Humble Beginnings
In the early 1960s, window manufacturers were experiencing an increasing demand for the convenience of insulating glass instead of storm windows. Existing IG providers, such as PPG and Libby Owens Ford (LOF) had product lead times of about a year.
Thus, ML Gordon Sash and Door Company decided to manufacture its own insulating glass units.
In 1962, it created the subsidiary Cardinal Insulated Glass Co. A year later, Roger O’Shaughnessy joined Cardinal, which at the time had 12 employees, and in 1967, Mr. Gordon selected Roger to be the new president.
Since then, Cardinal has progressed from being a small facility in St. Louis Park Minnesota to being a worldwide provider of advanced glass solutions.
Cardinal Today
49
locations
10,000
employees
1B
ft² coated glass / year
25M
IG units / year
1.6M
tons of float glass / year
Highlights of Yesterday
1977
Introduced triple-pane insulating glass for energy savings.
1978
Began use of silicone dual-seal insulating glass for improved durability.
1983
Introduced LoĒ™ coatings to produce triple-pane performance in dual-pane construction.
Built dedicated factory to supply LoĒ coatings for residential windows.
1987
Introduced argon gas filling of insulating glass units.
1991
Introduced LoĒ²® coatings for year-round energy performance.
1992
Built first float glass plant to stabilize a glass supply chain for IG and CG plants.
1993
Launched XL Edge® glass, a durable, warm edge IG spacer system.
2002
Introduction of easier-to-clean LoĒ² Plus® glass–built for the busy lifestyle.
Preserve® film application launched.
2006
Neat® glass introduced, the next generation of easier-to-clean glazing.
LoĒ³-366® glass. The next generation of low-E: triple silver for low U-factor, low solar heat gain, and high light transmission.
2010
LoĒ-i81™ glass is launched.
A durable low-E coating that can be used in exposed applications without the haze attributable to most “hard-coat” products.
2011
LoĒ-180™ glass. High solar gain low-E, re-engineered.
The highest light transmission and lowest U-factor of any passive solar glazing.
2012
LoĒ-i89™ glass. Energy- saving 4th surface coated glass. It offers more light transmittance and less reflectance than LoĒ-i81.
2014
Endur® IG. Exceptional longevity and warm edge performance. Delivers the industry’s lowest failure rate with the only comprehensive 20-year factory warranty.
2020
Neat+® glass. The next generation of coating technology. 25% more photoactive than regular Neat, Neat+ provides a more naturally cleaner view.
2020
LoĒ-180ESC™ and LoĒ-Di89™ glass. New options for customers to meet new performance requirements for Canada ENERGY STAR 2020.
2021
Acquisition of AGC North America, adding new facilities and product lines.
2023
Public launch of CLiC™ switchable privacy glass.
Guiding Principles
Never be satisfied with
current or past success.
Longevity. Our products
must not fail!
Chase after perfection, for
the purpose of continual
improvement.
Move quickly to new
markets to stay as product
leader.
Pay strict attention to
customer needs.
Invest in the highest
quality possible.
Create a culture of
independence and
empowerment for each
production facility.
We take care of our
people by creating
positive, life-changing,
life-lasting experiences.
Remain a privately owned
company.
Focused on the Future
Cardinal is dedicated to building on our achievements in the glass industry while constantly looking ahead. We’ll strive to harness new technologies, products, and fresh ideas to expand our reach and stay far ahead of the competition. We’ll endeavor to be the best partner and product provider our customers will ever need.
Our vision is to be at the forefront of innovation and growth in our field, and to always push the boundaries of what is possible. Join us as we strive to make a lasting impact in the world and continue to engineer the future of glass.
