Guardian Industries Corp. is a multinational corporation based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. A privately-owned company of 17,500 employees, Guardian operates facilities in 17 countries on five continents. Guardian operates three main business units: Glass, Automotive Products and Building Products.  Glass Group Guardian is one of the world's leading manufacturers and fabricators of flat glass for the construction industry. Glass products include float glass, heat-strengthened and fully-tempered safety glass, low-E glass, mirrored and patterned glass, and insulating and reflective glass for residential and commercial construction and other coated, laminated and tempered products for aesthetic, high-energy performance and safety uses. Guardian's dedication to producing glass in the world's major markets ensures that customers receive the highest quality products and efficient delivery in more than 80 markets.  Automotive Products Group A leading business partner to the global automotive industry, Guardian Automotive is a Tier One supplier for exterior vehicle systems. Guardian Automotive produces vehicle glass as well as plastic and metal exterior trim - everything, in fact, except body panels. This provides customers such as GM, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Audi, VW and the PSA Group with added reliability and increased quality control. Guardian Automotive is one of the 100 largest automotive suppliers in the United States; it ranks 81st.  Building Products Group Guardian Fiberglass is one of the largest manufacturers of light density fiberglass in the world. Through, affiliates, such as Builder Marts of America and Cameron Ashley Building Products, Guardian has developed a nation-wide US distribution channel for a wide range of building materials.  COMPANY HISTORY From its beginnings in Detroit as a small windshield fabricator in 1932 to today, with manufacturing facilities throughout the world, Guardian Glass Group has a history of progressive management and growth. In 1970, Guardian began manufacturing flat glass using the float process at a newly-constructed plant in Carleton, Michigan. Guardian entered the Western European float glass market with the construction of a new plant in Luxembourg in 1981. International operations now include facilities in Asia, South America, and Africa as well as throughout Europe and North America.  Guardian Automotive's business has grown rapidly throughout North America and Europe through acquisitions in tandem with new facility investments. Guardian Automotive is now positioned as a full-service supplier of exterior systems, providing integrated glass and trim elements to over 100 vehicles. Guardian Fiberglass opened its first fiberglass line in Albion, Michigan, in 1980. A fifth plant, in Kingman, Arizona, began production in July 2000. Through recent acquisitions, the Building Products Group has increased its business efficiency and distribution capabilities and become a leading national distributor of building materials for residential and commercial construction. To provide customers with new products through rapid innovation and invention, Guardian expanded its research and development capabilities by opening a 50,000 square foot Science & Technology Center in Carleton, Michigan, in June 2000.