After a century of innovation, Madico is pioneering a new film solution into stadium roofs and beyond
As more stadiums are built across the globe, sports and music fans may soon find their experiences enhanced, under a roof that is strong enough to span an entire venue yet clear enough to show the night sky. The material behind this spectacle is ViewScape – a film that Florida-based manufacturer, Madico, spent more than a decade developing. “ViewScape is the next evolution in how stadiums are made,” reveals John Storms, CEO and President of the company. “Not only is it a much stronger film than others on the market, but more importantly, it’s transparent.”
Madico’s story began in 1903, initially making leather greeting cards, wrapping paper, and tinsel under the name Hy-Sil, which was formed in Boston. Its transformation into a materials innovator came in stages; in 1938, it became the first company to carry out roll-to-roll metalizing, applying thin coatings of metals such as aluminum and silver to film. A decade later, it began making window film. “Madico was the first company to commercialize transparent reflective window film,” John elaborates. “That set the stage for the window film industry as a whole.”
Acquired in 1987 by Japanese manufacturer Lintec, the company developed its safety and security films in the 1990s and, today, it operates from a 250,000-square-foot facility in Tampa Bay. After moving there in 2020, Madico equipped the site with upgraded manufacturing capabilities, and it now distributes to more than 100 countries.
The business is split between window film – covering automotive, architectural, and safety and security segments – and a specialty films unit that supplies business-to-business custom coatings. Sectors served include aerospace, defense, and healthcare, with many of its customers Fortune 500 companies. Across both, John is clear on what drives expansion. “Our growth depends on creating high-value, differentiated products. We put a lot of effort into understanding the needs of the market, and we use R&D to develop products that set us apart from our competitors.”
The strongest example is SafetyShield G2, the latest version of Madico’s flagship safety film, which the company believes is the best performing product on the market after years of development. “SafetyShield G2 has nearly double the bond strength of the closest competitor,” John highlights, referring to how firmly the film grips the glass. That translates into high impact resistance – glass that is retained rather than shattering into a room – and strong protection against forced entry. What’s more, Madico’s expertise in optically clear coatings means, as John describes, “most people won’t even know it’s there!”
Installation is equally important. “We don’t just sell the film; we also train people how to install it,” explains John. The SafetyShield Premier Partner Program is over 25 years old and brings installers to Tampa for two days of immersive training, ensuring Madico’s products are specified and fitted correctly. “Safety and security films carry a lot of responsibility, so we want to get that totally right,” he continues. The films protect everything from schools and businesses to government buildings and international skyscrapers.
Acquisitions have fueled expansion – from windshield protection brand ClearPlex in 2016 and the Louisville vacuum deposition specialist VDI to Johnson Window Films (Johnson), which it acquired in 2026. “Being a family-owned US manufacturer with a 50-year history, Johnson was a natural fit, with strengths in the automotive segment to complement our strengths in architectural and safety,” says John. Madico has also restructured its sales and marketing to strengthen dealer support and regional coverage, and it’s even taking SafetyShield training to the Middle East, Africa, and India, as John notes: “There’s a large need for safety and security films internationally.”
Yet ViewScape remains the focus. Historically, stadiums began as open-air venues, then shifted to domes and retractable roofs, and more recently ETFE, as seen on venues such as SoFi Stadium – home to the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Chargers. ViewScape was developed gradually, in a joint venture with the global engineering firm Walter P. Moore and venues are already being built with it. “ViewScape can be metalized to control how much heat enters and how it’s reflected,” John tells us. “It’s also much stronger, so it requires far less steel and cabling, opening up a whole range of creative possibilities for architects.”
A nano-ceramic version of ClearPlex is imminent too, which combines exterior physical protection with solar control in a single film. Until now, solar control has meant applying a film to the interior of the windshield, which is difficult and carries risks, but Madico is providing a solution for customers – while simultaneously becoming the first company worldwide to add solar control properties to exterior windshield applications.
For John, these launches share a common thread. “We’re consistently looking for new ways to solve real-world challenges,” he ends. “We locate the problem, then use advanced materials, R&D, and our relationship with our parent company to find solutions as they materialize.” With its manufacturing capabilities remaining firmly in the US, creating jobs and expanding, Madico’s next chapter looks set to be as inventive as its first 120 years.