AGC Europe plans furnace repair at Moustier plant

After 18 years of uninterrupted production, one of the four float glass furnaces at AGC Glass Europe in Moustier, Belgium will be shut down to carry out a cold repair.

This line produces float glass that is destined mainly for transformation into laminated, coated, silvered, varnished and acid-etched glass products and also serves AGC's processing and distribution network.

The float line will be refurbished with advanced technologies. AGC said it would substantially improve performance to meet the highest standards in terms of safety, quality and environment.

The design improvements will  reduce its energy consumption by 20%, 25% less CO2 (carbon dioxide) and 40% less NOx (nitrogen oxides).

The cold repair is also aimed at an increase of productivity and cost competitiveness of the site.

The float line is planned to shut down in the last quarter of 2019 and is expected to restart production in the last quarter of 2020.

“At that time, this refurbished facility will fully support our policy aimed at providing high-performance products and improving customer service, while contributing to a sustainable future,” says Philippe Bastien, Regional President - Building & Industrial Glass Europe.

The Moustier (pictured) plant was the first to introduce the float process in continental Europe in 1965. It now houses four float lines, one of which is on hold.

It produces clear, coloured and pyrolytic float glass for the building and automotive sectors. It also has a downstream facility for producing laminated glass in large dimensions for building applications. It employs around 700 people.