Triplex Safety Glass
Triplex Safety Glass was a famous British brand of laminated glass, often seen on automotive and aircraft windscreens. It makes toughened glass for automotive and aerospace markets.
History
The Triplex Safety Glass Company Ltd was founded by Kent-born Reginald Delpech (30 March 1881 - 29 May 1935) in 1912.[1][2] The company was established to build laminated windscreens in Britain, under French patents.
The company in existence today was founded (00242230) on 9 September 1929 when Pilkington and Triplex formed a joint company in St Helens.[3] Pilkington Automotive Ltd has also been known as Triplex Safety Glass Ltd.[4]
In the 1960s it bought its main competitor British Indestructo Glass, giving it a monopoly over the laminated glass industry in the United Kingdom.
In the 1980s, around 1000 people were working at the Triplex site in St Helens and about 700 at the Kings Norton site.
Chairmen
- Sir Graham Cunningham
- Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, 1954-56
- Derek Cook, 1984-85
Managing Directors
- Sir Barrie Heath DFC 1960-68 (Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot)
Products
- Laminated and toughened windscreens and windows for automotive, rail, marine and aerospace sectors.
Structure
It was headquartered at Eccleston, St Helens, at a factory built in 1928. It had a main plant at Kings Norton in the West Midlands.
TRIPLEX SAFETY GLASS COMPANY LIMITED 09 Sep 1929 - 11 Aug 1993
These are the dates of formal registration of Triplex Safety Glass Co. LTD.
Pilkington finally retired the Triplex brand in August 1993.
Kings Norton Site
The factory no longer falls under the Pilkington (Triplex) brand but rather that of the ubiquitous GKN (Aerospace Transparency Systems) - Aerospace glass continues to be made on site.
It is believed that the automotive building fell out of use with the collapse of MG Rover in 2005 (when Pilkington downsized operations), although closure quite possibly predates this.
Particularly widespread is the use of so-called "triplex" adhesives, which result from the bonding of two or more glasses - single or safety -, usually via polyvinylbutyric membranes - PVB. Welding of the glazing is done by heating and later pressing.
The triplex glasses exhibit the maximum impact resistance and furthermore underline that this glazing system is distinguished for the optimal use of safety in use since, in case of breakage, the glass pieces are held in place by means of the intermediate membranes, thus preventing the fall glass sharp pieces that could cause very serious injuries!
