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It all started
in 1885...
Glass has been associated with the name Glorieux
since 1885.
It is during this glorious year that Albert
Glorieux the First propelled himself into the glass
business, completely unaware of the generations that would
follow in his footsteps. Nor could he have any idea that his
sacrifice would ultimately result in his great-grandson inventing
the most revolutionary glass and heating product of the century,
IQ Glass™
Early 1900's
Albert Glorieux the First was
the pioneer of the Glorieux family's pride and joy.
He cut single paned glass himself – and had the scars
on his hands to prove it. Despite his struggles, and a business
that wasn't always consistent, his devotion and perseverance
was contagious in the family. Albert was succeeded by his
son, Pierre the First, who in turn was succeeded
by his son, Albert the Second
During Albert the Second's reign, World
War II began. Albert II was captured by the Germans and held
as a prisoner until the end of the war. He persevered and
survived. The glass company followed suit.
Post World
War II
After the war, Albert II was
released and resumed business, where he felt solace. He bought
a bicycle, attached a cart, and pedaled for miles at a time
yelling none other than, "Glass! Glass!". World
War II had left Belgium in ruins. The need for glass was great.
Albert II would install the glass on site for the people in
his town.
Eventually Albert II added glass mirrors and
plastics to the product line and built the family's
first glass factory, crowned appropriately, ‘Glorieux'.
For the first time the family business started seeing steady
growth. Soon after, Glorieux would
become a wholesaler in the glass industry.
The 60's were upon us. Albert II's
son, in case you didn't guess, named Pierre
II, brought with him a new ingredient to the mix.
Pierre II was obsessed with the concept of glass being used
as a heating element.
70's to present
Although the first half of the 70's showed
signs of an economic crisis, the glass business continued
its ascent. Glorieux became one of the first wholesalers in
the entire world to produce double-pane insulated glass. Furthermore,
Glorieux became the first company
in Belgium to manufacture glass skylights.
In addition to Belgium, Glorieux
began exporting to countries throughout Europe, Saudi Arabia,
Taiwan, Singapore and the United States of America.
In the eighties, Pierre II continued working
industriously on the concept of radiant heating glass.
IQ Glass is born
In 1986, after countless years of steadfast
research and development, the first radiant heating glass
was born. Pierre II's brother Rick propelled the plastic
division, by this time its own company crowned AG Plastics
(AG= Albert Glorieux), to the forefront of the industry where
it regally remains today.
The year 2004 and Pierre II's son Albert
III bring IQ Glass™ to the United States of
America. We are proud to present you with our family's pride
and joy since 1885. Only Pierre III will know what lies ahead...
Please check out our website for more information
on our company and our products.
For more information on our European headquarters,
please click here.
Pictured above is the family's fist glass factory, built shortly
after WWII.
For those of you wondering, 'spiegel' means mirror and 'glas'
is none other
than glass.
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