New York Real Estate Journal

Crystal Windows named a top NY-area private firm

December 14, 2021 - Owners Developers & Managers

Queens, NY Crystal Window & Door Systems was named to the 2021 list of New York’s Largest Privately-Owned Companies by Crain’s New York Business. This is the first time Crystal has been included.

Crystal is the only manufacturer on the list in New York and one of only five companies on the list that are headquartered in Queens.

“With hundreds of thousands of private businesses in the New York region, including many that are the largest in the nation, it is quite a recognition for Crystal to be on this prestigious list,” said Steve Chen, president of Crystal Windows. “Especially with the challenges of the pandemic during the past year and a half, it is noteworthy that Crystal continued to serve its customers across the country efficiently and effectively.”

Based on 2020 revenues, the list includes the largest 125 privately-held businesses headquartered in the New York metro area of New York City, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties, and Bergen, Hudson, Essex, and Union counties of northern New Jersey.

The top three companies on the list – Hearst, Bloomberg, and Horizon Media – are in the media and information services sector.  In addition, many of the region’s largest developers, real estate investors, and construction firms such as the Trump Organization, Hunter Roberts, STV, Procida, DeMattis, and Tishman Speyer are represented as well.  One quarter of the listed companies are headquartered in New Jersey.

“Crystal is proud to be a true manufacturer in New York City,” said Chen.  “Our location in the heart of Queens keeps us close to our construction and real estate customers, as well as the numerous home improvement companies in the region.  We provide jobs for over 350 New York residents at our facility, and we contribute significantly to the local economy.  It is a win-win situation for Crystal and for New York.”

Crystal was founded by entrepreneur Thomas Chen who immigrated to the US from Taiwan.  He is now the Chairman of the company, with his son Steve running the New York and national operations.  Crystal has expanded several times in Queens since its opening in 1990 in a small commercial garage space in Flushing.  In 2001, Crystal finished construction on its current headquarters and main factory in College Point in northern Queens and moved into the 205,000-ft2 facility.  The company has four other production plants in the US, in Chicago, northeast Pennsylvania, St. Louis, and Riverside, CA, and a total of 750 employees nationwide.