GANA's Sowell Visits Guardian, Viracon Plants
by Urmilla Sowell, GANA Assistant Technical Director

Within the past few months, I have had the pleasure of visiting two of Glass Association of North America’s (GANA) member facilities. First was Guardian’s float glass plant in Corsicana, Texas and the other was Viracon’s newest glass fabrication plant located in St. George, Utah. For years, I’ve seen glass in its final role – either in a window or door system, curtain wall or store front. I’ve tested glass to withstand the international standards and building codes including hurricane impact standards and many times only after breaking glass and after the testing was completed had I ever gotten the chance to see the inner makings of an insulating glass unit or laminated lite.

At the float glass plant in Corsicana, I was pleasantly surprised and quite shocked to see glass being made from the sand/silica batch to actual tangible, cut to size lites in such a short amount of time. Visiting the plant and having Greg Carney, GANA’s Technical Director, and a member of the Guardian Corsicana team explain in detail the float glass process was such an amazing learning opportunity. I now understand what is meant by the “tin-side of the glass” and the “air side”.

I was able to see so many different operations at the Viracon facility. I saw lites being heat treated, some lites being laminated and some of the laminated lites becoming a part of an insulating glass unit. I was able to learn about the coating process and now realize the intricate details for getting the low emissivity rating and that gold look that we all enjoyed seeing at Glass Week and BEC in Las Vegas earlier this year.

Both of the visits were wonderful learning opportunities for me and as a result have me looking at glass everywhere. And if that wasn’t enough, every time I see Greg and we’re traveling or visiting, he asks me to name the type of glazing and substrate of the glass. Greg has also promised that we will continue to look for more opportunities for me to visit GANA members and building sites for years to come as a part of my continued glass and glazing education. Thanks to both top-notch facilities for accommodating my visit and my many questions.

 

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