A STUDY ON THE

CONSUMER PERCEPTIONOF GLASS PRODUCTS IN

INDIA

By,

Siddharth Agarwal

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Bachelor of Business Administration(Honours) - 2014

St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my college, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, for providing me with the opportunity to undertake this project. I would also like to thank the college librarian, Mr. Stephen for making available to me the vast resources of the college library.

I would also like to thank my parents for providing me with the time and money needed to pursue the completion of this project. I would like to specially thank my father, the proprietor of Royal Glass House for instilling within me a deep interest for glass and making me conscious about its environmental benefits.

I would also like to thank Dr Shivaji Banerjee, who was aconstant guide and support throughout the development of this project. Lastly, I would like to thank my friends and teacherswho have contributed a pleasant experience to my education.

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Internship Report

I did my Internship at Royal Glass House in Siliguri. My role at thefirm was mostly concerned with operations and inventory Management. My role involved the following tasks-

Taking orders from the customer, Having the order processed according to individual

requirements in time for delivery, Managing the glass inventory, Supervising the flow of materials to and from the warehouse.

At the firm, Order Processing involves Glass cutting, Glass edge polishing, bevelling, designing and drilling holes.

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INDEX OF CONTENT

1. Ch-1: Introduction to the study Need of the study Limitations of the study Objectives of the study

2. Ch-2: Literature Review Research Gap

3. Ch-3: Evolution of glass What is Glass Types of Glass Applications of Glass Environmental Benefits Overview of the Glass Industry in India Comparative study Market Analysis

4. Ch-4: Research Methodology Data Analysis SWOT Analysis Interpretation of data

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5. Ch-5: Findings Conclusion Suggestions

6. Annexure Questionnaire Bibliography

Introduction

Glass has been in society in its most basic form since circa 4000BC and was used mainly to produce weapons and jewellery, and by 1500BC glass vessels were used in cooking and drinking. Glass has been developed for thousands of years and production methods have evolvedconsiderably since its induction.

A key factor that sparked a large increase in the mass production ofglass was the development of the Solvay process in the 1860s, which significantly reduced the cost of sodium oxide, a major input into the glass production process. Two important developments in the 20thcentury were automation, with the introduction of full mechanisationof bottle manufacture around 1920, and the introduction of the floatprocess in 1952 for flat glass.

Other major advancements in glass production have resulted from:

• Continuous large-scale production;

• Longer furnace lifetimes (typically 12-15 years, but in some cases(flat glass) even longer);

• Improved thermal efficiency;

• New production techniques (such as ‘Just-In Time’);

• Significant product innovation.

Improvements in the production process have led to a typical furnaceoutput of 300 tonnes per day of molten glass but in some sub-

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sectors, such as flat glass, this figure is even higher: 500 tonnes per day is typical but some recent projects have hit 1000 tonnes perday.

Whilst production levels have increased, manufacturers have also strived to further improve efficiency in what is an energy-intensiveprocess, fuelled by the need to operate furnaces at over 1600oC.

Improvements in furnace efficiency have had a significant impact onthe amount of energy required to melt a tonne of glass. The recycling of glass has been a major factor since it uses 25% less energy than making glass from virgin raw material. Whilst this performance may sound impressive, glass producers have been put under further pressure from Governments to improve their efficiency due to increased environmental concerns by society.

A feature of glass is its versatility and that its specification such as its strength, weight, colour and appearance can be changed to suit demand.

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Need of the study

Glass is a very widely used component, its applications ranging fromsmall (glass bowl, spectacles) to huge (entire buildings). In spite of its versatility in application, Glass is a significantly underused in the Indian market. There are so many different types ofglass, and their properties differ with the type of processing it undergoes. Glass is also an eco- friendly product and clocks a signification contribution towards the protection of the environment.

So many advantages, but glass has been continuously overlooked for cheaper alternatives like concrete or non renewable products like wood. My study aims to explore the reasons for this situation and determine how and to what extent the Indian market would be benefitted by a more visible glass industry.

It seeks to inform the reader about the advantages of glass (stressfully, environmental) in comparison to other building and packaging materials like wood, concrete, plastic, etc., so as to aidin future decision making processes.

