Installing large glass canopies has traditionally required complex hardware systems to ensure structural stability. Traditional spider fittings require holes drilled through glass, leaving no room for error. Any misalignment can impact send costs and timelines. Bendheim’s new GripGlaze Canopy system offers a no-drill, compression-based mounting solution that gives glaziers flexibility without compromising design integrity.
Product details and real-life example
The system’s innovation lies in its low-profile clip, a precisely engineered aluminum fitting that locks glass panels securely into place through compression. Each clip mounts directly to the steel structure, creating a continuous glass surface with no visible hardware interruptions. The design eliminates the need for notches, holes or specialized tools, reducing fabrication time and on-site labor.
“Architects loved how clean it looks with less steel, more glass,” says Project Manager at Bendheim, Derya Celenoglu. “When you look up, there’s almost nothing in between the panels. It follows the steel lines beautifully, creating a modern, seamless canopy that performs incredibly well.”
That flexibility proved important on a recent urgent care project in Clifton, New Jersey, where glaziers installed 25 glass panels, each roughly five by ten feet, in just three days. The system’s built-in tolerance allowed installers to adapt to uneven steel conditions and still achieve a perfect fit.
“I would say it saves almost 50% of the time and cost for installers,” says Celenoglu.
More product information
Durability was also central to the design. The compression clips and mounting plates are engineered as part of a fully integrated Bendheim system, with the glass, hardware and structure designed to perform together. Once installed, GripGlaze Canopy is built to last for decades with minimal maintenance.
GripGlaze Canopy is fully engineered and supported by Bendheim’s Design-Assist process, aiding with clear specifications, detailed shop drawings and accurate installation sequencing. For contractors, the system can represent an improvement in time, cost and coordination. For designers, it can open new possibilities for transparent, structurally clean canopies that emphasize glass, not hardware.
Bendheim offers third-party verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Health Product Declarations (HPDs) across the majority of its architectural glass products.