Frameless Hardware Co. (FHC), a supplier and manufacturer to the glass and glazing industries, has officially opened operations in North America. FHC will supply glass, glazing tools and supplies, frameless shower door hardware, commercial hardware for glass entrances and storefronts, architectural railings, transaction windows, machinery and equipment for the safe handling, fabrication, and installation of glass.
FHC’s leadership team includes Chris Hanstad, president, and Barry Sutherland, senior vice president. Hanstad worked for C.R. Laurence (CRL) for fifteen years, most recently as vice president, and prior to CRL, seven years at Grand View Glass & Metal. Sutherland served as director of commercial hardware for twenty years with C.R. Laurence, and four years with Sommer & Maca.
“We are excited to provide the industry and its stakeholders with a new, trusted supplier; a partner that prioritizes the customer,” says Chris Hanstad, president of FHC. “Throughout the many consolidations that have taken place in the glass industry, the supply chain pool has become significantly smaller, and it’s ultimately the customers who have paid a price. What we’re offering is a partnership, solidified by high quality customer service and product availability. We want the industry to know, ‘You Now Have a Choice’.”
Based in South Gate, Calif., FHC’s renovated 75,000 square foot corporate headquarters houses stock inventory, customer will call, technical service and product R&D. In conjunction with the announcement, FHC has launched FHC-USA.com, an e-commerce marketplace designed for glaziers and glass professionals.
“We know the pain points of online ordering. We’ve seen and heard it firsthand,” says Barry Sutherland, Sr. vice president at FHC. “We’ve prioritized and invested substantially in the user experience, and are changing the way this industry conducts business online. We just made it a whole lot easier.”