Specialty glass installed at Massachusetts School of Art from Standard Bent Glass, East Butler, PA

EAST BUTLER, PA—Rockwood Equity Partners says its portfolio company, Ibis Tekhas acquired East Butler, PA-based Standard Bent Glass, a supplier of custom fabricated glass products, including transparent armor.

SBG has been a provider of security and defense glass products for more than 30 years. Its Department of Defense product line is one of the most extensive in the country, and it provides products, including transparent armor, across numerous platforms. The company also has produced specialty glass for high profile architectural projects worldwide, including the Freedom Tower in New York City.

Ibis Tek specializes in manufacturing transparent and opaque armor solutions for military vehicles, in addition to a wide range of complementary products, such as vehicle lighting and accessories. It also provides first responder vehicle customization for commercial and military vehicles.

The combined entity, a new name for which is forthcoming, now is the largest supplier of transparent armor to the Department of Defense, with significant growth opportunities in reach.

“SBG is a perfect, 'hand in glove' strategic fit with Ibis Tek,” says Vince Nardy, Ibis Tek CEO. “SBG's capability to fabricate specialty glass, together with Ibis Tek's expertise in commercial vehicles, now provide significant opportunities to take on new programs that leverage our combined expertise in providing armored solutions to the military, as well as complementary vehicle capabilities.”

Mike Hartley, who served as CEO of SBG, will continue to serve the combined company as a senior advisor. “15 years ago, the two neighboring companies first worked together to offer transparent armor products in support of our military,” he says. “It is exciting to see that relationship come full circle, now as a combined enterprise that will provide one-stop-shop capabilities with flat and curved transparent armor, metal fabrication, certified welding, paint and coating, electrical assembly and system integration for vehicle upfitting.”

Leadership of the combined company, which will remain a small business, will continue executing on a growth plan to leverage its capabilities in transparent armor manufacturing and technology expertise to support the Department of Defense and US warfighters.