Edgetech: continuos developments and expansion in IG production
Edgetech I.G., built on a unique technology invented in 1985 by Edgetech I.G. Ltd. in Ottawa, Canada, was officially formed in 1989 as a fully-owned subsidiary of Lauren Manufacturing. Since then, Super Spacer®, the world’s only TrueWARM®, all-foam edge seal product line continues to revolutionize the fenestration industry with maximum condensation resistance, durability and energy performance. After substantial growth in its first five years of operations, Edgetech I.G. was made autonomous from Lauren Manufacturing as a stand-alone entity in 1994. A new holding company, Lauren International, Inc., was formed by CEO and Chairman of the Board, Dale Lauren Foland, for the two divisions – Lauren Manufacturing and Edgetech I.G. Inc. In that same year, Edgetech’s production was moved from Lauren International’s headquarters in New Philadelphia, Ohio, to its current 476,000 square foot facility located on 66 acres in Cambridge, Ohio. The facility also houses Edgetech’s administrative offices, Marketing Services group, and extensive research and development laboratory.
DEVELOPING CONTINUOUSLY
Built on innovation, Edgetech continues to develop new ideas and concepts to revolutionize the industry. In recent years, the company has gained considerable market share internationally through its commitment to educating regulators, window, door and insulating glass manufacturers and homeowners worldwide on the energy-saving benefits of warm edge technology and its impacts on reduci...
Edgetech I.G., built on a unique technology invented in 1985 by Edgetech I.G. Ltd. in Ottawa, Canada, was officially formed in 1989 as a fully-owned subsidiary of Lauren Manufacturing. Since then, Super Spacer®, the world’s only TrueWARM®, all-foam edge seal product line continues to revolutionize the fenestration industry with maximum condensation resistance, durability and energy performance. After substantial growth in its first five years of operations, Edgetech I.G. was made autonomous from Lauren Manufacturing as a stand-alone entity in 1994. A new holding company, Lauren International, Inc., was formed by CEO and Chairman of the Board, Dale Lauren Foland, for the two divisions – Lauren Manufacturing and Edgetech I.G. Inc. In that same year, Edgetech’s production was moved from Lauren International’s headquarters in New Philadelphia, Ohio, to its current 476,000 square foot facility located on 66 acres in Cambridge, Ohio. The facility also houses Edgetech’s administrative offices, Marketing Services group, and extensive research and development laboratory.
DEVELOPING CONTINUOUSLY
Built on innovation, Edgetech continues to develop new ideas and concepts to revolutionize the industry. In recent years, the company has gained considerable market share internationally through its commitment to educating regulators, window, door and insulating glass manufacturers and homeowners worldwide on the energy-saving benefits of warm edge technology and its impacts on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To establish its global presence, Edgetech began promoting its business in the United Kingdom and continental Europe as early as the mid 1990s and established a warehouse and an office in Coventry, England in 1995. In 2004 Edgetech founded a wholly-owned subsidiary in Neuss Germany: Edgetech Europe GmbH. After nearly 300 per cent sales growth in the United Kingdom between 2003 and 2006, Edgetech opened its first international manufacturing facility in Coventry, England, in July 2007. The USD 4.4 million investment resulted in a world-class facility to further facilitate the growth of warm edge technology worldwide.
Edgetech’s parent company, Lauren International, is a research and developmentbased holding company for six companies: Edgetech I.G. Inc., Lauren Manufacturing, LMI Custom Mixing, Lauren AgriSystems, Nurtured Pets and Lauren Innovations.
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Edgetech’s Super Spacer® line of thermal resistant, flexible, edge seal products combines with the thermal properties of low-E coatings, Argon gas and multi-glazing assembly to provide maximum condensation resistance, durability and energy performance in insulating glass systems for commercial and residential use. With thermal resistance far outperforming traditional metal spacer systems, Super Spacer’s flexible foam construction provides the energy payback consumers expect from high-performance glazing.
