25th Anniversary - Featured Company: Crystal Window & Door Systems celebrates 25 years in 2015: 25 years of growth in all directions

New York, NY What initially started as an opportunity to help a neighbor who needed his window replaced has grown into a national manufacturing company and a true American success story. Next year, Crystal Window & Door Systems will be celebrating its 25th anniversary. The company was launched in 1990 by Thomas Chen, a recent Taiwanese immigrant. Crystal Windows has seen many changes and tremendous growth in the past 25 years. Production started in a small commercial garage in Queens, NY, and now in addition to its 205,000 s/f facility in New York City, it has factories in Chicago, St. Louis and Riverside, CA. Crystal has evolved from serving the local Queens market to shipping products to 40 states across the country. When Crystal first began operations, it made only a few basic styles of aluminum windows. Now the company annually produces 400,000 units and offers nearly 30 lines of aluminum and vinyl windows and sliding and swing patio doors for every type of property conceivable. “Keeping such an extensive operation on track required significant investments in automated equipment and computer systems for design, materials optimization and order management,” said Steve Chen, chief operating officer, who joined his father’s company in 2002. “Crystal is continually investing in our factories, expanding our capabilities to offer customers great products.” Unlike many manufacturers, Crystal extrudes and finishes its own aluminum and vinyl components and fabricates its own insulated glass units to maintain quality, reduce lead times and costs. Crystal also uses 3-D printing technology for product development, greatly speeding the design to mass production process. The company has invested in its personnel as well as its plants over the years. “Starting out, I had to personally do everything, from sales to making windows to delivering them,” said Thomas Chen, CEO of Crystal Windows. “Now we have a team of seasoned and experienced professional managers, production operators, sales representatives, engineers and administrators that keep the company moving forward.” Emphasizing personal development and education, Crystal offers employees cross training in various departments and many career options within the company. Crystal’s beautiful energy efficient windows and doors can be seen in some of the nation’s most prestigious properties and largest multi-family communities. Crystal’s high-end windows grace one of the largest new multi-property developments in the country, Harbor Point, Stamford, CT. Other notable projects include: Rockefeller University, One Lincoln Plaza, Lefrak City, Glen Oaks Village (2,900 apartments), historic East Orange, N.J. City Hall, Frank Sinatra’s swanky Manhattan penthouse apartment, national hotels Hyatt, Hilton, and Sheraton, and student residences at West Virginia University and Texas A&M. Crystal Windows is the exclusive fenestration supplier for hit TV show “Flipping Boston” and supplied windows for one of last year’s national DOE Solar Decathlon house design and construction competition finalists. What will the next 25 years bring for Crystal? “The sky’s the limit,” said Steve Chen. “Innovation is part of the Crystal culture. We are always exploring new materials, new products and new territories. I’m excited for the future of this great company.”