Within a few short years, the global market for bulletproof glass is expected to reach $7.65 billion after significant growth and investment in virtually every region. This represents an increase of almost double the market value in just six years. Europe and North America are tipped to maintain a disproportionate share of both supply and demand as countries in both regions continue to increase spending on defense and security.
Several factors are fuelling this significant spike in growth, including rising civil unrest, an increase in terrorist threats, and diminished diplomatic relations – both domestically and abroad. In this blog post, Armortex will explore the main markets for bulletproof glass with a granular focus, breaking down the important security concerns for each sector.
Military and Security
As with most ballistics-related products, bulletproof glass was first developed for use in theatres of war. The earliest reported use of glass-laminate systems for blast and ballistics protection was in World War II. Tempered and laminated glass sheets were stacked together and bound with layers of epoxy resin, enabling the development of bulletproof windows and viewports for bunkers and military vehicles. These were functional but unwieldy, due to their inherent heaviness and geometric limitations.
Modern bulletproof glass for military markets is much lighter, even when rated to the highest standards of blast and ballistics resistance. This enables the fabrication of windows with wide fields of view and outstanding optical transmissivity that can reliably withstand recurrent shots from automatic weapons.
Typical applications served by bulletproof glass in the military and security sector include:
- Windows in military bases, bunkers, and guard posts.
- Viewports and windows in ground vehicles and aircraft.
Municipal Buildings
After the war, the outstanding security benefits of bulletproof glass were translated into civil and municipal spaces. The first non-military application of transparent ballistics-resistant laminations was bank security, as it provided a reliable barrier between tellers and armed assailants without inhibiting daily operations and cash transactions.
Nowadays, mid-to-high-rating bulletproof glass is widely used in municipal buildings to improve the safety of personnel without creating an unwelcoming atmosphere or inconvenient consequences for regular business.
Common applications of bulletproof glass in municipal spaces include:
- Transaction windows in community and council buildings.
- Windows for government buildings.
- Witness boxes in courtrooms.
Stores and Commercial Buildings
The onset of more cost-efficient ballistic-resistant materials made bulletproof glass available to a wider market segment with reduced, but no less real, security risks. Shop fronts and transaction windows are now routinely fabricated from UL Level 1-3 bulletproof glass, providing efficient protection from small arms fire and acting as a deterrent to petty criminals and would-be thieves.
School Security
Unfortunately, a growing market segment in the bulletproof glass market is that of school security. In 2017 alone, the market topped $2.7 billion following a spate of fatal school shootings which grew more severe the following year. The conversation surrounding whether schools should be equipped with bulletproof glass continues in the U.S., with many school districts turning to cost-effective ballistic-resistant windows and paneling solutions in the interim.
Bulletproof Glass Products from Armortex
Armortex is one of the foremost suppliers of ballistic- and blast-resistant security systems in the U.S., offering a choice of high-performance products for a choice of market sectors. If you would like to learn more information about the capabilities of our bulletproof windows, simply contact a member of the Armortex team today.
