Founded in 1970 by Hermann Ross, Hero-Glas began its journey producing insulating glass before expanding into glazing bars and curved glass. In the mid-1980s, his brother Heinrich Ross joined the leadership, further strengthening the company’s expertise and driving the expansion of its product range and customer services.
The 1990s brought major investments in facilities and technology, enabling advanced glass processing and safety glass production. In the 2000s, the company launched its specialised subsidiaries Hero-Fire® and Yachtglass®, focusing on fire protection and maritime glass.
By the 2010s, Hero-Group operated over 25,000 m² of production space, serving both architectural and maritime sectors worldwide. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2020, leadership passed to Heinz-Hermann Ross and Silvia Buck in 2021.
Wide variety of glass expertise
Building on decades of know-how in glass materials and product development, Hero-Group offers a comprehensive range of high-performance glass products. In addition to insulating glass, the portfolio includes a variety of safety glass products, such as thermally toughened and laminated safety glass, which can also be curved and processed to insulating, soundproof, or fire-safety glass.
The company is particularly proud of its latest product development in the field of safety glass. Notably, Hero-Group is able to offer one of the thinnest bullet-resistant glass structures available on the market. Continuing the company’s tradition of excellence and innovation, the portfolio is rounded off with machine safety and panic glass.
In the field of fire protection, the Hero-Fire department has developed patented glass structures with transparent layers that foam when exposed to heat. This innovation delivers exceptional insulating performance, providing effective protection against smoke and heat radiation for up to 120 minutes, certified in the EW and EI classes.
For applications where exceptional optical quality must be paired with outstanding strength, the Yachtglass department is the ideal partner. Using chemical tempering, the glass gains significantly higher strength and thermal shock resistance. Where clear visibility must be restored quickly, heated glass provides fast and effective prevention of frost and condensation – another valuable addition to the company’s portfolio.
Drawing on extensive experience and close alignment with market needs, Hero-Group combines multiple glass functions to deliver fully customised solutions. The company operates not only throughout Europe but also worldwide, with sales offices in the UK, Austria, and Italy, as well as Hero-Fire production facilities in South Korea and India.
Investments for the future
To strengthen its technological leadership, Hero-Group began 2024 by consolidating its curved glass production into a larger, centralised centre. As part of this initiative, new furnaces were installed, capable of producing highly complex glass contours. The large-scale furnaces, measuring 7000 × 4200 mm and 1800 × 1200 mm, allow for glass depths of up to 1800 mm to be curved. All common heat and sun protection coatings can be processed, making coated curved glass particularly attractive for façade applications. Additionally, a special spot-heating system enables extremely tight curves, while an integrated waste heat recovery concept supports the company’s sustainability goals by significantly improving energy efficiency.
Hero-Group has also invested a further €5 million in the automation of its cutting processes. The new production system features an automated residual panel storage warehouse, enabling fully automated material handling, shorter cycle times, and a marked increase in material efficiency. Compared with the previous system, this upgrade saves around 580 tonnes of CO₂ annually and reduces glass waste by approximately 40,000 m² – reinforcing Hero-Group’s commitment to sustainable production.
For more details about Hero-Group’s production expertise and reference projects, please visit www.hero-group.com.
