Guardian Marks Its Second Float Glass Plant in Russia with Event for Customers and Local Officials

Guardian Industries Corp. will celebrate its newest float glass plant with a Grand Opening Ceremony, Thursday, Sept. 5 for customers and friends of Guardian Steklo Rostov. The plant is located in the Krasny Sulin district of Rostov, Russia, an area close to Sochi, home of the 2014 Winter Olympics.   

More than 400 customers, company officials and specials guests are expected at the plant, including Rostov Governor Vasiliy Golubev and Nicolay Alshenko, the head of Krasny Sulin district.

The event will include an opening ceremony, plant tours and dinner.

“We have enjoyed strong support in Russia from both the local government and a wide variety of customers and we are excited to welcome them to the plant,” said Janos Egyud. managing director of Guardian Steklo Services.

Guardian Steklo Rostov is Guardian’s newest and largest float glass plant to date, producing close to 900 tons of glass per day. The plant has a technologically advanced glass coater that produces Guardian’s high-performance, energy-efficient ClimaGuard Solar glass providing thermal insulation and sun protection for residential applications, and will soon begin producing SunGuard High Selective advanced architectural glass for commercial applications.

“Our sales programs at the new plant will focus on providing these value added glass products to the southern Russian and the East Ukrainian regions,” said Lajos Sapi, vice president of Guardian Flat Glass, Europe.

The $240-million plant is located 957 kilometers (594 miles) from Moscow in the southern part of Russia along the Azov Sea.

The plant has more than 300 employees and is major contributor to the area’s economic development. It was the first corporation to break ground in the Krasny Sulin Industrial Center, an initiative supported by the Governor.

This is Guardian’s second float glass plant in Russia -- in 2008, Guardian began production at its plant in Ryazan, serving the greater Moscow region.

“Guardian is bullish on Russia given the excellent growth at our first plant and the customers we have in the country,” said Guardian Global Flat Glass President Scott Thomsen. “We are already seeing great success in Rostov as well. The Rostov location is a good fit for Guardian’s growth strategy to supply glass to Russia and neighboring countries.”

Guardian was one of the first companies to invest in Eastern Europe beginning construction in Hungary in June 1989, prior the fall of the Berlin Wall, and presently operates facilities in Hungary, eastern Germany and Poland, among other European locations.

About Guardian Industries Corp.:
Guardian is a diversified global manufacturing company headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, with leading positions in float glass, fabricated glass products, fiberglass insulation and other building materials for commercial, residential and automotive applications. Its automotive trim group, SRG Global Inc., is one of the world’s largest suppliers of advanced, high value coatings on plastics. Through its Science & Technology Center, Guardian is at the forefront of innovation including development of high performance glass coatings and other advanced products. Guardian, its subsidiaries and affiliates employ 18,000 people and operate facilities throughout North America, Europe, South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Visit www.guardian.com.

SunGuard and ClimaGuard are registered trademarks of Guardian Industries Corp.