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Limitations of the study

The study of consumer perception was limited to a small sample size of 60 people due to time and cost restraints. The respondents were chosen by convenience sampling, which has its own disadvantages thatapply in this study. Some disadvantages are in particular, a homogeneous respondent group, i.e., most respondents are of the age group 19-21 and people I personally know. This prevents generalisation of findings.

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OBJECTIVES

1. To present an overview of the glass and glazing industry In India.

2. To provide information on the types of glass produced and their characteristics.

3. To create a SWOT analysis for the glass and glazing industry in India.

4. To find consumer perception of glass and their awareness levelregarding glass characteristics.

5. To report on the potential for growth of demand for glass products in the Indian market.

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LITERATURE REVIEW

STUDY

GLASS: A SMALL PART OF THE PROBLEM, A BIG PART OF THE SOLUTION-By J. Stockdale (Environmental manager of British glass).

The study examines the relationship between the emissions fromrelevant sectors of the glass industry and compares them with the carbon savings that can be achieved with the products the industry makes. It has been found that the carbon savings by the appropriate use of glass products far exceeds the carbon outlay incurred in making these glass products. It suggests the wider use of glass as an environmental friendly product and as an answer to the world’s energy and carbon problems. The study explores ways in which glass can be used to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy savings. The main categories of sustainable glass uses are - Four main areas arediscussed: glass fibre insulation, advanced glazing (low emissivity glass and advanced solar glass).

STUDY

UTILIZATION OF RECYCLED AND WASTE MATERIALS IN VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION APPLICATIONS-Johnny Bolden, Taher Abu-Lebdeh and Ellie Fini

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The study suggests the use of recycled materials has a positive impact through different aspects. This include the benefits in enhancing sustainability of the construction industry while reducing cost, providing solutions to environmental pollution and reducing the need for natural resources. In this study, a questionnaire survey was conductedto find out the current practices in using waste and recycled materials in the construction industry. Results indicated thatsome companies were not aware of the availability, quality of the materials’ performance, cost savings, or any other benefits including environmental benefits. It is, thus recommended to create better documentation for green infrastructure, connecting researches and industry with an overview of what recycled materials are available for different construction applications. Companies need to be innovative in their use of recycled materials and reduce theirdependency on raw materials. Also, more data and better documentations are needed to encourage the use of waste and recycled materials in the construction industry.

Research Gap

Studies exist to demonstrate the superiority of glass in environmental sustainability and its possible role as the model material for construction, packaging and special glass applications. It has been found that glass can be used to saveenergy and reduce carbon emissions if used appropriately.

It has been recommended for the need and availability of proper documentation and information to architects and engineers alike for appropriate use of glass for energy savingsituations. But a blank draws up when you want to gauge the

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level of awareness of daily consumers of the products. This study has been done to address this gap and provide the readerwith information about the awareness of daily consumers and their perception about glass products, their variety and application. It will be attempted to describe the features of the glass industry to the reader, its environmental benefits and product benefits.

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THEORETICALPERSPECTIVE

The Global Glass Market: A Macro Perspective

Evolution of GlassThe shot glass, as we know it today, has gone through an interestingevolution influenced by many cultures. Glass has a long history of 5000 years. 3100 BC Earliest glass artefacts found in Egypt 1500 BC Small glass articles made from moulds have been found in

Egypt and Syria. The first glass was produced probably in Egypt. 650 BC First glass making manual was written, Assyrian

Assurbanipal's Library 1 AD Technique of blowing glass was invented in the Babylon area. 25-400 AD Rapid development and growth of glass melting, working

and forming technology in the Mediterranean region during the Roman Era

100 AD Glass cost rapidly declines and for the first time becomesavailable to ordinary citizens

600-699 Strong Islamic influence 1000AD Domination of Venice glass centre in glass production.

