More price increases on the way, effective later this month

In a letter to customers dated June 8, 2011, Viracon announced it would increase prices by approximately 8 percent on all quote requests received on or after June 20, 2011. All outstanding quotations prior to that date will be honored for the period stated in the terms of each specific quotation, wrote Kelly Schuller, senior vice president, in the letter obtained by Glass Magazine.

"By now, I am sure most of you have heard that all the major material suppliers to our industry announced price increases of 8-10 percent,effective this month. While we work hard to achieve continuous productivity improvements at Viracon, an increase of this magnitude cannot be fully absorbed," Schuller said.

The announcement follows similar ones made by others, among them Pilkington North America. In a June 2 letter to customers obtained by Glass Magazine, the Toledo, Ohio-based company announced it would increase prices of its float glass products, effective June 30, 2011, as follows:

Clear products: 2.3 mm through 12 mm by 10 percent; 15 mm and 19 mm by 7 percentTinted products by 8 percentPilkington Optiwhite low-iron glass by 8 percentPyrolytic coated products by 6 percentTextured and all other products by 8 percent