Window and door manufacturer PGT Innovations recently unveiled its 24,500-square-foot iLab in North Venice, Fla. The new facility will serve as a product incubator and micro-factory, according to a company press release.
The iLab team will provide window and door solutions to customers with projects that require “new and innovative features, custom needs, or one-of-a-kind products,” according to PGT. The iLab operations include creating prototypes, developing initial product builds, and assisting in setting up mass-production plans for products. According to PGT, to date, the iLab has introduced a bi-fold door, a lift-and-slide door, and a pivot door to the marketplace. After their launch at the iLab, the three products were added to the product portfolio of WinDoo, PGT Innovations’ luxury brand.
Vice president of engineering for PGT Innovations Dean Ruark will lead the iLab, which will have departments spanning from design engineering and code compliance to testing and production.
“The iLab by PGT Innovations is enabling the imagined, from concept to reality, and celebrates innovation, inspiration, and ideas,” Jeff Jackson, president and CEO of PGT Innovations, said in a news release. “The iLab supports PGT Innovations’ mission to manufacture highly engineered and technically advanced products that can withstand some of the toughest weather conditions and revolutionize the way people live by unifying indoor and outdoor living spaces.”
The PGT Innovations family of brands include CGI, PGT Custom Windows and Doors, WinDoor, Western Window Systems, Eze-Breeze, and CGI Commercial. The company’s products are available in both custom and standard sizes with massive dimensions to allow for maximum design possibilities in residential, multifamily, and commercial projects.
