Saint-Gobain Cuts 79 Jobs in New York as It Shuts Down a Glass Furnace Materials Line

GlassBase

Jun 10, 2026 1 - 2 min. read

The Monofrax plant located in Western New York, USA

Photo by sefpro.com

Saint-Gobain will close the AZS (Alumina-Zirconia-Silica) refractory production line at its SEFPRO-Monofrax facility in Falconer, New York, eliminating 79 jobs in the process, according to local radio station WRFA-LP. The shutdown, expected to be completed by August 2026, removes a domestic source of a material used to build and maintain the high-temperature furnaces that produce architectural and window glass across North America.

Saint-Gobain confirmed the decision in a statement to WRFA-LP. "We made the difficult decision to end the production of the AZS products line at our SEFPRO manufacturing facility," the company said, adding that the closure reflects an evaluation of its core business priorities and long-term strategy.

The company stressed that the Falconer plant will remain open. Other product lines at the facility will continue operating, and the shutdown applies exclusively to the AZS line.

AZS blocks are fused-cast refractory materials — essentially high-performance ceramic bricks — engineered to line the sections of glass melting furnaces that come into direct contact with molten glass at temperatures exceeding 2,700°F (1,500°C). They resist both corrosion and erosion from the molten glass mass, making them essential to the longevity and efficiency of float glass furnaces. Float glass is the base material for virtually all architectural glazing, including the glass used in insulating glass units (IGUs), low-E coatings, laminated safety glass, and curtain wall systems.

The Monofrax plant has operated in Falconer since 1948, making it one of the longest-running specialty refractory manufacturers in the United States. In 2022, the facility became part of SEFPRO, the Saint-Gobain subsidiary that specializes in fused-cast refractories for glass, steel, and metallurgical industries.