Fiberglass has been a staple in home construction since its discovery right at the turn of the ’30s. This versatile material has seen usage as an excellent insulation option for both siding and roofing installation projects, keeping homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Fiberglass and Owens Corning® share a rich history together that resulted in the company’s use of a popular cartoon panther, the Pink Panther, as its official mascot.
How did Pink Panther end up as the face of one of North America’s largest roofing manufacturing companies? Let our experts at Masters Roofing tell you the little story behind this choice.
What Is Fiberglass?
Insulation has been around since the 19th century. Many an enterprising siding and roofing contractor would use crude horse hair, cellulose, and even wool to serve as insulation. Early types were obviously not as effective and efficient as the materials used today, but every now and then new innovations would be discovered.
As steel and iron refineries boomed during the Industrial Revolution, there was an overabundance of their by-product, slag. Slag starts out as glowing red hot molten iron overflow that typically ends up hardening on plant floors. When a jet of steam accidentally hit molten slag while it was slowly dripping down, it scattered into tiny slag pellets with long thin tails made of hardened iron. These “fibers” became a prototype of modern day fiberglass.
The Owens Corning Connection
The process of producing “metal wool” from slag was adapted by then Corning Glass in 1932, but instead of iron, they used glass. The result is a yellowish semi-transparent fiber that has since become one of the most effective insulating materials available. Many companies recreated fiberglass and, to differentiate their product from the rest, Owens Corning decided to add some red dye to their mix, resulting in a pink fiberglass product. The color became extremely popular that in 1980, the company made use of Pink Panther as its official mascot.
Masters Roofing is an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred siding and roof replacement contractor. Our professionals are your number one trusted leader in superior roofing and siding products as well as reliable services. Give us a call at (844) 400-4774 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free in-home consultation and get a no-obligation estimate today. We serve homeowners in Memphis, TN.