Murano Island became a major glass centre. 1226 ''Broad Sheet ‘was first produced in Sussex 1330 French glassmakers produced ''crown glass'' in Rouen, France 1500 Angelo Barovier invented ''cristallo'', clear, colourless

glass 1590 Development of glass telescope and microscope lenses in

Netherlands 1600 Caspar Lehman, a Praque glassmaker, used the technique of

cutting rock crystal to glass 1600 France became a major power in the glass industry 1608 The first American glass was made by settlers in Jamestone 1615 Introduction of coal furnaces in England 1620 Production of ''Blown plate'' was produced in London 1676 English glassmaker George Ravenscroft patented a formula for

lead glass, heavy, clear glass, ideal for cutting. 1688 ``Polished plate`` was produced in France 1690 William of Orange passed a law that lifted taxes on

distilled spirits and encouraged development and expansion of this industry

1745 Glass Excise Act passed in England 1765 ''Crystal glass'' production began a new era in glass

industry 1773 Glassworks of polished plate glass were established at

Ravenshead in England

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1800 Industrial revolution dawned a new era in glass industry. Synthetic glasses with improved properties were available for thefirst time

1827 Glass pressing machine was invented in America 1834 Robert Lucas Chance introduced ``Improved Cylinder Sheet`` 1843 Henry Bessemer introduced an early form of ``Float glass`` 1847 James Hartley invented ``Rolled plate`` 1867 First regenerative glass furnace was patented in German by

Siemens brothers, Freiderich, Karl, Hans, Werner and Wilhelm 1875 Technical glasses were developed in Germany 1903 An automatic glass blowing machine was invented by Michael

Owens 1913 Technique of ``Flat Drawn Sheet`` was introduced in Belgium 1950-1960 Glass science became a major research discipline. Major

glass research centre was established by Ford Motor Co 1959 "Float glass" was invented in UK by Sir Akistair Pilkington 1984 First fluoride glass was discovered by Marcel and Michael

Poulain and Jacques Lucas in Rennes, France.What is Glass?

Glass is a solid-like and transparent material that is used in numerous applications in our daily lives. Glass is made from naturaland abundant raw materials (sand, soda ash and limestone) that are melted at very high temperature to form a new material: glass.

At high temperature glass is structurally similar to liquids, however at ambient temperature it behaves like solids. As a result, glass can be poured, blown, press and moulded.

Glass manufacturing has an age-old tradition which dates back to around 3500 BC when glass is believed to have been first artificially produced in Egypt and Mesopotamia to be used as jewellery and later as vessels. Since then processes have constantlyevolved from craftsmanship to today’s high-tech industrial processesand the number of glass types and applications have multiplied.

Glass has shaped Europe’s cultural heritage, regions, industries, living conditions, technological deployments, etc. like no other substance. Simply think of glass masterpieces such as Bohemian crystal, the Murano Island of Italy, the Mirros Gallery of Versailles’ palace or stained glass in Cathedrals.

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Glass is all around us nowadays and continues to offer cutting edgesolutions, either in itself or used in combination with other materials for high-tech applications; a trend which is very likely to continue in the future.

Main Types of Glass

Today, flat glass comes in many highly specialised forms intended for different products and applications. Flat glass produced by way of the float process is often further processed (see below) to give it certain qualities or specificities. In this way, the industry canmeet the various requirements and needs of the construction, automotive and solar-energy industries:

• Annealed glass

• Toughened glass

• Laminated glass

• Coated glass

• Mirrored glass

• Patterned glass

• Extra-Clear glass

Annealed Glass

Annealed glass is the basic flat glass product that is the first result of the float process. It is the common glass that tends to break into large, jagged shards. It is used in some end products- often in double glazed windows, for example. It is also the startingmaterial that is turned into more advanced products through further processing such as laminating, toughening, coating, etc.

Toughened Glass

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Toughened glass is treated to be far more resistant to breakage thansimple annealed glass, and to break in a more predictable way when it does break, thus providing a major safety advantage in almost allof its applications.

Toughened glass is made from annealed glass treated with a thermal tempering process. A sheet of annealed glass is heated to above its "annealing point" of 600 °C; its surfaces are then rapidly cooled while the inner portion of the glass remains hotter. The different cooling rates between the surface and the inside of the glass produces different physical properties, resulting in compressive stresses in the surface balanced by tensile stresses in the body of the glass. These counteracting stresses give toughened glass its increased mechanical resistance to breakage, and are also, when it does break, what cause it to produce regular, small, typically square fragments rather than long, dangerous shards that are far more likely to lead to injuries. Toughened glass also has an increased resistance to breakage as a result of stresses caused by different temperatures within a pane.

Toughened glass has extremely broad application in products both forbuildings and for automobiles and transport, as well as other areas.Car windshields and windows, glass portions of building façades, glass sliding doors and partitions in houses and offices, glass furniture such as table tops, and many other products typically use toughened glass. Products made from toughened glass often also incorporate other technologies, especially in the building and automotive and transport sectors.

