Guardian partners with Joel Berman Glass Studios

Auburn Hills, Mich. (May 24, 2011) – Guardian Industries today announced a partnership with Joel Berman Glass Studios that will make designer textured glass available at lower cost with shorter lead times.

Guardian will be the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of Berman Glass editions through the company’s new interiors product line called Guardian InGlass. The global glass company will showcase Berman Glass editions, as well as the Guardian InGlass program in June at NeoCon, North America’s premier market event for interior designers and architects.

“Most designers and architects first think of Guardian as a supplier of glass products for exteriors,” said Scott Thomsen, chief operating officer, Guardian Glass Group. “That’s about to change with our extensive Guardian InGlass program. And partnering with renowned glass artist Joel Berman greatly enhances our reach to interior environments and opens new business opportunities for us and for our customers.”

The partnership brings signature glass textures to interior designers, products and glass systems manufacturers, as well as glass shops for the first time as a quick ship / “ready to wear” program. Guardian will produce these Berman Glass editions at its Richburg, South Carolina float glass plant. The products are available in panels up to 72” x 144” in various thicknesses and also can be ordered in custom sizes.

The Guardian Berman Glass editions include four designs based on hand-carved molds – être, ima, aquí and esto. Inspired from Joel Berman Glass Studios’ kiln-cast line, these organic, free-form textures offer an architectural style ideally suited for a wide range of interior and exterior applications, including walls, doors, shower enclosures, railings and balustrades, as well as other uses. The textured glass is translucent, creating privacy while inviting in abundant light.

“When Berman Glass Studios created these textures, the idea was to make well-crafted, well-designed glass more readily available and affordable while maintaining the artistry of our other works. The scale, capability and quality assurance of Guardian lets us realize this vision,” said Berman.

According to Diane Turnwall, market segment director of Interiors for Guardian, Joel Berman will also provide design consultation for Guardian InGlass, Guardian’s new interior glass program that was established to expand the company’s lines of interior glass offerings that are marketed to interior designers.

“In partnership with Joel Berman Guardian anticipates many beautiful new products over time,” said Turnwall.

About Guardian Industries Corp.:

Guardian is a diversified global manufacturing company headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, with leading positions in float glass, fabricated glass products, fiberglass insulation and other building materials for commercial, residential and automotive applications. Its automotive trim group, SRG Global Inc., is one of the world’s largest suppliers of advanced, high value coatings on plastics. Through its Science & Technology Center, Guardian is at the forefront of innovation including development of high performance glass coatings and other advanced products. Guardian, its subsidiaries and affiliates employ 18,000 people and operate facilities throughout North America, Europe, South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

About Joel Berman Glass Studios

Joel Berman Glass Studios is a world-renowned designer and manufacturer of glass art for the architecture and design community, and offers leading edge solutions and collaboration possibilities to take any glass art project from concept to installation. From its design studio and manufacturing facilities located in Vancouver, BC, Canada, Joel Berman Glass Studios offers kiln-cast and pressure-formed glass, and related complementary products, crafted to the highest standards and featuring designer textures, colors, hardware and design services.

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