SIA New Member Profile: Consolidated Glass Holdings
New Security Industry Association (SIA) member Consolidated Glass Holdings (CGH) provides high-quality architectural glass and security glazing products and solutions. The company, whose glass ships all over the world and is featured in many embassies, federal and state office buildings, schools, colleges, arenas and stadiums, is headquartered in Pedricktown, New Jersey.
SIA spoke with Ben Baum, vice president of security sales at Consolidated Glass Holdings, about the company, the security industry and working with SIA.
SIA: Tell us the story of your company.
Ben Baum: CGH’s Security Division consists of two companies that are long-term leaders in the protective and security glass and glazing industry. Global Security Glazing and Dlubak Specialty Glass both have significant roots in the security industry. Global brings more than 60 years’ experience to the segment, with products manufactured the last 34 years in Selma, Alabama. Dlubak Specialty Glass was a family business founded more than 50 years ago in Pennsylvania, where they still call home today. Both companies were brought into the CGH fold in the past decade to team up and offer the most complete line of protective glass products available on the market today.
What solutions/services does your business offer in the security industry? And what makes your offerings/company unique?
BB: Protective glass. We manufacture bullet-resistant, blast-resistant, attack and riot-resistant and hurricane-resistant glass. Additionally, we manufacture CHILDGARD security glazing for schools and institution. What makes us stand out is we have the longest history in this segment and offer the widest and most complete range of options.
What’s something we might not know about your company – or something new you’re doing in security?
BB: That we never stop innovating. We continue to work on new products that will be the next level of protection.
We also are constantly testing in order to improve existing products. We could rest on laurels. We don’t.
What is your company’s vision, and what are your goals for the security industry?
BB: We are always focused on our market and product offerings. Our goal is to continue to support our current customers while never stopping the continuous improvement process.
What do you think are the biggest opportunities in the security industry right now?
BB: For us, it’s continuing to find ways to make our product lighter, more energy efficient and more effective.
The better glass we can make, the more opportunities we can have.
What are your predictions for the security industry in the short and long term?
BB: There will be a lot of new faces coming into the school security side. Not enough room for all. Schools will have to keep adapting with all products to meet the safety concerns of the public. More materials like glass will be extremely crucial in this area.
What are the biggest challenges facing your company and/or others in the security industry?
BB: Labor is truly the biggest challenge, but in the actual industry it is to find what set of products work the best. Some structures are putting in “safety” glass, but it’s not protective and not built to withstand an attack (from human or nature), so making sure the end users are getting the right product to meet their needs is paramount.
What do you enjoy most about being at your company – and in the security industry?
BB: I am excited to be taking CGH to the next level by engaging and introducing the traditional security integrator channel to our security glass products.
Working in the security industry is rewarding because every day I am making the world a safer place by protecting people and property.
SIA: What does SIA offer that is most important to you/your company? And what do you most hope to get out of your membership?
BB: SIA is an elite organization that truly is working on behalf of its members.
The education and networking are incredible and make a difference in our business on a daily basis.
SIA: How does your organization engage with SIA? What are your plans for involvement in the next year?
BB: We would like to get involved by educating the SIA community with our security glazing solutions in webinars, project case studies and networking within SIA GovSummit.
The views and opinions expressed in guest posts and/or profiles are those of the authors or sources and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Security Industry Association (SIA).
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