PYREX® Glass - A Brief History
Amory Houghton, Sr. began his career in the wharf business but left that to establish the Union Glass Company in Somerville, Massachusetts, in 1851. This business was sold in 1864; but, in the same year, Amory purchased the Brooklyn Flint Glass Company in Brooklyn, New York. Four years later, this plant and one-hundred employees moved by canal boat to Corning, New York, and the renamed business became Corning Flint Glass Works.
Initially, this new factory focused upon tablewares, thermometer tubing, and conventional glasswares. But, in an era of steep competition and with a large debt structure. Amory Houghton was forced to sell his control of the operation in 1871.
Amory's son, Amory Houghton, Jr., was both a chemist and businessman. He worked his way up the corporate ladder and became a manager. His motivation and savvy paid off and Amory Houghton, Jr. soon bought control of the facility.
In 1875, Corning Glass Works became incorporated. Amory Houghton, Jr. was the first president, with his brother, Charles F., just under him. The products manufactured were predominately railroad signal glassware, thermometer tubing and pharmaceutical glassware. The first light bulb blanks were produced for Thomas Edison at the plant in 1879. This proved to be a very positive relationship for Corning Glass Works.
Amory Houghton, Jr.'s health began to deteriorate in 1889, and his son, Alanson, joined the family business as shipping clerk with a wage of $1.25 per day. Alanson, who later became known as "A.B.", began the task of learning all aspects of the business and eventually oversaw sales while his father remained president.
Alanson's brother, Arthur, who became known as "A.A.", acquired control of production. It was Arthur's development of machinery capable of the vertical drawing of thermometer tubing in 1897 that propelled the company into more profitable endeavors and greater success followed.
Automatic incandescent bulb-blowing machines were developed in 1907. The Railroad Signal Association accepted Corning Glass Works signal glassware colors as the standard for all American and Canadian railways in 1908. This was particularly important for the safety of those using railways. Now red signals were truly red, not shades of amber or yellow, and green was green, not one of 32 shades of green. These past variations may have contributed to loss of life when an engineer misread a signal.
Dr. Eugene C. Sullivan's Corning Glass Works research laboratory developed glassware with new and improved properties. First, his research led to the creation of heat-resistant glass to be used in railroad lanterns. Hand held lanterns were often used to signal a passenger train, particularly at night. Prior to this development, hot lantern globes were susceptible to breakage in cold weather. Battery jars were also developed at this time. These containers protected humans from the dangerous chemicals used in batteries.
Amory Houghton, Jr. passed away in 1910 and "A.B." became the next president of Corning Glass Works. He retained this position until 1918. Many important developments occurred during his tenure.
PYREX® brand glassware was introduced in 1915. This new glassware had incredible resistance to thermal expansion and contraction, making it very tolerant of sudden and extreme temperature changes. Its roots were in the heat resistant glass developed for railroad use.
PYREX® bramd chemical ware, introduced in 1917, was inpervious to chemicals. This high level of resistance allowed scientists and researchers to conduct their work knowing the results would not be tainted. Chemicals in the glass itself would not be co-mingling with those researchers were placing inside the glass.
Control of the Corning Glass Works stayed within the Houghton family, whose vision, intelligence, and management skills resulted in a company that stayed on the forefront of research and development.
Corning Glass Works had a relationship with a number of its competitors. From 1918-1921, J. Hoare & Company created engravings on PYREX® glassware in an agreement with Corning Glass Works. In 1920, Fry Glass Company was granted license to produce PYREX® with the name "Fry Oven Glass." McKee Glass Company established an agreement with Corning Glass Works in 1921 that later was renewed to include FLAMEWARE. Macbeth-Evans Glass Company merged with Corning Glass Works in 1936, and in 1937 Pittsburgh-Corning Corporation was created to manufacture glass blocks.
Major innovations in glass production continued, including the development of the glass Ribbon Machine and the 200-inch disk which became the Mt. Palomar telescopic mirror. Begun in 1931, completed in 1936, and weighing over twenty tons, it was the largest piece of glass ever cast. Manufacturing of glass fibers started in 1939, the first automated production of optical glass occurred in 1944, and the first automated production of television tubes and photosensitve glass were both introduced in 1947.
Corning Glass Works products have become a part of business, industry, homes and schools. PYREX® is but a small part of the Corning Glass Works story of a highly successful, family-run organization.
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