Mirror Company in Galax, Virginia, expanding fabrication capabilities
×
1992
Guardian enters Asia with the launch of the Nong Khae, Thailand float glass plant
×
1992
Guardian Japan Ltd. expands company reach into Japan through distribution center and sales office
×
1993
Gujarat Guardian Limited (GGL), India float glass plant begins operations. GGL is Guardian's joint venture float glass plant with Modi Rubber in Gujarat, India.
×
1993
Guardian adds a third facility in Luxembourg with the launch of the Grevenmacher automotive glass fabrication plant
×
1993
Tudela, Spain float glass plant begins operations
×
1994
Graham Fiberglass acquisition adds manufacturing plant in Erin, Ontario
×
1994
Guardian enters Latin America with distribution center in Sao Paulo, Brazil
×
1995
Guardian moves from Novi, Michigan to new world headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan
×
1996
Guardian acquires major interest in Automotive Moulding Company (AMC). Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, AMC has three automotive trim plants in Georgia and one in Michigan
×
1996
DeWitt, Iowa float glass plant begins operations
×
1996
Thalheim, Germany float glass plant begins operations
×
1996
Guardian opens float glass plant in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Guardian's joint venture float glass plant in Al Jubail is known as GulfGuard
×
1997
Guardian adds second float glass plant in Thailand in Rayong
×
1997
Glass distribution center is established in Argentina
×
1998
Morehead, Kentucky automotive trim plant begins operations, and Guardian acquires Lab. Radio, an automotive trim manufacturer in Valencia, Spain
×
1998
Geneva, New York float glass plant begins operations
×
1998
Porto Real, Brazil float glass plant begins operations
×
1998
Inwood, West Virginia fiberglass manufacturing plant begins operations
×
1998
Guardian enters building products distribution; Guardian Fiberglass makes investment in Builder Marts of America (BMA)
×
2000
Guardian Building Products Group acquires Cameron-Ashley Building Products
×
2000
Guardian opens float glass distribution centers in Veracruz, Mexico and Cartagena, Colombia
×
2000
Guardian Science & Technology Center opens in Carleton, Michigan

In 2000, Guardian opened its Science & Technology Center, one of the most sophisticated and comprehensive glass laboratories in the world. Since that time, STC has launched scores of new products and received hundreds of new patents. President and CEO William Davidson had the vision to direct and lead this change. In a view of the future to employees he said, “For the last 20 years, Guardian has been in a capital expenditure phase, building float plants at a rate of nearly one every year. We need to begin looking at the plants we have and finding ways to make them more profitable. We can only become more profitable through change, and that is the direction in which this company is headed. Therefore, I have two challenges for each of you. First, continue to be the low-cost producer of your products. Second, pursue the development of further downstream operations and more new products. As a company, we need to exploit our current capabilities and competitive advantage, while at the same time, develop new capabilities. It is these new capabilities that will see Guardian through the inevitable moment when our old capabilities no longer provide an advantage. We must either evolve as a company or fall behind.” The cornerstone of Guardian’s new direction was the establishment of the Science & Technology Center to unify and coordinate critical aspects of product and process innovation. The location across the street from a float glass plant was selected so the company did not grow out of touch with the realities of day-to-day operations. The Science & Technology Center had two overriding objectives: provide Guardian innovated products to offer its customers and develop efficient manufacturing processes that increase quality by reducing customer costs.

×
2000
Guardian develops the Sun-Guard series of coated glass products for commercial applications. This would later become Guardian SunGuard® advanced architectural glass
×
2002
Czestochowa, Poland float glass plant begins operations
×
2003
Guardian Fiberglass acquires remaining shares of Builder Marts of America
×
2003
Guardian launches the world's largest sputter coater in Bascharage, Luxembourg
×
2003
Goole, England float glass plant begins operations
×
2003
Guardian purchases partial ownership of the Egyptian Glass Company float glass plant in Cairo
×
2004
El Marqués, Mexico float glass plant begins operations
×
2006
Guardian introduces ShowerGuard® glass, the industry's first temperable, permanently protected shower glass
×
2007
Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates float glass plant begins operations. Guardian's joint venture float glass plant in RAK is known as Guardian Zoujaj International Float Glass Co. LLC.
×
2007
Winnsboro, South Carolina fiberglass manufacturing plant begins operations
×
2007
Guardian celebrates 75th anniversary
×
2008
Ryazan, Russia float glass plant begins operations
×
2008
Guardian purchases Siegel-Robert Automotive
×
2009
William Davidson (1922 - 2009)
×
2009
Guardian launches SRG Global, combining the trim operations of Guardian Automotive and Siegel-Robert Automotive to form one of the world's largest manufacturers of chrome plated plastic parts for the industry

In 2009, SRG Global Inc. was born, combining the automotive trim operations of Guardian Automotive and Siegel-Robert to form one of the world's largest manufacturers of chrome-plated plastics for the automotive, commercial truck and consumer goods industries. The company’s evolution began one year earlier when Guardian Automotive acquired Siegel-Robert Automotive. Headquartered near Detroit, Michigan, today the company has a manufacturing presence in major world regions including North America, Europe and Asia. Through its Advanced Development Centers, SRG Global works to enhance manufacturing processes and accelerate development and delivery of the next generation of materials, coating technologies and sub-systems. SRG Global engineers solutions globally for greater surface durability, structural integrity, enhanced functionality, vehicle efficiency and optimal design flexibility. The result is the development of innovative exterior and interior products and processes that create value for our customers and consumers, and create a positive impact in our environment and society. Beyond the finish™. Learn more

