Owens Corning was formed in 1935 through a joint venture between Corning Glass Works and Owens Illinois, becoming an independent corporation in 1938 and based in Toledo, Ohio. It quickly gained footing in fiberglass research, developing insulation materials and fiberglass products during World War II and expanding into the consumer and industrial markets. The company went public in 1952 and became a consistent presence on the Fortune 500 list from its inception in 1955 onward .
Today, Owens Corning is the world’s largest producer of fiberglass composites and a major manufacturer of insulation, roofing materials, and composite systems. It operates across three integrated business segments—Composites, Insulation, and Roofing—and maintains more than 30 composite, 31 insulation, and 16 roofing manufacturing facilities globally. The company is also well-known for its iconic “Pink Panther” mascot, introduced in the 1960s to help distinguish its pink-colored insulation products.
Owens Corning has earned recognition for driving material innovation, such as developing fiberglass-reinforced vehicle components (notably first used on the Chevrolet Corvette), centrifugally spun insulation, and fireproof Beta cloth for NASA suits. It remains a leader in producing sustainable, energy-efficient building solutions, leveraging its expertise in glass and composite technologies to serve residential, commercial, automotive, and aerospace markets.
Looking ahead, Owens Corning is expanding its manufacturing footprint and focusing on strategic acquisitions and capacity growth. In 2025, it announced plans to build a new shingles plant in the southeastern United States, set to begin operations in 2027. It also recently divested its glass reinforcements business to optimize its core operations in composites, insulation, and roofing. Additionally, the 2024 acquisition of Masonite broadened their product range into entry doors—positioning itself for long-term growth in residential building markets.