Glassbel to partner Halio, a US smart glass innovator

Glassbel Baltic, an architectural glass manufacturer operating in the Klaipėda Free Economic Zone (FEZ), has entered into a strategic partnership with Halio, a designer of the world’s fastest, most beautiful, eco-friendly, and technologically advanced architectural smart glass. This cooperation will allow the Klaipėda-based company to implement Halio’s solutions with light transmittance management systems in its products and distribute them in Europe, Middle East and other markets.

As part of the worldwide challenge of energy efficiency and sustainability in modern architecture, Glassbel, which exports to 30 countries on 4 continents, will now be able to offer smart glass facade solutions using Halio’s intelligent technology. The smart solution consists of glass products with an integrated Halio device that reacts to the changing environment, so that the glass darkens or lightens accordingly in real time, thus reducing air conditioning or heating costs. The American technology, which consists of a sophisticated combination of sensors, switches, chemicals, hardware, software and artificial intelligence, not only ensures human comfort but also makes buildings more energy efficient.

According to Valdas Virbalas, CCO at Glassbel Baltic, the agreement with the American company will allow Glassbel to strengthen its portfolio of innovative products.

“Such smart glass solutions are still a novelty around the world, which the market will have to accept, learn to work with and invest in. But sustainability and energy efficiency have been the dominant themes in new buildings for some time now, so we are delighted to add a relevant innovation to our portfolio and further strengthen our position in the market for innovative architectural glass. We are currently completing our first small real project with Halio technology and exporting it to Silicon Valley in the USA, where the business community is currently the most interested and involved in smart technologies,” comments Virbalas.

According to Bruce Sohn, CEO of Halio, Glassbel’s quality, expertise and wide geography of markets make this partnership highly valuable for both sides.

“This collaboration allows us to market groundbreaking technology to our customers in Europe and the Middle East. We’re proud to jointly offer the fastest, most eco-friendly, energy-efficient solution, and the utmost beautiful and highest-performing smart glass available in the market” says Sohn.

And according to Dmitri Sobolevski, CEO of Glassbel, Halio’s solution is the best on the market for speed, facade integrity and aesthetics.

“We are delighted to partner with the world leaders in smart glass technology. The Halio solution is revolutionary, significantly faster to react to changing environments, aesthetically neutral and durable, and technologically more robust than any alternative,” says Mr Sobolevski.

Eimantas Kiudulas, the CEO of Klaipėda FEZ, also welcomes this partnership, pointing out that Glassbel will be both more sustainable and more competitive with the US company’s technology.

“We are pleased that with this step Glassbel is strengthening several strategic areas of Klaipėda FEZ at once – high value-added manufacturing, application of new technologies, as well as environmental protection and sustainability,” commented E. Kiudulas.

Halio was founded in 2010 in California, USA. The company markets its solutions both on its own and through partners including Glassbel. Halio has raised more than 300 million USD throughout its history, including from SK Holdings, US sustainable investment fund Capricorn Investment Group and other investors.

Glassbel’s revenue last year was 22 million euros, a quarter more than in 2021. The company currently employs around 180 colleagues in Klaipėda.

Glassbel has been operating in the Klaipėda FEZ since 2009. The company exports more than 90% of its production, mainly to Ireland, the UK, the US, Western Europe, Saudi Arabia, Scandinavia and other markets.