First Wired Glass Product that Meets CPSC Safety Standard

San Francisco, CA – October 17, 2002 – SAFTI, manufacturer of fire and safety rated glazing materials, announces the certification and listing of a new wired glass product that meets CPSC impact standards and 45-minute fire rating requirements. This new patent-pending product, SuperLite I-W, was developed in response to the building industry’s need for an affordable, fire-rated, wired glass product that meets CPSC impact standards, and the general public’s need to be protected from the unsafe application of standard wired glass.

Wired glass, without a special film, is not safety glazing. The wires give the illusion of safety, when in fact they weaken the glass making it only half as strong as annealed glass and giving it only one-tenth the impact strength of tempered safety glass. When broken, wired glass exposes razor sharp wires that can trap a human body causing significant injury upon withdrawal.

“Even though we already develop and manufacture several wireless, fire rated glazing alternatives to wired glass, such as SuperLite I-XL, we looked for a way to take advantage of the new technology in fire resistant safety film to make a product that meets the same high standards as our non-wired products because, frankly, the wired glass industry hasn’t done it,” states William O’Keeffe, CEO, SAFTI. “The end result is a new wired glass product that gives the U.S. market another fire and safety rated glazing choice that can be used in new construction, and as a replacement for unsafe installations in schools and other building locations.”

SuperLite I-W meets CPSC Cat I and II, and has been successfully fire tested to NFPA 252 and NFPA 257, making it safe for use in fire doors and other assemblies in impact areas where it may be accidentally impacted by children and adults. It is an affordable fire and safety rated alternative to standard wired glass which does not meet CPSC safety glazing standards.

SuperLite I-W is part of a comprehensive line of fire and safety rated glazing products developed and manufactured in the U.S. by SAFTI. With over 20 years of experience in the high technology industry of fire-rated glass serving the architectural and building communities, SAFTI remains committed to safety first.

For more information about SuperLite I-W or our other products: www.safti.com