[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7195]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING KAWNEER COMPANY AS IT CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF BUSINESS 
                                 GROWTH

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                         HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 4, 2006

  Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed 
colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to the 
Kawneer Company which is celebrating its 100th anniversary on May 5 at 
its facility in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.
  Founded by Francis J. Plym, an architect, in 1906 in Kansas City, 
Missouri, the Kawneer Company distinguished itself in the field of 
architectural products, earning more than 400 patents in the past 
century.
  Between 1910 and 1920, Kawneer developed the first metal air frame 
sections used in American aircraft, an achievement that earned the 
company a commendation from the U.S. War Department.
  Between 1920 and 1930, Kawneer became the first manufacturer to 
incorporate lightweight, strong, economical aluminum in architectural 
products including ornate grills and soffits.
  From 1930 to 1940, nearly 75 percent of Kawneer's business centered 
on aluminum, and Kawneer became the largest American user of aluminum 
for architectural purposes.
  Months after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, every inch of the 
Kawneer plant was devoted to making airplane parts. American soldiers 
flew into battle supported by Kawneer rib assemblies, fuel tank 
supports, flap controls and many other aviation components.
  For the past half century, Kawneer has been in the vanguard of 
architectural innovation, especially with regard to large commercial 
window applications.
  In the future, Kawneer intends to commit itself to developing 
sustainable environmental solutions, such as the Kawneer Power Wall, 
the first proven integrated photovoltaic curtain wall system designed 
to control the sun in large commercial buildings.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the Kawneer Company, 
which employs 400 people in its Bloomsburg facility. Its impressive 
sales performance over the past 2 years saw gross sales double from $51 
to $100 million. Clearly, Kawneer is an important part of northeastern 
Pennsylvania's economy and we wish them every success in the future.

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