Saint-Gobain offers the largest glass factory in Asia

French Group Saint-Gobain (Saint-Gobain), a provider of a wide range of solutions for the market of construction materials, including float glass, and products based on it will open a glass factory in India (Bhivadi (Bhiwadi), Rajasthan) next week in Monday.

Investment in the project reach $ 185 million, this step will allow the company to strengthen its position in the glass market of India. Erected on the site of 136 acres, a plant with a production capacity of about 1,000 tons of glass per day, is going to be the largest facility in Asia.

As stated by Mr. Santhanam, president, sheet glass Saint-Gobain in South Asia, Malaysia, Egypt and managing director in India, when the plant will operate at full capacity by mid-2015, Saint-Gobain will have a total installed capacity of producing 9000 tons of glass per day.

The plant will be opened on Monday and is focused on meeting the demand of consumers of glass in North India, which accounts for 30% of sales.

At the moment, Saint-Gobain has manufacturing facilities in Jhagadia (Gujarat) and Sriperumbudur (Tamil Nadu) and R & D center in Chennai. Currently 15 per cent of turnover Saint-Gobain Glass India is exported, the main consumers are the ASEAN countries, South Asia, Middle East and Africa.

The company, which is the market leader in India in the production of float glass and mirrors are also seeking to expand its portfolio of glass products for the automotive industry. It focuses on the implementation of the strategy of "Made in India" and 95 per cent of the goods sold here under the brand of Saint-Gobain, produced domestically.

Saint-Gobain Glass India is a subsidiary of Compagnie de Saint-Gobain, the world leader in the production of float glass and products based on it, which operates in 64 countries and showed turnover of 42 billion euros in 2013.

It seems that this step Saint-Gobain confirms forecasts of German businessmen that India in the coming years will be a serious competitor for the quality translucent constructions brand «Made in Germany».