Glaverbel is the European flat glass group of Asahi Glass, the number one glass producer in the world. The group employs about 13,000 people and by offering the widest product range on the market, it leads the way in the most advanced glass technologies including coated and thin glass.
Glaverbel offers an immense range of glass products including varnished, acid-etched, and patterned glass and mirrors, as well as its solar control line.
Varnished glass: This line includes the Lacobel range which combines the qualities of glass with the aesthetic advantages of varnish, in a range of 15 colours. This glass is also highly resistant to stains and scratches and is designed for use in indoor applications such as partitions and interior walls, entrance halls, contemporary furnishings, cupboards, wardrobes, sliding doors, false ceilings, non-toughened kitchen panels, presentation cases, shower and bathroom units.
Acid-etched glass: This range includes the Lacomat and Matelux lines. Lacomat is a clear float glass, one side of which has been coated with a high-quality, non-opacifying varnish. Largely stain and scratch-resistant and capable of withstanding cleaning products, solvents and alcohol, this glass is particularly well suited for use in doors. Matelux is a satin-finished, acid-etched glass offering exceptional translucence. It can soft-filter light and blur definitions. Indoors, it can be used in kitchen and bathroom units, cupboards and shelving, partitions, shower doors and walls, decorative door panels, tabletops and office furniture. However, it can also be used outdoors in door and window double-glazing, side windows for staircases, balconies and balustrades.
Mirrors: Glaverbel's MNGE mirror, which has been a global benchmark for several years now, is manufactured using environment-friendly technology. It is an ecologically superior product because no copper or lead is used in its manufacture. MNGE also offers better resistance to external attack (natural and chemical) and has a lifetime at least three times that of traditional mirrors.
The MNGE mirror also comes in a special safety version, Mirox Safe, which features a special highly resistant polypropylene film which reduces the risk of injury should the mirror break as the shards of glass remain stuck to the film.
Sanilam Easycut is a double-faced laminated mirror for use in top-of-the-range bathroom cabinets. It is widely appreciated for its guaranteed safety levels, moisture resistance and all-round attractive appearance.
Duplex Easycut is a laminated, corrosion-resistant safety mirror for use in extreme environmental conditions such as saunas, swimming pools, fitness centres, gym halls, on marine applications and in bathrooms.
Glaverbel guarantees Sanilam and Duplex for 10 years.
Patterned glass: Patterned glass is used extensively in contemporary design in both its sandblasted and clear forms.
Solar Control Line: This range offers made-to-measure protection against heat penetration and enhances visual comfort. It includes body-tinted float glass, pyrolytic hard-coated glazing and vacuum-coated glazing.
Planibel Privablue is the darkest blue float glass on the market and is appreciated for interior and for architectural applications. It is also suitable for markets requiring glass with low solar factors and deep colour.
Planibel Azur is a clear blue float in line with the current specifier trends. Its aesthetic and innovative tint distinguishes it from other, more saturated blues on the market. Ideal for temperate climates, it can be assembled in combination with a low-e glass for a lower solar factor and for enhancement of the thermal insulation rating. It is also particularly well-suited as a facade "double skin" system.
Stopsol Silverlight PrivaBlue, the most recent addition to the Stopsol range, consists of a sheet of Planibel PrivaBlue covered with a hard solar control pyrolytic coating. Offering a low degree of reflection and a high level of solar reflection, it may be used in single or double glazing (in combination with a clear float or a low-emissivity glass) or in laminated glass. As with the entire range, it can be combined easily with matching spandrels to create harmonious "all-glass" facades.
Sunergy, with its neutral colour and low reflection, has been developed for current architectural trends. It combines solar control and thermal insulation with optimal visual comfort.
Solarbel glazing is made of clear and coloured Planibel glass, one side of which is coated with metal oxide. It is a reflective solar glazing range, providing exceptional protection against solar radiation and is suited for all sorts of climates. It eliminates the dazzling effect of intense sunshine and enhances visual comfort. It is offered in silver, sky blue, steel blue, pastel blue, bronze, grey, green and blue-green.
Stopray is a "smart" selective glazing, which lets through a maximum of visible light and a minimum of heat. The range is available in blue, silver, neutral, green, bronze and grey.
Glaverbel's solar control glasses, all available in different thicknesses, offer efficient thermal insulation. Their light and energy transmission characteristics guarantee an effective protection against solar radiation.
Trends
The types of colours and surface treatments used in glass furnishing products have changed noticeably. There has been a marked preference for more looking glasses: cleaner and lighter textures (surface treatment) and more neutral colours, compared with traditional float glass in clear or more intense hues.
While glass is increasingly being used in contemporary design, there is another, parallel trend emerging: the demand for safety. All furniture makers are concerned with the safety of glass products and there has been a distinct surge in demand for toughened products.
As noted earlier, there are equally effective alternatives to toughening. In addition to traditional laminated products, it is also possible to industrially apply Glaverbel's Safe coating to the back of glass. This protective coating complies fully with a number of standards, including European standard prEN12600, which classifies safety glasses on the basis of their performance in an impact test. Tests carried out on products treated with Glaverbel Safe in accordance with this standard show a performance similar to that of laminated glasses (same type of break) for relatively thin sections.
Gutal Trading has supplied Glaverbel glass for several prestigious Arabian Aluminium projects in the UAE such as commercial complexes for Sheikh Suroor Al Dahiri, Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Al Fardan Tower, Sultan Bin Karan Al Mansoori, Mubaraq bin Karan Al Mansoori, all in Abu Dhabi. Gutal also represents Glaverbel in India.