IMC Glass Ltd is Ireland’s leading manufacturer of Slim Glaze double glazing, which can be found in many high-end listed buildings across the country.
Established in 1990 by Ivan McCreanor, IMC Glass Ltd has grown to employ 20 staff. Ivan has remained a director in the family-run business along with his son Aaron. Based in Banbridge, Co. Down, which is on the main A1 road between Belfast and Newry, the glass manufacturer is ideally located to service the needs of customers on both sides of the border.
While IMC Glass supplies a vast range of glazing options, its best-known product is Slim Glaze doubling glazing – super slim units which start from 11m in thickness using the latest in warm-edge technology and filled with krypton gas to ensure maximum energy efficiency. IMC Glass’ Slim Glaze unit has become the number one choice in many prestigious jobs across Ireland, especially in the south where the company is by far the bigger player in the Slim Glaze double glazing market. And has recently been awarded the British kitemark for their Slim Glaze unit, which as of yet only one other manufacturer has yet to achieve
“Slim Glaze is a specialist product which is mostly used in situations where normal double glazing cannot be used in narrow sliding sashes and the heritage listed buildings sector, we recently invested a lot of money so this product could go through the rigorous testing held at the British standards laboratory to ensure that our customers know that our product is manufactured at the highest standard,” Aaron McCreanor explains.
“We are the only manufacturer of Slim Glazing in the Republic of Ireland and are aiming to increase our presence there with Brexit – and the uncertainly it brings – looming. Our Slim Glazing units can be found at Queen’s University in Belfast, Coolmore Stud in Co. Tipperary, the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin, the US Ambassador Residence in the Phoenix Park and Ashford Castle in Co. Mayo as well as in many private residences across Ireland and the UK.
“We have been supplying Slim Glaze double glazing for the past five years and there is no doubt that the product is becoming more and more popular. The units start at just 11mm in overall thickness, which is about the diameter of a Biro, and are filled with specialist gas for heat retaining property.”
IMC Glass has invested in the design and manufacture of these specialist slim double-glazed units that satisfy the requirements of a low sight line to be fitted in traditional timber frames. It is no longer necessary to expect people who live in old buildings not to optimise their insulation. This product provides the alternative to turning up the heating and allows people to live more comfortably in older properties.
The Slim Glaze warm edge spacer technology consists of a poly metric tape that has a desiccant embedded in its structure. It is physically smaller than a contemporary spacer bar and more attractive. It allows the perimeter margin to be kept to a minimum so it can be glazed in traditional glazing rebates.
The double glazing has a perimeter seal from edge of glass to inside of spacer bar of 7mm+ or -1mm. Units can also range from 11mm to 16mm in overall thickness. Large panes up to 1m2 can only be manufactured using 4mm spacer. For panes over 1m2, the cavity increases to 6m or 8m depending upon the size of the unit required.
Unlike other inferior products on the market, IMC Glass only uses pure krypton or xenon, not a krypton / xenon mix, which is less efficient. The manufacturer also uses a sealant that has been specially designed for double glazing. It produces smaller, most discreet seals and is considered to be the best on the market.
The company has been manufacturing double glazed units to the highest standards for over 25 years, with fast turnarounds to its customers. IMC Glass is a British Standard Kitemarked company and its dual sealed units are tested to the most stringent of European Standards, having achieved BSEN 1279 Part 2 and 3 for gas-filled double glazing. The Banbridge-based firm is also a Pilkington EnergiKare partner and can offer a wide range of energy efficient units along with acoustic glass for noise reduction. Its sealed units are regularly tested for durability and gas retention both in-house and in BSI laboratories to ensure that high production standards are maintained.
The CE approved manufacturer has deliveries in Dublin and Northern Ireland on a regular basis and can accommodate anywhere in Ireland and the UK by using its connections in the courier trade.
IMC Glass Ltd
Silverford Mills,
78 Lisnagade Road,
Banbridge,
Co. Down
Bt32 3QN
Telephone: 028 3883 2123
Fax: 028 3883 2827
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.imcglass.com
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, November 2017, Vol 3 No 10
