Guardian announces price increase

Update: On June 8, Glass Magazine editors obtained a separate letter from Guardian Industries announcing the company hadinstituted a silver surcharge for all mirror products as well, effective Monday, May 30, 2011. According to the letter from Martin Powell, the surcharge will be levied on a per square foot basis and will be adjusted quarterly.

"Precious metal prices, including silver, have increased dramatically over the last year," Powell said, in the letter. "Silver is a major component of mirror manufacturing and its cost has more than tripled over historical levels and pricing remains very volatile. As a manufacturer, we can no longer absorb the significant increase in the cost of silver," the letter reads.

In a May 25 letter to customers, Guardian Industries, Auburn Hills, Mich., announced a price increase on its products, effective June 23. Clear float glass prices will increase 10 percent, and prices for clear patterned glass, tinted and specialty glass, coated glass, tempered glass, and laminated glass will increase 8 percent.

"Guardian continues to experience higher costs for the materials and services used in manufacturing high quality float glass and related products for architectural and automotive glass applications," Martin Powell, vice president, North America, sales and marketing, said in the letter. "Glass pricing has not kept pace as costs have increased, despite Guardian's strides in increasing the efficiency of our manufacturing and administrative processes."