Pilkington's biggest contribution to the industry isn't a product line, it's the float-glass manufacturing process itself, invented in 1959 and still the standard method nearly every flat-glass maker uses today.
4 min read Independent profile
Company background
Pilkington Brothers was founded in 1826 in St Helens, England, originally producing crown and sheet glass by hand. In 1959, Pilkington engineer Alastair Pilkington led the development of the float-glass process, continuously floating molten glass on a bed of liquid tin to produce a flat, uniform ribbon. That single invention became the standard method used to manufacture flat glass worldwide, including by most of the other brands profiled in this section.
In 2006, Japan's NSG Group (Nippon Sheet Glass Co.) completed its acquisition of Pilkington. The Pilkington brand continues to operate today as part of NSG's global glass business.
Founded
1826, St Helens, England
Headquarters
Lathom, Lancashire, England (UK operations)
Parent company
NSG Group (Nippon Sheet Glass), since 2006
Type
Float glass manufacturer & coater; invented the float process (1959)
Why the float process matters
Before 1959, flat glass was ground and polished after casting, slow and expensive. The float process let molten glass settle into a naturally flat sheet on liquid tin, cutting cost dramatically and making large-format flat glass viable for ordinary buildings, not just luxury ones.
Product lines you'll see in specs
Pilkington's current range spans Low-E coatings, low-iron glass, and a self-cleaning coated product.
Optitherm
Pilkington's core Low-E coating line, including the Optitherm S3 grade. See Low-E glass explained.
Energy Advantage
A further Low-E product in the Pilkington range, alongside Optitherm.
Optiwhite
Pilkington's low-iron, ultra-clear float glass. See low-iron glass.
Activ
A photocatalytic self-cleaning coating, a different mechanism from hydrophobic easy-clean coatings. See easy-clean & hydrophobic coatings.
Disclaimer: LiteSpec is independent and not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Pilkington or NSG Group. This profile is compiled from publicly available company information for general reference. Verify current products and specifications directly with the manufacturer before specifying.