AGC And TOSTEM Announce Agreement To Start Talks On Alliance For "Window" Business

Background
In recent years, in response to increasing concerns about the rapid pace of climate change, efforts to reduce CO2 emissions have been moving into high gear in various countries. As CO2 emissions from households have been increasing every year in Japan, reducing those CO2 emissions has become a pressing issue. We believe that enhancing the thermal insulation and solar control of houses is an effective way of reducing CO2 emissions, because air-conditioning accounts for 30% of household energy consumption. And, because a large proportion of heat enters and leaves a house through openings such as windows, improved thermal insulation and solar control of windows are needed.
 
AGC, a leading company in Japanese glass market, and TOSTEM, a leading company in Japanese sash market, are committed to providing products and carrying out business activities in ways that consider the environment and help to achieve a sustainable society. AGC and TOSTEM have separately focused on developing and improving the performance of their products. However, we have come to believe that it will be able to contribute further to solving global warming issues if we work together in developing new high-performance, high-quality “windows”, and promoting their popularity through efficient manufacturing and sales. Besides, AGC and TOSTEM also believe that it will be able to provide customers reassurance on the performance and quality assurance of products, which have been provided separately for glass and sash, by establishing a comprehensive performance assurance system for “windows” and enhancing the reliability of “windows” in terms of quality.
 
Against this background, AGC and TOSTEM announce the agreement to start talks on a business alliance for the development, manufacture, and sales of a new high-performance, high-quality “window” that integrates glass and sash.
 
2. Outline of the basic agreement
 
Outline of the joint businesses in the alliance on which AGC and TOSTEM have agreed to start talks is as follows.
 
(1) Windows development business
Through the efficient use of management resources of AGC and TOSTEM, plan and develop high-performance, high-quality “windows”, and design performance assurance system for “windows”
 
(2) Processed glass business
At the initiative of AGC, efficiently manufacture and sell processed glass for “windows”.
 
(3) Windows assembling business
At the initiative of TOSTEM, establish a performance assurance system for “windows”, assemble and sell “windows” while streamlining all operations including delivery.