Customs Is there a US company that still makes windshields?

Or are they all built overseas now? If there is a company that still makes them here please give me the name. Thanks....

 

what kind of ride are you working on? post pics

 

It's not for an old car, it's for a newer one. Are they all made overseas now?

 

Pilkington.
PPG was made here, that was my old reliable. But they went for China and changed their name to PGW. I would change too, if my former name stood for quality US made gl***.

 

Not too long ago a rock cracked the windshield on my wife's Lexus GX460. The insurance company said to contact Safelite for a replacement. Told them Safelite isn't going to work as I didn't want a Chinese windshield and that the broken windshield had Lexus on it and thats what I expected to be replaced. Got a local company to replace it with a genuine Lexus windshield at no cost.

Gary

 

I think there is a factory in Greenfield Iowa that makes windshields. I could be wrong. They employ 600 people of a town of about 3000. The numbers might be off a bit.

 

Lots of old projects have flat gl*** replacements cut. No clue where it's made?

 

My understanding is that safe lite produces about 90 % of the automotive gl*** out there for both O E M and aftermarket and most of it is made in the middle east. Like a lot of things it is an over seas company with an American sounding name. So just cause it says Lexus or Ford or what ever does not mean it was made by Lexus or Ford it is just license by them. Larry

 

Geeman0046, you expect a Japenese Lexus to have an American windshield?

 

There is a company here in the Dayton area making gl*** but its a Chinese company,I have noticed their gl*** is in the cheaper replacement convertible tops now so they must be undercutting the American companies and is very soft as I really scratched up one for a latemodel VW.

 

i see Viracon no longer produces auto gl***...maybe too much offshore compe***ion?

you probably never heard of them , but at one time i believe they were a big player in aftermarket autogl***

 

Gary , Sorry if my post came across like I was dishing on you. I was trying to say that having been involved in automotive Industry for 40 years in collision repair and restoration and parts sales. I have come across way to many situations where I have found that the OEM replacement part is made in the same place as the aftermarket part is and only difference is the price. Not the quality. even the parts at your local who ever store are made by the same over seas company as their completion. the only difference is the sticker on the box. Larry

 

Probably out of date now but 6-7 years ago,I toured the Owens-Corning gl*** plant in Corning New York..They were building windshields there then,,

 

Most near $200 installed windshields are African gl***. This jippo gl*** does not resist rock chips and cracksas OEM gl***. Often insurance companies will only offer 1 replacement with coverage per car.

Now what most people do not realize, the OE windshield is thicker and abrasion resistant and is glued into the body and it really becomes part of the strength of the crash zone. buying jippo gl*** defeats the safety of the crash zone.

There is a jippo windshield installer near our Subaru Service Center offering $199.00 installed(most cars). If you request an OEM gl*** they either tell you its not available or it costs $100.00's more. Jippo gl*** is thinner and far less resistant to abrasions and cracking.

just sayin'
br***carguy

 

Auto City Cl***ic had the gl*** for my Ford. The gl*** came wrapped in some paper that had what looked like Russian or very eastern Europe printing on it. It fit fine. I looked up the windshield maker's ID and that was from Mayalsia.

 

Not so bad, how many 8 year old kids in the US can brag that they make 40¢ an hour?

 

Chinamen is not the issue here dude. I thought pgw was made in Evansville, IN. They have some kind of plant on us 41.

Sent from my MotoG3 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

"Chinaman is not the preferred nomenclature-Asian American please, Dude."

 

order gl*** through the dealer? pay up?

just a thought.

 

If I call some gl*** places tomorrow and tell them that I want an OEM windshield and not jippo gl*** how can I tell that I'm actually getting OEM and not the cheap jippo ****? Would they be marked differently or if not then how can I tell that it's actually OEM?

 

We are not talking about a guy that built the railroads.

Sent from my MotoG3 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

The windshield I bought from Pilkington Cl***ics(1960 Chevy SD) was made in Mexico... I had the windshield replaced in my off topic ride is was a Pilkington gl***.. no issues...

 

IIRC, all gl*** installed in the US (or installed in cars sold here) has to have a 'serial number' that identifies the maker, what it fits, and if it's OEM or aftermarket. Similar to the numbers put on tires; they want to be able to track the gl*** for safety reasons and for crime-fighting purposes. Now, there's no doubt some 'gray market' stuff out there, but I do think there's some liability attached to not using the 'legal' stuff.

 

If you are looking for gl*** for the newer ot cars and you are worried , just take it to the dealer for replacement. For the older cars, just be glad you can still get the w.s. without mortgaging the house. I helped someone with a 55 chev pu ws and it was 5/16 taller on one side and 1/8 all over so we sanded it down to fit. A ****** but that's the way it is.

 

Is vintage windshield gl*** more prone to cracking? Seems like maybe it would be, but I dunno. The rubber around it loses a lot over the years.

 

Fuyao is the Chinese gl*** co. that bought the old PPG plant and has also opened new gl*** plants in Illinois and Morraine, Ohio (in an old GM plant).

What's odd, is that windshields made overseas and shipped here are considered aftermarket, while the same plant produces windshields for vehicles made there (overseas) which are considered OEM gl***.

Technically, Fuyao (though Chinese based) is manufacturing "OEM" gl*** domestically. Kind of a mind twister but I guess not much different than a Japanese brand car made on a US ***embly line. One big world.

http://www.fuyaousa.com/

http://www.autonews.com/article/201...er-brings-new-life-to-former-gm-moraine-plant

 

And... GM probably has a gl*** factory in an old Ramen plant in China..

 

Call any wrecking yards? Some yards install gl*** in my area.

 

Ramen is Japanese.

 

Probably should be, true.