For the last 45 years, IBG Canada has been well-known as skylight specialists in the construction industry, with the ability to supply the diverse range of needs that fall under the umbrella of “skylights.” Skylights can range in size from residential skylights in a ceiling to airport structures that span an entire concourse ceiling.
In Canada, IBG the company got its start in 1964 working with aluminum, glass and wood greenhouses, and in 1967 started implementing skylights in shopping centers, government buildings, and even homes under the name of Ickes-Braun Glasshouses. Then in 1985 the employees and two outside investors bought the company from IBG International (a US owned company based in Illinois started in the early 1900s) and IBG Canada Ltd. was born.
IBG Canada is now supplying skylights to clients all around the world in every type of building imaginable. Similarly, work for IBG now extends far beyond the original boundaries of the company’s history. IBG has come to be known as a leader in skylight design for the commercial, residential and institutional markets putting to use their vast wealth of knowledge and experience.
IBG currently employs 16 individuals residing in office, shop & shipping environments. The corporate headquarters and main office is located in Beamsville, Ontario, conveniently situated between Toronto and Buffalo, New York, about an hour away from both. Coupled with the main office is a 28,000 square foot fabrication facility.
The work that IBG completes extends worldwide, and the company has representatives in Japan, Bahrain, the United States and of course Canada. Projects have been completed in Holland, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Brunei, Philippines, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Turkey, Trinidad Barbados as well as Algeria.
IBG’s services span through every stage of planning, development and execution, which include tasks such as preliminary design, fabrication, computer aided design (CAD), shop assembly and even assembly line glazing via. a sealant pump. On-site project consultation is also available if requested/required. IBG works closely with architects and engineers through each step of the process ensuring close management and accurate end job specific products.
IBG’s commitment to top-quality partnerships shows. Canadian based projects completed by IBG include Toronto’s state of the art Skydome, (now known as Rogers Centre), BCE Place, Heritage Square, the vast and impressive West Edmonton Mall, the National Art Gallery in Ottawa, the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto and various phases of Pearson International Airport in Toronto. The fact that IBG has successfully completed numerous art galleries is proof of the Company’s ability to meet extremely stringent specifications. Further to the galleries noted above, work has been successfully completed at the St. Louis Art Museum in Missouri and the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in New Brunswick.
In some cases skylights supplied by other manufactures have been replaced by IBG. Case in point, the upscale Fairmont Hotel in Washington, DC involved renovating work that another company completed several years ago and didn’t live up to the client’s standards. All in all, the Company has completed a variety of commercial & residential projects, ranging from a budget of $5,000 to $3 million.
Given IBG’s small size and versatility, the team has the unique ability to complete large as well as small jobs and to do intricate and complicated architectural glasswork that other, larger companies can’t handle. IBG’s Systems Portfolio has been expanded to include sunshade systems as well as a brand new unitized curtainwall system. The Company is versatile in part because many employees are cross-trained to do all jobs and everyone is always looking for ways to make improvements. Some long-time employees help give continuity to the company. All senior staff have been with the company for 30 to 45 years with some of them now being Owners. Based on the reputation that IBG has built over decades our customers are our salesmen. They come to us.