Laminated Glass

Laminated glass is made of two or more layers of glass with one or more "interlayer’s" of polymeric material bonded between the glass layers.

Laminated glass is produced using one of two methods:

1. Poly Vinyl Butyral (PVB) laminated glass is produced using heat and pressure to sandwich a thin layer of PVB between layers of glass. On occasion, other polymers such as Ethyl Vinyl Acetate (EVA)or Polyurethane (PU) are used. This is the most common method.

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2. For special applications, Cast in Place (CIP) laminated glass is made by pouring a resin into the space between two sheets of glass that are held parallel and very close to each other.

Laminated glass offers many advantages. Safety and security are the best-known of these -- rather than shattering on impact, laminated glass is held together by the interlayer, reducing the safety hazardassociated with shattered glass fragments, as well as, to some degree, the security risks associated with easy penetration. But theinterlayer also provides a way to apply several other technologies and benefits, such as colouring, sound dampening, and resistance to fire, ultraviolet filtering, and other technologies that can be embedded in or with the interlayer.

Laminated glass is used extensively in building and housing productsand in the automotive and transport industries. Most building façades and most car windscreens, for example, are made with laminated glass, usually with other technologies also incorporated.

Coated

Surface coatings can be applied to glass to modify its appearance and give it many of the advanced characteristics and functions available in today's flat glass products, such as low maintenance, special reflection/transmission/absorption properties, scratch resistance, corrosion resistance, etc.

Coatings are usually applied by controlled exposure of the glass surface to vapours, which bind to the glass forming a permanent coating. The coating process can be applied while the glass is stillin the float line with the glass still warm, producing what is knownas "hard-coated" glass.

Alternatively, in the "off-line" or "vacuum" coating process, the vapour is applied to the cold glass surface in a vacuum vessel.

Mirrored Glass

To produce mirrored glass, a metal coating is applied to one side ofthe glass. The coating is generally made of silver, aluminium, gold or chrome. For simple mirrored glass, a fully reflective metal coating is applied and then sealed with a protective layer. To

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produce "one-way" mirrors, a much thinner metal coating is used, with no additional sealing or otherwise opaque layer.

Mirrored glass is gaining a more prominent place in architecture, for important functional reasons as well as for the aesthetic effect.

Patterned

Patterned glass is flat glass whose surfaces display a regular pattern. The most common method for producing patterned glass is to pass heated glass (usually just after it exits the furnace where it is made) between rollers whose surfaces contain the negative relief of the desired pattern(s).

Patterned glass is mostly used in internal decoration and internal architecture. Today, it is typically used for functional reasons, where light but not transparency is desired, and the patterns are accordingly subtle.

However, it has also at times been fashionable as a design feature in itself, in such cases often displaying more prominent patterns.

Extra-Clear glass

Extra-clear glass is not the result of processing of annealed glass but instead a specific type of melted glass. Extra-clear glass differs from other types of glass by its basic raw material composition. In particular, this glass is made with a very low iron-content in order to minimize its sun reflection properties. It therefore lets as much light as possible through the glass. It is most particularly of use for solar-energy applications where it is important that the glass cover lets light through to reach the thermal tubes or photovoltaic cells. Anti-reflective properties can be further increased by applying a special coating on the low-iron glass. It can also be used in windows or facades as it offers excellent clarity, which allows occupants to appreciate true coloursand to enjoy unimpaired views.

Glass-making

Glass industries are characterised by a multitude of production processes depending on the final product manufactured and its end-

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applications. However, all these manufacturing processes have a common origin: glass first needs to be melted!

Glass melting requires raw materials which are of two kinds: different types of sand and recycled glass. These raw materials are mixed together, charged in a furnace where there are melted at around 1500°C to form molten glass. The molten glass is then taken out of the furnace to be shaped and cooled down afterwards. For manyapplications the glass obtained may be further processed to have specific properties such as increased mechanic strength and higher resistance to breakage.

The exact composition of glass may vary to meet specific applications requirements but the most commonly use type of glass, soda-lime glass, is made of silica sand, soda ash, limestone, dolomite and glass cullet (recycled glass). Additional materials such as iron oxide or cobalt can be added to the mix to give a greenor blue colour to the glass.

