STEVE HOLE TELLS THE STORY OF TRIPLEX SAFETY GLASS & PILKINGTON GLASS

Founded in 1912 by Reginald Delpech who was based in Kent. He devised a method of producing toughened and laminated glass for aviation, rail and automotive uses. He was ahead of the game and a real pioneer.

If you’ve ever suffered a broken windscreen, did you ever wonder how the broken glass seems to hold itself together like a windscreen-shaped jigsaw puzzle? That is what Triplex invented and the so-called ‘triplex’ adhesives which is the result of bonding more than one sheet of glass together. usually via polyvinylbutyric (PVB) membranes. The glazing is welded by heating and later pressing.

Triplex glasses exhibit the maximum impact resistance. This glazing system is distinguished for the optimal use of safety in use since, if it breaks, the glass pieces are held in place by means of the intermediate membranes, preventing serious injury.

In September 1929 Reginald signed a joint venture agreement with rival Pilkington Glass who was based in St Helens, Lancashire. This agreement suited both parties and gave them access to the other’s technology. This gave them a virtual monopoly in the UK, as a result.

In 1967, Triplex/Pilkington bought out the third biggest player in the marketplace, Indestructo Glass. By the eighties, there were 1000 employees at the St Helens HQ and another 700 at the Kings Norton factory.

By the nineties, Pilkington had become the dominant entity of the partnership and they ‘retired’ the Triplex name in 1993 and it officially ceased to be in September 1919.

The company is now known as Pilkington Automotive and as well as windscreen and other glazing for your daily driver, which is manufactured in Redditch and in other factories in Eastern Europe, they also cater for the kit and specialist car markets.

They will produce tooling for a bespoke windscreen for a new car. This used to be done at their factory on the Isle of Sheppey (one of Dalpech’s original Triplex factories) for many years. They had a wooden tooling or former on their shelves for every kitcar screen they’d ever done. A chap called Peter Swan managed that facility for many years and was very popular with the kitcar fraternity.

The site closed soon after he retired and production shifted to Eastern Europe.

https://www.pilkington.com/en-gb/uk/Automotive/Classic-cars-home