Started up in 1994 by owner and CEO Nikola Franjic, Kristal began as a small glass workshop about one hour’s drive away from the country’s capital of Sarajevo with a clear vision to become a leader in the field of glass processing. His mission was to offer quality without compromise.
Over the years, the company grew slowly but steadily, investing in modern machinery and technology that allowed the company to become known for the same quality, wide range, support and partnership provided by the best suppliers in Europe.
Today, Nikola’s daughter Matea works together with her father as COO to run the daily operations. The company produces approximately 60 percent insulating glass (IG) units. Other products range from shower cabins, railings, balustrades, shop fronts and even licensed glass sinks. A growing area of focus for Kristal is demanding exterior glass for the marine industry.
In 2008, Kristal purchased a Glaston ProE tempering furnace to process its expanding range of high-quality interior and exterior glass products.
“Rather than having to purchase a new line yet, my idea was to upgrade the current line by modernizing the control system,” Matea explained. “This allows us to extend the tempering line lifetime and solve problems that will eventually appear when not having the software support or spare parts available any longer. It also helps bridge the gap before we invest in other new processing technology in our roadmap.”
In August 2021, Kristal bought an upgrade package that included the iControL control system and a new scanner along with an additional control panel at the end of the glass furnace.
“The iControL system was to solve any problems with future availability. The scanner helps us better monitor quality online. We didn’t have this capability earlier. So, it was an ideal opportunity to buy the complete package,” Matea said.
Earlier, Kristal’s operators had to adjust parameters intuitively. The new upgrades measure temperature and distribution, providing thermal image reports.
After the upgrade, Kristal won a huge project from Jakarta, Indonesia, for extremely high-quality façade glass. The project was recently finished.
“Our customer’s feedback was that ‘the glass quality was outstanding,” Matea continued. “We had no problems whatsoever tempering the glass despite the large quantity, no anisotropy effects – and during the project, we had the chance to test all the parameters. Glaston, too, has reason to be proud of this result.”