Vitro Architectural Glass announced that its EcoArmor protective topcoat is now available on Solarban 70 glass, according to a Glass Canada report dated September 23. Previously available on Solarban 90 glass, the expansion brings EcoArmor to two of Vitro’s most widely specified solar control low-e glass products. The announcement was made this week at GlassBuild America in Las Vegas, Nev.
For Canadian glazing contractors and specifiers, the change adds a high-performance low-e option that protects glass during fabrication and eliminates temporary film waste. The announcement did not include Canadian code thresholds or performance values, but the fabrication benefits described by Vitro address protective film disposal and tempering line efficiency for coated glass. The move expands a product line already used in commercial building envelopes, although the announcement did not provide region-specific adoption data.
The temporary film problem
For decades, temporary protective films have been used to help protect coated glass throughout the fabrication process. Those films require removal prior to tempering and generate material waste that typically ends up in landfills, according to Vitro. The removal step adds labour and disposal requirements, and the discarded film becomes part of the waste stream. EcoArmor was developed to eliminate those challenges while simplifying fabrication workflows and supporting sustainability goals throughout the glazing supply chain. The announcement positions the coating as a direct replacement for temporary films in the fabrication sequence, not as an additional layer that must be managed separately.
How EcoArmor protects coated glass
Applied as a continuous protective coating, EcoArmor safeguards glass from chemical and mechanical damage during transportation, handling and fabrication, Vitro said in the announcement. During tempering, the coating is removed by furnace heat, eliminating the need for traditional temporary protective films and the waste, labour and disposal requirements associated with them. Because the coating is removed by the tempering furnace itself, fabricators do not need a separate removal step before heat treatment.
Vitro described the coating as one that “safeguards glass from chemical and mechanical damage during transportation, handling and fabrication.” EcoArmor is fully compatible with standard fabrication practices and can be processed using the same equipment already in place for coated glass, with no special handling requirements, according to the announcement. That compatibility means existing production lines can adopt the coating without significant changes, according to Vitro.
Measured fabrication benefits
In addition to eliminating protective film waste, EcoArmor has demonstrated measurable fabrication benefits in real-world trials, Glass Canada reported. Fabricators reported:
- Tempering cycle time reductions of 10 to 20 percent
- Lower roll wave distortion
- Improved production flow
- Up to a 33-percent reduction in edge kink on glass with pre-temper edge deletion
The 10 to 20 percent reduction in tempering cycle time means furnaces spend less time heating each load of glass, which Vitro said can reduce furnace operating time and improve manufacturing efficiency. The up to 33-percent reduction in edge kink on glass with pre-temper edge deletion reflects fewer defects in that specific fabrication scenario. Trials also showed more uniform glass exiting the furnace, contributing to improved overall quality and consistency.
Sustainability and operational impact
Combined with the elimination of traditional film waste, EcoArmor delivers measurable environmental benefits both inside and outside the fabrication facility with no measurable harmful byproducts left behind, according to Vitro. The coating removes the need for protective films that typically end up in landfills, reducing disposal requirements and supporting sustainability goals across the supply chain. Because tempering is among the most energy-intensive stages of glass fabrication, shorter cycle times can help reduce furnace operating time and improve manufacturing efficiency, Vitro noted. The result is a fabrication process that uses less energy per unit of glass and creates less waste than the temporary film approach, based on Vitro's reported trial data.
Canadian specification context
Canadian commercial glazing projects are commonly evaluated against the North American Fenestration Standard (NAFS) and the National Building Code of Canada, with related requirements appearing in CSA A440. The announcement did not state Canadian code or standard thresholds, so specifiers will still need to confirm project-specific compliance. However, the expansion of EcoArmor to Solarban 70 gives Canadian glazing professionals another option within a product family already widely specified in commercial facades. The announcement did not provide pricing or availability details for the Canadian market, and the report did not say whether the coating has been tested to Canadian standards such as CSA A440 or NAFS.
What this means for Canadian fabricators
For Canadian fabricators processing Solarban 70, the addition of EcoArmor means the same protective and waste-reduction benefits reported for Solarban 90 are now available on a second widely specified low-e product. Existing tempering lines can likely use the coating without modification, based on Vitro's statement that EcoArmor is fully compatible with standard fabrication practices and can be processed using the same equipment already in place. Fabricators can expect the reported cycle time reductions and edge kink improvements, although the announcement did not break out results by region.
What the announcement left open
The announcement did not provide pricing for EcoArmor on Solarban 70, nor did it say when the option would be available through Canadian distributors. It also did not include thermal performance values such as U-factor, solar heat gain coefficient, or visible light transmittance for the coated product. The report did not specify how many fabricators participated in the real-world trials or where they were located. Vitro did not say whether EcoArmor will be extended to other glass products beyond Solarban 70 and Solarban 90. No contact information or Canadian distributor list was included.