JUST IN: Fuyao is expanding production capacity

Fuyao Glass America is expanding capacity at its Mount Zion, Ill. plant.

A North Carolina company and a Chinese company say they have won a contract to install furnaces at Fuyao’s plant near Decatur, Ill.

HHH Tempering Resources, of Winston-Salem, N.C., a subsidiary of Salem Distributing, and Chinese company NorthGlass will install new continuous glass tempering furnaces at Fuyao’s plant, those companies recently said.

The AX1 model continuous tempering furnaces will produce thin solar glass, HHH said in a recent release. HHH is providing furnace consultation, installation and U.S.-based technical support for the new furnaces, the company said.“HHH is looking forward to working alongside the Fuyao Glass America team to provide fast installation and local technical assistance so that the equipment can be up and running by spring 2020,” HHH President and Chief Executive Mike Synon said in the statement from his company.

“We are adding new production line at FGI (Fuyao Glass Illinois) for solar panel glass and commercial building glass as well,” Jeff Liu, Fuyao Glass America CEO, said Wednesday. “The details will be released later.”

He said his company has also leased second floor warehouse space from Industrial Realty Group and just finished the new storage area. The company is also adding about 10 new workers.

Fuyao’s automotive customers include Honda, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler and many others. Fuyao runs the largest auto glass production plant in the world in Moraine, with about 2,300 Dayton-area workers.