PPG Sells Assets of Flat Glass Business to Vitro

July 22, 2016

PPG yesterday announced that it is selling the assets of its flat glass manufacturing and glass coatings operations to Vitro, a Mexico-based manufacturer of flat glass and specialty products. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2016.

Under the terms of the agreement, PPG will divest its entire flat glass manufacturing and glass coatings operations, including production sites located in Fresno, California; Salem, Oregon; Carlisle, Pennsylvania; and Wichita Falls, Texas; four distribution/fabrication facilities located across Canada; and a research-and-development center located in Harmar, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. PPG’s flat glass business includes approximately 1,200 employees.

“This transaction represents the end of an historic era for PPG as a manufacturer of flat glass, and it is another major step in our portfolio transformation to focus on paints, coatings and specialty materials,” Michael H. McGarry, PPG president and chief executive officer, said in the release. “Upon completion of this transaction, the flat glass operations will become part of a company that is focused on growing its core glass business.”

PPG will receive approximately $750 million in gross cash proceeds. Upon completion of this transaction and PPG’s recently announced transaction to divest its European fiber glass operations, approximately 98 percent of PPG’s business portfolio will be focused on paints, coatings and specialty materials, according to the release.

PPG was founded as a glass company 133 years ago,

Graham acknowledges both U.S. Glass and e-glass weekly for their contributions to this article.

Holy Toledo! Graham Delivers Historic Replication and Energy Savings!

July 22, 2016

Built in 1931, University Hall stands as the University of Toledo’s most iconic building, its stately clock tower overlooking all campus activity.
In the buildings surrounding it, the university has been replacing windows with an eye toward energy efficiency, but …

June’s Architecture Billings Index Portends Continued Construction Growth

July 21, 2016

In a report released this week, the American Institute of Architects reported that architecture firm billings increased in June for the fifth consecutive month.
The Architecture Billings Index (ABI), released monthly by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), reflected additional …

Graham Architectural Products Scholarship Winner

July 18, 2016

Congratulations to Dominique Fortunato!
The 2016-17 Graham Architectural Products Scholarship winner is Dominique Fortunato, daughter of Landon Fortunato, Estimator for Graham Architectural Products who works out of the New Castle facility.  Dominique was chosen as the winner by a panel of …

Graham Announces Additions to Team

July 15, 2016

Graham Architectural Products (GAP) is pleased to announce the addition of three members to its team:  Lynne Kile, director of aluminum materials processing; Christine Gohn, accounting supervisor; and Marc Ferrante, strategic project assistant.
Lynne’s primary responsibilities will be to develop …

Graham’s Detailed Historic Replication Drives Firestone Project

July 12, 2016

Elizabeth Murphy is president of Chambers, Murphy & Burge Restoration Architects, Ltd., a firm dedicated solely to preservation and restoration. She is also past chair of the Advisory Group for the American Institute of Architects National Committee on Historic Resources.
Continue Reading

Construction Spending Shows Continued Strength

July 8, 2016

The Dodge Momentum Index jumped 11.2 percent in June, thanks to a 14.6 percent increase in institutional projects and a 7.7 percent increase in pending commercial projects. With the advance, the overall Index is now at its highest level since …

Graham’s Bill Wilder Addresses Window Symposium

July 7, 2016

Bill Wilder, Graham Architectural Product’s director of technical sales and a recognized expert on historic window replication, recently served as a guest speaker at the Traditional Building Conference Series Windows Symposium at the Chicago History Museum.
The Traditional Building Conference …