AGC Flat Glass Europe opens advanced new facility for producing glass in central Europe

This is the group’s 17th float line and will be devoted mainly to producing automotive glass, against the background of continued growth in demand for flat glass in central Europe.







First of its kind for AGC Flat Glass Europe

The new float line represents an investment of 100 million euros, and is equipped with the very latest technology so as to meet the very strict demands of the automotive industry in terms of quality, service and cost. Designed to produce an exceptionally wide strip of glass, it is the first of its kind for AGC Flat Glass Europe, being based on the experience gained by its parent company AGC in construction of a similar furnace in China.





Strategic location

By building a float line in a plant that already has two others, AGC Flat Glass Europe benefits from local factors already available which have speeded up construction and reduced the cost, and which will facilitate operation in future. These include know-how, human and material resources, a common language and a shared corporate culture. Furthermore, the location in the heart of central Europe where a significant number of car makers are setting up will lead to significant transport savings for AGC Flat Glass Europe.







“This new facility will not only reinforce our leadership in the central European markets, but will also position us as a supplier of excellence to the automotive subcontractors,” concludes Jean-François Heris, President and CEO of AGC Flat Glass Europe.



(*) Technology universally used for producing flat glass: it consists of floating the molten glass at 1,100°C on a bath of liquid tin, so as to obtain a perfectly flat surface on both sides.



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AGC Flat Glass Europe, a European leader in flat glass

AGC Flat Glass Europe (formerly Glaverbel) makes and processes flat glass for the construction industry (exterior glazing and interior decorative glass) and for specialised industries. Based in Brussels, Belgium, it is the European branch of AGC Flat Glass, the world’s leading producer of flat glass.

Its baseline “Glass Unlimited” reflects the possibilities offered by:



*glass as a material that meets a growing range of requirements (comfort, energy control, health & safety, appearance);

*its production facilities made up of 17 float glass plants and some 100 processing units located throughout greater Europe, from Spain to Russia;

*its worldwide marketing network;

*its new applications resulting from sustained R&D in advanced glass technology;

*the resources of its personnel motivated by a shared desire for excellence.

AGC Flat Glass Europe currently employs around 10,600 people.



For more information, visit: http://www.agc-flatglass.com (corporate site) and http://www.yourglass.com (architecture and interior design products).



This press release is available in English, French and Dutch on http://www.agc-flatglass.eu. High-definition images can be downloaded from http://www.yourglass.com/photolib/press/Retenice3.html



For further information :

AGC Flat Glass Europe – Communication

Marie-Ange Dhondt

Tel: +32 (0)2 674 34 28

Mobile: +32 (0)477 65 60 53

marieange.dhondt@eu.agc-flatglass.com