German glass manufacturer sedak will start fabricating glass in record dimensions of up to 3.51 x 20 m from mid-2018 to further expand its leading position as a specialist in exceptionally large glass and become the world’s only manufacturer for glass of that size.

The technology leap is a consistent step, says CEO Bernhard Veh. “From year to year, the demand for oversize glass formats has been rising. Ten years of experience and the continuing good order situation have encouraged us to take the next step.”

sedak participated at The Big 5 Dubai last month (November 26 to 29) at Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai, the UAE. At the leading construction event, the company showcased its new IGU product line “sedak isomax” with a Ug-value up to 0.23 W/sq m K, and an example of an all-glass-façade construction at the German Pavilion.

Since 2007, sedak has been establishing itself as a specialist for exceptionally large dimensions and investing steadily in its own research and development. Besides the pioneering work, like extensive tests for technical approvals, sedak focuses on the knowledge and the experience of its own employees. “They are our most valuable resource,” says Veh.

He says the special machines for production have been ordered. Each of them is tailored to sedak’s special requirements and developed in close cooperation with the machine manufacturers. Therefore, the glass units can be produced in the quality typical for sedak. All production steps are highly automated.

In the glass industry, sedak has been establishing itself as a full supplier for glass up to 16.5 m.  Its competence for oversize glass can be easily recognised when looking at the latest, realised projects. These include replacement of 13-m-high glass units of the façade of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) building in Geneva, Switzerland; production and delivery of 15.5-m-long glass laminates for the facade of the Iconsiam shopping mall, which is set to open in Bangkok, Thailand, next year; manufacture of 13-m glass fins for the Lakhta Centre in St Peterburg, Russia; a 24-storey office building at 111 South Main Street in Salt Lake City, US, featuring glass fins of up to 11 m and unique glass laminates with wood veneers in between the layers; and the fabrication of 15-m-long glass units for the facade of Apple’s new headquarters in Cupertino, US.