An eye-catching and cleanly designed digital sign has the power to entice a potential customer to make a purchase or produce an upsell opportunity. But what happens when Mother Nature has other ideas? The sunniest of days could be trouble—hiding your product or message behind massive glare. Whether you’ve purchased your first indoor glass display case or are on your 5th outdoor display, you can’t afford to keep replacing an inferior product or risk your brand being misrepresented.

 

Here we’ll go over everything you should know when making technical glass purchasing decisions including the current state of the market, your options, and their best use cases.

 

 

Recent Changes to the Market

 

As the past couple of years have taught us all, the sunniest of days aren’t the only trouble Mother Nature can have in store for us. The coronavirus pandemic has caused supply chain disruptions in nearly every industry, showing us how fickle operations can be when relying on foreign labor. As life begins to normalize, market forces are still behind the curve, driving prices up for those that are dependent on overseas manufacturing. These companies have definitely felt the ripple effects of outsourcing. According to a recent Thomas survey, 69% of manufacturing companies across various sectors are “likely to bring manufacturing production and sourcing back to North America” in response to recent supply chain disruptions. “The same report showed that 33% of surveyed leaders said they had already moved sourcing and manufacturing out of China or planned to do so within the next two to three years.”

 

Meanwhile, companies such as Tru Vue, and other suppliers of anti-reflective glass products that contain their operations entirely within the US, were far less affected by the pandemic. Because we don’t depend on foreign labor forces, we are able to fulfill and ship products quickly and are not subjected to the similar industry-halting circumstances when such global issues occur.

 

Additionally, the pandemic has ignited change in the way that many industries conduct business. For instance, small-format grocery stores have restructured their store layout and appliances to favor convenience through wayfinding systems, more efficient refrigeration systems, and more. This is to help customers find exactly what they need, as quickly as possible so they may minimize their own risk of becoming infected. Despite the fact that life has been gradually normalizing, these types of business practices are here to stay.

 

 

Your Best Options: Superior Technical Glass Performance & Efficiency

 

There are a number of technical glass options on the market. However, Vista AR^® Anti-Reflective glass is the best non-conductive, wide-band coated glass available.

 

Non-conductive, wideband coating is precisely engineered to endure multiple environments, minimize reflection and maximize transmittance on glass over the visible spectrum. This produces a superior technical glass, ideal for providing an enhanced customer experience. Proven in high-performance applications, Vista AR^® glass consistently measures less than 1% total reflectance and delivers durable performance. It’s not the type of glass you’ll find yourself replacing frequently because it’s built to be long-lasting. Our Vista AR^® Anti-Reflective glass is proudly manufactured in Minnesota, ensuring it is capable of withstanding the harshest outdoor conditions.

 

 

Vista AR^® Technical Glass Best Use Cases

 

1. Outdoor Displays

Unwanted glare from ambient light or even temperature and weather fluctuations can impact the quality and functionality of an outdoor display. When you’re in the market for an outdoor display, you need something that will withstand the elements, is visually impactful, and allows for enhanced messaging and branding. Anti-reflective technical glass is the top choice for brands that want to ensure their messaging isn’t ignored, obscured, or misunderstood by potential customers.

 

More recently, many digital signage display vendors are turning their attention to the outdoor market due to shifting shopping habits arising from the coronavirus. Outdoor signage is also being popularized due to the declining cost of high-brightness products, made possible by further development and advancements in LCD panel technology.

 

Common outdoor glass displays include:

• Retail advertising signage
• Utilities and wayfinding signage
• Informational reader boards

 

 

2. Refrigerated Displays

Designed to showcase your best products, a refrigeration display keeps your food product properly refrigerated and entices customers to make a purchase. An anti-reflective glass will help showcase what’s inside very clearly, even from a distance, allowing customers to find what they need quickly and efficiently.

 

If you’re searching for the best way to display your products that provide impeccable clarity for cold storage, a unit that utilizes Vista AR^® technical glass is a great option. This glass is compatible with any refrigeration unit model, whether it’s rear or front-accessible. It’s equally important to note that consumer behavior as a result of COVID-19 has placed increased emphasis on minimizing touchpoints like case door handles, making visual clarity all the more crucial.

 

In addition, Vista AR^® technical glass ensures optimal visibility to reduce door opening, resulting in temperature uniformity, increased food safety and energy efficiency. It’s also produced with strict adherence to cosmetic specifications.

 

 

3. Large-Scale Lighting

Large-scale lighting (eg. stadiums, sports venues, parking lots, parks, zoos, etc.) require outstanding durability in outdoor applications. Oftentimes, stadiums require dramatic improvements in energy efficiency and more affordable ways to control spill light and glare (because it’s about lighting your field, not the neighborhood around it). Vista AR^® technical glass used in this application is ideal for amazing light transmittance and reduced reflectance to provide an enhanced fan experience and increased energy efficiency.

 

 

Benefits of Vista AR^® Technical Glass

 

Vista Anti-Reflective^® technical glass is manufactured using a magnetron sputtered, a high-rate vacuum coating technique that is not offered by every glass technical glass manufacturer.

 

Benefits include:

• Long life-cycle
  • Abrasion-resistant
  • 15+ years proven performance in outdoor applications
• Superior clarity and readability
  • Withstands humidity/fog/salt exposure (insert stat)
  • Anti-reflective coating virtually eliminates reflections
  • Coating uniformity
• Flexibility and efficiencies in fabricating
  • Available in large scale sheets up to 100 x 144

 

 

Technical Glass Key Product Features

 

Glass Substrate: Float, Low-Iron, Tempered or Customer Furnished

Maximum Size: 100″ x 144″ (254cm x 366cm)

Thickness: 1.1mm – 12.0mm

First Surface Reflection Vista AR^® Aqua: < 0.55% Photopic Brightness
Light Transmission: Range up to 99%

Abrasion: 100 Rub Eraser Test at 2.5 lbs.

Applications: Suitable for Indoor and Outdoor Environments

Outdoor Rating: 18 Months Continuous Salt, Fog & Humidity Exposure, No Deterioration

 

Read more about our technical glass specifications and standards.

 

 

Make Your Investment Last

 

We’ve spent the last 25 years uncovering distinct advantages when it comes to innovation in thin-film technology. You can trust that we know technical glass and the ideal applications best suited for even the most complex glass projects. Our hands-on project support ensures your program delivers on the requirements set through the supply chain while providing a superior product that will save you money over time.

 

 

With expertise across various glass and acrylic markets, connect with us to see how Tru Vue can bring value to your anti-reflective glass projects.