Main glass sectors

The glass industries comprise five sectors covering different glassproducts, applications and markets.

Container glass

Container glass is the largest sector of the EU glass industries and accounts for some 60% of the total EU glass production.

The container glass industry provides a wide range of glass packaging products for food and beverages as well flacons for perfumery, cosmetics and pharmacy to a world-wide customer base.

With its 160 manufacturing plants distributed all over Europe it isan important contributor to Europe’s real economy and provides direct employment to about 50,000 people, while creating a large number of job opportunities along the total supply chain.

Building, automotive, solar-energy glass (flat glass)

The flat glass sector is the second largest sector of the European glass industries and represents about 30% of the total EU glass production. The main markets for flat glass are the building (windows and facades) and automotive industries (windscreens, side

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and rear-side glazing, backlights and sunroofs). Flat glass is also used in solar-energy applications (photovoltaic and solar thermal panels) as well as in urban and domestic furniture, appliances, mirrors and greenhouses. Float plants are the biggest glass manufacturing sites with production capacities of up to 850 tonnes of melted glass per day.

Continuous-filament glass fibre

The production of continuous filament glass fibre (CFCG) is one of the smallest sectors of the glass industry in terms of tonnage although the products have a relatively high value to mass ratio. Continuous filament glass fibre is mainly used for the production of composite materials as weight lightning reinforcement component. Continuous filament glass fibre applications are known as fibre reinforced polymers or glass reinforced plastics. The sector covers applications ranging from the automotive and transportation sector (such as aircrafts) to wind energy, agriculture, construction, communication, electrical and electronic as well as sport and leisure. In tonnage, CFCG represents more than 80% of all reinforcement fibres used in composite worldwide.

Domestic glass

This sector comprises the manufacturing of glass tableware, cookware and decorative items such as drinking glasses, bowls, plates, cookware, vases and ornaments.

Special glass

These products have a high added-value linked to their intense technological content. This sector regroups a large range of products such as lighting glass, glass tubes, laboratory glassware, glass ceramics, heat- resistant glass, optical and ophthalmic glass,extra thin glass for the electronics industry, (e.g. LCD panels, photovoltaic’s) and radiation protection glasses.

Applications

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Glass is an unlimited and innovative material that has plenty of applications. It is an essential component of numerous products thatwe use every day, most often without noticing it. It is clear that modern life would not be possible without glass.

Glass is used in the following non-exhaustive list of products:

• Packaging (jars for food, bottles for drinks, flacon for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals)

• Tableware (drinking glasses, plate, cups, bowls)

• Housing and buildings (windows, facades, conservatory, insulation,reinforcement structures)

• Interior design and furniture (mirrors, partitions, balustrades, tables, shelves, lighting)

• Appliances and Electronics (oven doors, cook top, TV, computer screens, smart-phones)

• Automotive and transport (windscreens, backlights, light weight but reinforced structural components of cars, aircrafts, ships,etc.)

• Medical technology, biotechnology, life science engineering, optical glass

• Radiation protection from X-Rays (radiology) and gamma-rays (nuclear)

• Fibre optic cables (phones, TV, computer: to carry information)

• Renewable energy (solar-energy glass, wind turbines)

Solar-energy glass products

Flat glass is an integral component of many solar energy technologies, including solar thermal collectors, photovoltaic modules and Concentrated Solar Power plants. Although the solar energy market for flat glass is relatively small in volume compared to the building and automotive markets, it is fast expending due to the increasing demand for renewable energy. It is also a market of high added-value glass products and a strong driver for innovations.

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Glass in solar energy applications plays an active role in ensuring efficient and effective solar energy conversion. Glass is designed to optimise solar energy conversion while providing long term protection against external conditions. Extra clear glass, with low iron oxide content is typically used in solar applications.

Either float or patterned, low iron glass may be coated with an anti-reflecting coating to further increase performance. Glass may also be toughened to increase strength and durability. Coatings on glass can also play a functional role in solar energy conversion. For example, transparent conductive coating can be used as an electrical contact in some photovoltaic technologies allowing the light through to the photovoltaic material while conducting the general electricity out of the modules.