×
2009
Tatuí, Brazil float glass plant begins operations
×
2011
SRG Global opens its Advanced Development Center in Taylor, Michigan. Exclusively dedicated to research and product innovation, the new facility is slated to develop the future of plastics coating technology for industries worldwide.
×
2011
SRG Global launches automotive trim facility in Bolesławiec, Poland
×
2012
SRG Global launches automotive trim facility in Irapuato, Mexico
×
2012
Rostov, Russia float glass plant begins operations
×
2012
Koch Industries invests in Guardian Industries
×
2013
Ron Vaupel named President and CEO of Guardian Industries Corp.
×
2013
SRG Global and FALTEC Co. Ltd. celebrate grand opening of joint venture manufacturing facility, FALTEC SRG Global (Thailand) Co. LTD.
×
2013
Custom Glass Solutions by Guardian is established to serve diverse transportation segments in North America
×
2014
Guardian sells its fiberglass manufacturing plants
×
2015
Guardian Science & Technology Center completes expansion

In 2015, Guardian completed expansion of its Science and Technology Center (STC) in Carleton, Michigan. The STC is one of the driving forces behind Guardian's commitment to innovation that creates value for its customers and delivers products that improve people’s lives. With this 27,000-square-foot addition, the STC is able to accelerate the rate of product design and development. Highlights include a full-size vacuum coater; a glass product showcase wall; an electrically wired, full-scale demonstration wall for advanced glazing technologies; and upgraded and expanded laboratory space. Of particular note is the addition of a cutting-edge curtain wall designed to achieve net zero energy results using Guardian’s high performance commercial glass products, SunGuard SNX 51/23 and SunGuard Spandrel HT, and building-integrated photovoltaic panels. “This high-performance building is a working demonstration of Guardian’s commitment to advancing glass technology,” says Sheldon Davis, Vice President, Research and Development.

×
2015
SRG Global doubles capacity at automotive trim plant in Irapuato, Mexico
×
2016
Guardian launches new coater at the Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia float glass plant
×
2017
Koch Industries, Inc. completes the acquisition of Guardian Industries Corp.

Koch Industries, Inc. announced that it completed the acquisition of Guardian Industries Corp. following the receipt of all regulatory approvals. Koch initially invested in Guardian in 2012, acquiring a 44.5 percent minority interest in the company at the time. Guardian brings new capabilities and expertise to Koch in several highly technical manufacturing and distribution industries. In addition to being one of the world’s largest producers of float, value‐added and fabricated glass products, Guardian is also a leader both in high‐value coatings on plastics for the automotive industry and the distribution of specialty building products. “Guardian began in 1932 as a small windshield company in Detroit and has since become an established leader, proudly serving a global customer base in multiple industries,” said Ron Vaupel, president and CEO of Guardian. “The combination of Guardian’s expertise and Koch’s existing capabilities and infrastructure provides a tremendous opportunity for all of us to create more value for our customers and the communitiesin which we operate.” “Koch Industries’ philosophy is to invest in companies where there is mutual benefit for both entities as well as their customers,” said Charles Koch, chairman and CEO of Koch Industries. “Our capabilities will help Guardian better serve their customers, while their industry‐specific experience and expertise will bolster Koch’s operations. Although we’ve worked with Guardian since 2012, I believe our progress together has just scratched the surface.” With the addition of Guardian, Koch companies now employ more than 120,000 people worldwide, with about 70,000 of those in the United States. Guardian companies have nearly 150 locations in more than 25 countries. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. https://news.kochind.com/media-resources/press-releases/2016/koch-industries-acquires-guardian-industries-corp

×
2018
Guardian Glass celebrates North American jumbo coater start
×
2020
Guardian Glass launches new coater in Czestochowa, Poland

Guardian Glass started full production on a technologically advanced new glass coater, July 6, at its second facility in Czestochowa, Poland.

The state-of-the-art coater uses advanced technology for turning standard float glass into high performance, value-added glass. It will enable the plant to expand production of low-emissivity (low-E), solar control glass products for residential (Guardian ClimaGuard®) and commercial (Guardian SunGuard®) applications. These high-performance products improve a building’s energy efficiency, aesthetics and comfort for its occupants.

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2020
Guardian Glass Carleton celebrates 50 years of operation. The plant inaugurated Guardian Industries' float glass production
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2021
Guardian Glass DeWitt plant earns EPA’s ENERGY STAR® certification for superior energy efficiency
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2021
Guardian Glass introduces Guardian Bird1st™ Etch glass. Four products give architects flexibility while protecting birds
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2021
Guardian Glass adds super jumbo capability
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2021
No, it’s not a mirage. It’s the Maraya Concert Hall. The world’s largest mirrored building.

It’s easy to think that it’s an illusion – the desert can play tricks with the mind. Then you realise there really is an incredible, mirrored building in the heart of the Arabian Desert. With ancient, wind-carved, sandstone mountains reflected along its length, so that the structure seems to disappear and then reappear from the landscape.

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2021
Guardian Glass invests in expanded capacity and energy-saving technology for Goole plant