Pilkington UK, part of the NSG Group, manufactures float, coated, laminated and processed glass for architectural and technical applications. Pilkington offers safety and security glass in two main types, Pilkington Optilam™ laminated glass and Pilkington Toughened glass. Both reduce the risk of injury if the glass breaks, but they do so in different ways, which determines where each one is used.
Product Range
| Product | Construction and breakage behaviour |
| Pilkington Optilam™ | Two or more panes bonded with a tough interlayer. If broken, fragments stay attached to the interlayer and the pane remains in place as a barrier. Thicker build-ups resist forced entry. |
| Pilkington Toughened | Glass heat-treated to increase its strength. If broken, it shatters into small, blunt fragments that reduce the risk of serious injury. |
Selecting the Right Type
Laminated glass is preferred where the glazing must stay in place after breakage, such as balustrades, overhead glazing and security applications. Toughened glass is used where higher resistance to impact and thermal stress is needed, for example in doors and low-level glazing. Both can be combined in insulating units with other Pilkington coatings.
Applications
Safety and security glass is used in windows, doors and skylights of houses, in shopfronts and office partitions, in schools, hospitals and public facilities, and in industrial buildings.
