Are you considering adding insulating glass products to your production portfolio? or are you considering reconfiguring your current facility to offer new and better services to your customers? Growth and expansion are natural and important for all businesses. But how do you enter the insulating glass manufacturing space in the right way?

Despite the current volatility in the global economy, the overall demand for insulating glass (IG) is expected to grow steadily in the coming years. The benefits of insulating glass, such as improving the energy efficiency of buildings, are increasing the demand for this particular type of glazing material. If insulating glass is still not part of your operation, by joining now, you can give your business the best marketing advantage over your competitors.

But first, there are several factors that every glass processor should consider before entering the full investment process.

Define your business unit

Business sectors determine many of the requirements that affect your IG production line and its surrounding infrastructure. For example, you will need to consider specific requirements for line structure, components or dimensions.

So, to find the best equipment for your future production needs, ask yourself the following questions to help define your market niche.

What is the business area you want to enter?

Who are your most valuable customers in terms of profitability?

Will this change in 3-5 years?

What are the trends in this market segment and how will they affect the future demand for your IG manufacturing?

What is the expected share of large format glasses in your production?

If your current  insulating glass production line does not support your projected requirements, check if you can reconfigure it first, instead of investing in a new line.

Optimize your machine size

Defining the right line size for your business is critical, especially if you are aiming for high volume production. This is because line length has a direct impact on the capacity you can achieve due to longer conveyors. In addition, with larger machines, your footprint will obviously be larger.

The most important factor in defining the line size is the maximum glass size required in your production. In this regard, your customer determines the choice.

If only a small percentage of your business is expected to come from very large glass panes, it may be worthwhile to purchase these panes from elsewhere rather than investing in a larger machine.

Choosing the right technology

When investing in an IG production line, there are a variety of technology choices to be made that will impact your day-to-day operations and capabilities. The most important are your framing application, your washing machine, and your pressing and sealing technology.

Other things to consider are primarily related to the usability aspects of your line, such as ease of use and level of automation.

Here, it is wise to look for modern, fast and automated glass processing solutions. Since the price differences between today's reliable markets are no longer as great, it makes more sense to purchase better quality and more technologically advanced options as early as possible. In the coming years, insulating glass manufacturers and even machine suppliers will be forced to gradually switch to modern systems.

Choosing the right partner

There are countless options for configuring IG production lines. From fairly compact and economical start-up solutions to more advanced high-speed manufacturing configurations to truly massive systems for producing the largest glass sizes - the versatility available can make the selection process a bit confusing.

But if you clearly define your business needs, then you're headed in the right direction. Your future supplier will be more likely to understand your exact needs and provide you with the right solution.

When selecting the right solution provider (long-term partner), a thorough examination of potential vendors can help narrow down the choices. This is essential, as we often see performance specifications promised on paper that are far from what is realistically possible to achieve. Therefore, asking the right questions and making a comparison list will bring you closer to a successful investment.

Let us help you find the best IG production line for your needs. Welcome to contact us today or visit our website to learn more about IG line.