Edgetech also offers a comprehensive portfolio of value-added products and services for the window, door and glass industries, including: Super Spacer® Standard, Super Spacer® Premium, Super Spacer® Premium Plus, Super Spacer® TriSeal™ Premium Plus, Super Spacer® T-SpacerTM Premium, Super Spacer® TSpacerTM Premium Plus, Super Spacer® nXt™, Cushion Edge™.
GAS-FILL TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP
At Glasstec 2010, Edgetech I.G. announced a new partnership with UK-based Inagas, the industry leader in gas-fill machinery. Under the agreement, Edgetech will be the exclusive distributor of Inagas products in North America and Central America, and will also distribute the products in Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria. “Inagas technologies are worlds ahead of the competition in terms of accuracy, reliability and ease of use,” said Andreas Max Schultheiss, Edgetech’s European Sales Manager. “With Inagas gas-fill equipment, productivity and quality is dramatically improved over the analogue filling options currently available in the Americas.”
Inagas gas-fill solutions use the latest in oxygen sensor technology with auto-calibration functionality upon startup. This patent-pending SmartStart capability ensures optimal accuracy and reliability for improved production flow and quality control. “Our Edgetech 360® product offerings are hand selected to provide manufacturers with the latest products to help achieve their production and quality objectives,” Schultheiss continues. “Inagas products are an excellent example of this dedication to help our customers succeed now and into the future.” Inagas was formed in 1992 and has quickly become the leading supplier of Argon gas equipment, helping manufacturers in Europe improve productivity and meet increasingly stringent energy-efficiency regulations. Edgetech will offer the full range of Inagas products, including gas fillers, accessories and test equipment.
LAUNCH OF TRANSLATED WEBSITES
Edgetech I.G. has unveiled 11 new websites for its international customers translated into German, Spanish, Czech, Danish, Finnish, French, Italian, Norwegian, Polish and Swedish during glasstec. Each site includes company information, Super Spacer® data, including features and benefits, as well as downloadable translated brochures. The company has also added an English version specific to the European marketplace.
The translated sites are available via an interactive map at www.edgetech360.com/international or by selecting the ‘Sales and Customer Service’ page on the North American site. For added convenience and functionality, international users will be automatically directed to the appropriate translated site based on the selected language preferences associated with their browsers.
“We have achieved steady and sustained sales growth internationally over the past ten years and continue to focus on providing sales support, distribution and marketing materials that will facilitate future growth,” said Erin Johnson, Director of Marketing for Edgetech I.G. “With the assistance of our global partners and affiliates, we proudly offer these translated websites to our global customers.” Edgetech I.G. currently sells in more than 80 countries and was recently honoured with Ohio’s ‘Exporter of the Year’ Award for its international sales strategies.
NEW GERMAN PLANT TO OPEN IN 2011
Edgetech I.G. announced at Glasstec 2010, Europe’s largest fenestration industry tradeshow, that it will open its third Super Spacer® manufacturing facility in 2011. The site of the new 47,000 square-foot plant is Heinsberg, Germany, where Edgetech will produce its leading warm edge spacer system to fulfil a growing demand for high-performance window systems in Continental Europe. “Edgetech currently has two manufacturing locations in Cambridge, Ohio, and Coventry, England,” said Andy Jones, Edgetech’s European Managing Director. “Because of unprecedented sales demand in Continental Europe – up 85 per cent so far in 2010, with a forecast for an additional 50 per cent growth in 2011 – we made the decision to expand our operations in Europe to include manufacturing. This move reflects the strategic importance of these markets to Edgetech as more and more IGU manufacturers come to us for the most cost effective and superior thermal performance warm edge products.”
Edgetech I.G. is well known in the window industry for its flagship product, Super Spacer®, which has contributed to the energy efficiency and sustainability of residential and commercial buildings worldwide for more than 20 years. The company was recently honored as the Ohio Exporter of the Year, Medium Businesses, for its ongoing commitment to international sales growth. “Over the past 10 years Edgetech has pursued an aggressive and proactive international sales strategy that has helped us establish sales in more than 80 countries,” said Mike Hovan, President, Edgetech I.G. “The new facility in Germany is the next step in our ongoing commitment to providing exceptional products and services to our global customers.”
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