“IF YOU TAKE A STROLL DOWN 5TH AVENUE IN NEW YORK CITY, CHANCES ARE YOU’LL BE LOOKING THROUGH GLASS MADE IN COLLINGWOOD.” CTV NEWS’ SEAN GRECH WALKS VIEWERS THROUGH AGNORA’S FACILITY. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
Microsoft’s Facade features oversize triple laminates.
CHECK OUT OUR CAREERS PAGE TO LEARN ABOUT WORKING AT AGNORA.
AGNORA SPECIALIZES, IN CUSTOM OVERSIZED GLASS, FOR REALLY BIG PROJECTS.
“WE FABRICATE THE LARGEST GLASS IN NORTH AMERICA.”SHEETS OF GLASS… UP TO 130 INCHES WIDE… BY 300 INCHES LONG…WEIGHING… OVER 6-THOUSAND POUNDS. – RICHARD WILSON, AGNORA
“IF YOU WERE TO WALK DOWN 5TH AVENUE IN NEW YORK CITY AND LOOK AT ALL THE BIG COMMERCIAL SPACES. THAT WOULD BE GLASS FROM COLLINGWOOD, ONTARIO.” COMMERCIAL STOREFRONTS LIKE MICROSOFT, DOLCE AND GABBANA, AND H & M, TO NAME A FEW.
“ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS WILL COME TO US WITH PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE DREAMT UP THAT NO ONE ELSE IS INTERESTED IN DOING..WE’RE INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING THAT IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.”
THE RAW PRODUCT… COMES FROM EUROPE AND THE U-S, DIRECTLY TO THIS PRODUCTION FACILITY. IT’S THEN STORED IN THE GLASS LIBRARY UNTIL ITS NEEDED FOR THE NEXT JOB. WHEN IT’S TIME.. FIRST, THE GLASS IS CUT AND INSPECTED THROUGH THIS WET BELT SANDER AND SCANNER TO ENSURE ITS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY.
“WE’RE LOOKING FOR SCRATCHES, GOUGES, LITTLE AIR POCKETS IN THE GLASS WHICH WE LIKE TO CALL SEEDS BECAUSE THEY SHOW VISIBLE DISTORTION IN THE GLASS.” – JASON WORSLEY, AGNORA
FROM THERE.. IT’S OFF TO THE TEMPERING LINE AND LATER GOES ON TO BECOME EITHER AN INSULATED GLASS UNIT OR SENT TO ITS LAMINATION DEPARTMENT WHERE SHEETS OF GLASS ARE BOUND TOGETHER.
“IT MAY GO THROUGH ONE OR TWO PROCESSES OR IT MAY GO THROUGH NINE PROCESSES SO IT DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECT.”
A THERMAL TEST LOOKS FOR PARTICLES OF NICKEL SULFIDE, MICROSCOPIC PIECES OF METAL IN THE GLASS, THAT COULD CAUSE IT TO BREAK WHEN UNDER STRESS.
AGNORA WAS FOUNDED IN 2011 AND STARTED WITH ONLY 8 EMPLOYEES. TODAY, CLOSE TO 70 PEOPLE WORK THERE.
“WE’VE BECOME ONE OF THE TOP THREE RECOGNIZED COMPANIES, THE BEST COMPANIES, IN THE WORLD FOR GLASS.” – RICHARD WILSON, AGNORA
THE COMPANY IS WORKING ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS INCLUDING REPLACING THE GLASS IN THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
