DescriptionPhotograph of signshop exterior with figures. Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co. - California Sales Meeting January 1927. The Pittsburg Plate Glass Co. was founded in 1883 by Captain John B. Ford and John Pitcairn. It quickly became one of the country’s leading glass producers with their use of the plate process to create thick, flat glass. By the early 1900’s they had expanded their product line to include fiberglass and paint. With the continued drive to diversify their product line, the company named changed to PPG Industries in the 1960s to reflect these changes in addition to their now global presence.