How long should it really take to install a glass balustrade panel on site?

24. March 2026
Customer stories

And how much of that time is actually spent mounting the glass versus adjusting the system, correcting tolerances, and fine-tuning the alignment?

At the end of February, installers from across Europe gathered in Emmerich for a live installation challenge to find out. During the event, one team installed a glass panel using the TURBOFLEX mounting system in 36.84 seconds.

That result surprised many professionals in the room. In this article, we’ll look at what happened during the test, what normally slows down glass balustrade installation, and how a different mounting approach can simplify the process on site.

What affects glass balustrade installation time?

Installing frameless glass balustrades requires precision. Even experienced installers know that placing the glass is often only the first step. In many projects, the real work begins after the panel is already in position.

Common factors that increase installation time include:

Adjusting mounting profiles to align the glass
Compensating for tolerances in glass thickness
Repositioning panels to achieve perfect vertical alignment
Fine-tuning multiple adjustment points along the profile

Each of these steps is necessary to ensure safety and aesthetics. However, they can significantly extend installation time, especially on larger projects.

And in today’s construction environment, time on site matters more than ever. Labour costs are rising, skilled installers are increasingly difficult to find, and project schedules are becoming tighter. For many contractors, even small efficiency improvements during installation can have a measurable impact on overall project planning.

Why traditional balustrade systems often require adjustments

Many conventional balustrade mounting systems rely on adjusting the aluminium profile to position the glass correctly.

This means installers may need to repeatedly:

Place the glass panel
Adjust the system
Recheck alignment
Fine-tune the installation

These adjustment steps are not necessarily complicated, but they do require time and careful attention. Across larger installations with multiple panels, this process can add up quickly. That is why many installers are beginning to ask a practical question:

Is there a way to reduce adjustment time without sacrificing precision?

How TURBOFLEX reduces glass balustrade installation time

The mounting principle behind TURBOFLEX was designed to simplify this process.

Instead of forcing the glass to match the position of the mounting system, the system adapts to the position of the glass.

The installation process works as follows:

The installer places the glass panel into the profile.
A clamp is positioned against the glass.
The installer tightens a single screw to six Newton metres.

When the screw is tightened, the clamp secures the glass exactly in the position where it stands. According to the development team behind the system:

“In practice it means the position of the glass is leading. Once the glass is in place, tightening the screw locks it exactly where it stands.”

Installation also takes place from the user side (safe side) of the balustrade. For installers, the workflow becomes straightforward: place the glass → tighten the screw → move to the next panel.

Live installation test: A glass panel was installed in 36.84 seconds

To test installation speed in practice, part of the OnLevel warehouse in Emmerich was transformed into a live installation track.

Several balustrade systems were installed side by side so visitors could mount glass panels themselves and measure installation time.

Instead of watching demonstrations, installers were invited to step up and try the systems directly.

Each participant:

Placed a glass panel in the profile
Secured the system
Recorded the installation time

The results were written on a large scoreboard visible to everyone in the space.

Over the course of the event, a new record was set by emcoglas Holding GmbH and KAB Allglass GmbH

Their installation time: 36.84 seconds for a single glass panel using TURBOFLEX. The number quickly became a talking point among participants. For many visitors, the obvious follow-up question was:

How is that possible?

Years of development behind a simple installation process

Although the installation workflow appears simple, the development behind the system took several years.

According to Iwan Oude Luttikhuis, CEO of OnLevel, the process began with feedback from installers working with earlier balustrade systems.

“From the installers we constantly receive feedback about what works well and what could be improved,” he explains. “Installers told us they were dealing with limited adjustment possibilities, variations in glass thickness and systems that required a lot of fine-tuning on site.”

Over time, those comments formed a clear development goal: reduce installation complexity without losing precision.

Finding the right solution proved challenging. According to Iwan, the team explored 24 different design concepts over five years.

Each solved part of the problem, but none solved everything. The breakthrough came from an unexpected source.

During a ski holiday, Iwan noticed the tightening mechanism on his snowboard boots. When the dial is turned, a cable tightens evenly around the foot and adapts to its shape.

That idea sparked a new approach:

What if a glass mounting system could adapt to the glass in the same way?

Instead of forcing the glass to follow the system, the system would adapt to the glass. This concept eventually became the clamping principle used in TURBOFLEX.

Why installation speed matters for project costs

When selecting a balustrade system, attention often focuses on the price of the aluminium profile. However, installation time can also influence the overall cost of a project.

Longer installation times can affect:

Labour hours on site
Equipment rental such as lifts or scaffolding
Project scheduling and coordination
Availability of installation teams

Across large projects, these factors can have a significant impact on total project efficiency. Faster and more predictable installation processes can therefore make it easier for contractors to plan their work and manage installation teams.

The installation challenge in Emmerich demonstrated how simplifying adjustment steps can make the process more consistent. Once installers understood the clamping principle, the workflow quickly became repetitive: place the glass, tighten the screw, continue to the next panel.

So how fast can you install a glass balustrade?

If you’ve ever lost time on site to profile adjustments, glass tolerances, or repeated alignment checks, you know that installation speed is about more than simply placing the panel.

The Emmerich test showed what becomes possible when the mounting system adapts to the glass instead of forcing constant correction.