Pyrex glassware

Pyrex is a legendary brand of heat-resistant glassware that traces its origins back to 1915 in Corning, New York. Originally developed by Corning Glass Works, the product was inspired by a repurposed industrial battery jar used by Bessie Littleton to bake a cake. The brand famously utilized borosilicate glass for decades, known for its exceptional thermal shock resistance. Eventually, the brand expanded into tinted and opaque opal glass products.

Today, the ownership and manufacturing of Pyrex are split geographically. In North America and parts of Asia, the brand is owned by Anchor Hocking (formerly part of Instant Brands, which faced restructuring in late 2023). Products in these regions are primarily manufactured in the United States (notably in Lancaster, Ohio, following the 2025 closure of the historic Charleroi plant) and are often made of tempered soda-lime glass. Conversely, in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, the brand is licensed to International Cookware (owned by private equity firm Kartesia), which continues to manufacture borosilicate glass products in Châteauroux, France. Corning Incorporated remains the ultimate owner of the Pyrex trademark, licensing it out to these consumer-facing companies while continuing to produce Pyrex-branded scientific laboratory equipment themselves.