The Solarban and Starphire names turn up constantly in glass specs. Both trace back through PPG Industries to one of the oldest flat-glass operations in the US, now operating under the Vitro name.
4 min read Independent profile
Company background
Vitro, S.A.B. de C.V. is a Mexican glass manufacturer founded in 1909 and headquartered in Monterrey, today one of the largest industrial companies in Mexico. But the brand names that actually show up in US architectural glass specs, Solarban and Starphire, come from a separate, older lineage: PPG Industries' flat-glass division, a business PPG had operated since it was founded as the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company in 1883.
In 2016, Vitro acquired PPG's flat glass and coatings business outright, keeping the existing US manufacturing plants, the Cheswick, Pennsylvania headquarters, and the established Solarban and Starphire product lines. The result, Vitro Architectural Glass, is the entity referenced throughout this site, distinct from (but owned by) the Mexican parent company.
Founded
2016 as Vitro Architectural Glass (PPG glass heritage to 1883)
Headquarters
Cheswick, Pennsylvania, USA
Parent company
Vitro, S.A.B. de C.V. (Monterrey, Mexico, est. 1909)
Type
Float glass manufacturer & coater
Product lines you'll see in specs
Three names cover most of what shows up on LiteSpec: a solar-control Low-E coating family, an ultra-clear low-iron glass, and a second, less common Low-E line.
Solarban
Family of soft-coat, solar-control Low-E coatings. The 60, 70XL, 90, R100, and z50 variants trade off visible light and solar heat gain differently; see Low-E glass explained.
Starphire
Low-iron, ultra-clear float glass with the green tint removed. See low-iron glass for why that matters.
Sungate
A secondary Low-E coating line, less frequently specified than Solarban in current US commercial work.
Reading a Solarban callout
"Solarban 70XL on Starphire" describes the coating (70XL) applied to a specific glass substrate (Starphire), not two separate products. The substrate and the coating are specified together.
Disclaimer: LiteSpec is independent and not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Vitro or any Vitro entity. This profile is compiled from publicly available company information for general reference. Product names, ownership structure, and specifications change; verify current details directly with the manufacturer before specifying.