Kuraray, a global leader in laminated safety glass solutions, is shaping the future of architectural glazing through both technological innovation and award-winning project excellence. The company’s new CertiPly Blockchain-based authentication platform ensures complete traceability and trust for all parties involved in the supply chain, underpinning critical projects that have recently earned top recognition at the US Glass Magazine Design Awards.

Kuraray’s Advanced Interlayer Solutions (AIS) Division has launched CertiPly, a system that assigns a unique Blockchain token to every batch of SentryGlas ionoplast interlayer, tracking materials in real time from production to installation. This decentralised approach lets architects, contractors, and building owners verify laminate origin and authenticity throughout the lifecycle, ensuring peace of mind and compliance with industry-approved practices, says the Germany-based company.

“With the Blockchain tokens moving across stakeholders in real time, CertiPly will shape the future of laminated glass by delivering transparency, efficiency, and trust at every step of the fabrication and build process,” says Alberto Alarcon, Global Marketing Communications Leader at AIS.  “It gives all parties the peace of mind that they are dealing with a global supplier and genuine products that deliver their stated class-leading functional and aesthetic capabilities.”

Le Visionnaire – Espace François Dalle was the winner in the Structural Glass Facade category.

Kuraray interlayers featured in five out of 10 category-winning projects in this year’s US Glass Magazine Design Awards, showcasing the versatility and performance of its SentryGlas and Trosifol solutions that deliver both critical functional and aesthetic capabilities.  These awards recognise excellence in architectural glass and cover both structural and aesthetic applications. 

The winning iconic projects showcase the diverse applications and global reach of Kuraray’s advanced interlayers. Notable projects in the Arabian Gulf region include:

• One Za’abeel in Dubai: High-rise category winner, featuring sound-attenuating and structural interlayers in the world’s longest occupied cantilevered link bridge. The One Za’abeel development features the world’s longest occupied cantilevered link bridge connecting two towers at a height of 100 m. The high-performance multi-layered glass cladding features both Sound Control PVB films and SentryGlas interlayers, for sound attenuation and post-breakage performance respectively, with both contributing to the building’s outstanding aesthetics. The laminator in this project was the Al Abbar Group.

• Oman Across Ages Museum: Low-Rise winner, using SentryGlas panels to enhance visual appeal and energy efficiency. The museum uses steel-coloured glazing panels with the SentryGlas interlayer. The panels are designed to enhance the building’s visual appeal, maximise natural light, and provide excellent insulation for energy efficiency and sustainability. The laminator in this project was Future Architectural Glass.

Oman Across Ages Museum, the Low-Rise winner, uses SentryGlas panels to enhance visual appeal and energy efficiency.

The other three projects are Le Visionnaire – Espace François Dalle (Paris); Pasarela Diamante (Ecuador); and Two Manhattan West (New York).

Le Visionnaire – Espace François Dalle was the winner in the Structural Glass Facade category, The project’s ovoid-shaped glass roof features 188 unique double-curved, fritted, insulating glass panels laminated with Trosifol UltraClear, a highly transparent PVB film known for its low yellowing value and long-term stability. It was praised for its transparency and minimal yellowing.  

Pasarela Diamante was the winner in the Structural Glass Floors and Stairs category. It features a dramatic 45-m-long skywalk and an eight-storey observation tower sited 1 km above the city of Baos de Agua Santa. The project used SentryGlas ionoplast interlayer in its 32 mm panels, which was crucial for both the functional and aesthetic capabilities of the structure.

Two Manhattan West was the podium space winner for its lobby’s unique curved cable wall. The glazed panels in this wall system of the 58-storey office complex utilise the SentryGlass interlayer for its excellent transparency and post-breakage performance.

GLOBAL SOLUTIONS PORTFOLIO

Kuraray is a leading global producer of PVB and ionoplast interlayers for laminated safety glass applications in the architectural segment. The company offers the industry’s broadest portfolio for structural, sustainable, acoustic, ultraviolet (UV)-control, decorative, and bird-friendly glazing applications. Its products meet demanding standards for transparency, durability, and design flexibility, and are supported by advanced features like blockchain authentication for project assurance.