Pilkington Plc. the leading manufacturer and supplier of flat and safety glass products for the international building and transportation industries, has unveiled a revolutionary mirror, stronger and …
Pilkington Plc. the leading manufacturer and supplier of flat and safety glass products for the international building and transportation industries, has unveiled a revolutionary mirror, stronger and easier to produce than conventional silvered mirrors. It hopes the mirror will capture a substantial share of the estimated annual US$ 890 million world market. According to the company, this new manufacturing process represents a major breakthrough and is being hailed as the biggest advance in mirror technology since the silvered mirror was invented in 1835. Glen Nightingale, Pilkington“s director in charge of technology and manufacturing said, “This new technology revolutionizes the way mirrors are made. It“s mirror technology for the 21st century that will certainly find use in all segments of the substantial mirror market.” Developed by Pilkington scientists in the US and UK, this new manufacturing process, being introduced in Europe, and set to be incorporated into a new product-line called Pilkington Reflex, enables the reflective mirror surface to be applied as the glass is being manufactured on the float line, rather than in the conventional off-line silvering techniques used throughout the world today. The technology is unique in that it: – gains its reflectivity from a multi-layer sandwich of ultra-thin silicon and silica coatings, rather than conventional reflective metallic film. As a result it can be supplied toughened, bent or laminated just as uncoated float glass can, and is much less susceptible to damage during fabrication; – is expected to be particularly valuable where mirrors are required to withstand harsh and humid environments: because of the materials used, the product will not weather or deteriorate at the edges as conventionally silvered mirrors tend to do in such climates; – is produced with less impact on the environment than conventional mirrors: less chemicals are used and no precious metals or lead-based backing paints are required. According to Mr. Nightingale, the global market segment for mirror manufacture is estimated at roughly 1.18 billion sq. ft. per year which represents Pilkington“s third largest consumer of float glass, following the building and automotive industries. The company saw its profits before tax and exceptional items in the six months to September 1995 rise by 70% to UK 104 million.