In 1975, EXTECH—then known as Industrial Air & Light, Inc.—took on its first-ever job, a project with Armco Steel in Ambridge, PA, during Pittsburgh’s steel era. Armco Steel needed a sliding industrial window that didn’t exist. Instead of settling for an alternative, they turned to us to create something entirely new. With their support, we engineered and manufactured those windows from scratch, positioning EXTECH as a leader in innovative design and manufacturing.
This project set a precedent for how EXTECH would approach problem-solving—designing solutions from the ground up rather than relying on off-the-shelf products. By meeting Armco Steel’s needs, EXTECH demonstrated its ability to develop durable, high-performance solutions.
The design of this sliding window was granted EXTECH’s first US patent– with many more to follow. It was designed to operate “in a foot of dirt” due to dirt buildup from the forging process being a problem at this time.
This success positioned EXTECH for future expansion into daylighting systems, façades, and kinetic designs, developing solutions that improve natural light control, energy efficiency, and aesthetics. Over the years, this commitment to innovation has led to partnerships across industries such as transportation, commercial construction, industrial manufacturing, and education, to name a few.
Looking back, this first job was more than just a manufacturing milestone—it was the foundation of a 50-year legacy of innovation. Stay tuned as we continue highlighting the key projects that have shaped EXTECH’s history.
