Pilkington hikes prices by 50%

The company, founded in 1826 and part of Japan’s NSG since 2006, has told clients the price of the glass commonly used in new homes is to rise by 50pc. Last October, Pilkington closed one of the lines producing standard glass at its St Helens site on Merseyside.

Pilkington, which supplies more than a third of the glass used in UK buildings, says it is only trying to make up for earlier price reductions. In a letter to customers, it said: ‘Glass manufacture and supply has become uneconomic and the situation cannot be sustained.’

A spokesman said: ‘We are losing money, this is a commercial decision.’