Guardian Industries Corporation

Guardian Industries began as the Guardian Glass Company in 1932. Back then we made windshields for the automotive industry. Today, Guardian Industries Corp. is a diversified global manufacturing company headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, with leading positions in float glass and fabricated glass products for commercial, residential and transportation applications; automotive trim; and the distribution of building products. Through its research and development centers (Science & Technology Center for glass and Advanced Development Center for automotive), Guardian is at the forefront of innovation. Its automotive trim group, SRG Global, is one of the world's largest manufacturers of chrome-plated plastic parts for the automotive, commercial truck and consumer goods industries. Guardian, and its subsidiaries and affiliates employ 17,000 people and operate facilities throughout North America, Europe, South America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.In 1970, we opened our first glass plant in Carleton, Michigan, and began manufacturing float glass, a product achieved by floating molten glass on a bath of liquid tin. At the time, we were the first company to enter the U.S. primary glass industry in nearly 50 years. Today, we have 28 float glass lines around the world.While we were expanding our glass business globally, we also began to diversify. Beginning in 1980, Guardian opened several fiberglass insulation plants. Then in 1998, we acquired Builder Marts of America (BMA) and in 2000, we purchased Cameron Ashley Building Products (now Guardian Building Products Distribution), moves that gave Guardian a strong and growing presence in the building materials distribution business.We don't mind telling you that Guardian is one of the world's largest manufacturers of float glass and fabricated glass products. You should also know that we manufacture and supply the transportation industry with a variety of glass and trim exterior products. We've also become a significant player in the building materials distribution business. And somewhere along the line, we became one of the world's largest producer of mirrors.Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, the privately held Guardian group of companies employs 17,000 people worldwide (that's more than 25 countries on five continents) and we value them above all else.We are very proud of our management structure. It is specifically designed to avoid bureaucracy and allow the individual to flourish. It is an environment that thrives on the initiative of its people and strives to focus on our customers.Guardian manufactures glass for the commercial (Guardian SunGuard advanced architectural glass), residential (Guardian ClimaGuard), interiors (Guardian InGlass, Guardian ShowerGuard, DiamondGuard), automotive and technical glass industry segments. Its products include both float and value-added coated glass-products, such as tempered glass, low-emissivity (low-E) glass, mirrored and patterned glass, solar glass and insulating and reflective glass for a wide range of construction projects.As a manufacturer of automotive glass since 1932, Guardian Automotive serves Original Equipment Manufacturers around the globe. Guardian has earned the reputation as an innovative world leader in laminated and tempered glass products with proven quality, advanced capabilities, technology and financial stability. Guardian Automotive is a major Tier 1 supplier of glass components to the industry.Guardian's automotive trim group, SRG Global Inc., is one of the world’s largest suppliers of advanced, high value coatings on plastics and is headquartered near Detroit in Warren, Michigan. Through its Advanced Development Center, SRG Global works to enhance manufacturing processes and accelerate development and delivery of the next generation of materials and coating technologies. The result is the creation of products that provide not only the decorative attributes eagerly sought by designers, but that are also engineered for greater surface durability, structural integrity and enhanced functionality.