Glass in Solar Thermal Application

Solar thermal collectors are intended to collect heat - as opposed to photovoltaic panels which convert sunlight into electrical power.The collected solar heat can be used to supply hot water or heat exchangers, for domestic or industrial applications.

There are various kinds of solar thermal collectors but most requirea flat glass cover, or glazing, which serves not only to protect thepanel while letting the sunlight through but also to prevent coolingof the panel from exposure to cold air.

Glass in Photovoltaic Applications

Photovoltaic technologies are used to convert solar energy directly into electricity. There are many different technologies available tosuit various requirements, from domestic systems to utility scale. Photovoltaic panels come in various shapes and colours offering flexibility for design integration and building integrated applications (BIPV). The most common photovoltaic technology is based on crystalline silicon solar cells. In this application glass acts as a protective outer layer, while transmitting the solar lightto the photovoltaic cells interconnected underneath. Other photovoltaic technologies include thin film photovoltaic where solarcells are deposited as a sequence of thin films on glass. In these technologies, transparent conductive coated glass can be used as thefront glass upon which the films are grown. The conductive coating

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not only allows light through to the photoactive films, but also conducts the generated electricity out of the modules.

Glass and mirrors in Concentrated Solar Power Systems

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) systems are used to produce electricity from the sun at utility scale. These systems are mainly used in regions with high levels of solar irradiance. CSP systems use lenses or mirrors to concentrate a large amount of sunlight ontoa central receiver, thereby producing electricity either by concentrating the sunlight onto a high performance photovoltaic cellor by heating a transfer fluid to supply heat to a conventional thermodynamic power plant. For CSP systems, extra clear glass and mirrored glass are used to redirect accurately the maximum amounts of light towards the focal point.

Other Glass Applications

Flat glass is used in many other applications than the main building, transport and solar-energy ones described previously. These applications are very visible in every-day life and illustratehow glass is a vector of comfort, style, well-being, security and safety. Some of these are:

Thin glass Appliances Furniture Greenhouses Urban furniture Radiation protection Flat glass for automotives and transport Buses and coaches Agricultural and forestry machinery Ships and boats Aircraft Trains

Characteristics of Automotive and Transport Glass

Europe's glazing manufacturers are constantly striving to deliver products that provide the best possible technological solutions to

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meet automobile manufacturers' and end-users needs from a comfort, safety and security perspective, whilst at the same time helping theindustry to meet its climate commitments.

Safety and Security

Glass plays an important role in the car's ability to offer safety and security to its passengers. The automobile industry is making increasing use of laminated glass, which is a "sandwich" of two glass sheets with a thin but tough plastic layer in between. The layers are bonded to each other under controlled heat and pressure. If the glass suffers an impact, the glass layers may fragment but, depending on the force of the impact, the plastic interlayer will hold.

This is a safety advantage for the driver and passengers in case of an accident, keeping them inside the vehicle and absorbing some of the energy of the impact. Moreover, after an impact the resulting glass fragments tend to remain attached to the plastic interlayer, reducing the hazards of sharp projectiles during an accident. And the fact that windows made of laminated glass will tend to remain intheir frame greatly improves the performance of the side airbags, providing the necessary support during inflation.

Laminated glass also offers a considerable security advantage makingit much more difficult to break into the car (on average, it takes 10 times as long to penetrate a car window made of laminated glass than one made of toughened glass).

A different kind of passenger-safety factor is provided by UV (ultraviolet) filter glass, which blocks harmful UV rays to protect skin and eyes (as well as the materials of the car's interior). UV filter glass blocks 95% of harmful UV rays from entering the vehicle, keeping the driver and passenger’s safe and greatly extending the life of upholstery and fabrics. UV filter technology can be incorporated into laminated glass for optimal safety and security.

Visibility and Visual Comfort

Good visibility conditions are the key to driving safety, and visualcomfort (for example, light reflections and glare) is part of

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visibility. The driver's field of vision is influenced by the light the windscreen allows into the cabin. Indeed, bright sunlight causesglare, rain smears the windscreen, condensation clouds the view, andice build-up blocks out almost everything. Today's vehicle glazing technologies can deal with all of these.

Antireflective Glass

Reflections on the inside of the windscreen can be disturbing to thevisual comfort and concentration of the driver. This is compounded by current design trends that lean towards lighter dashboards that are more strongly reflected in the windscreen. Anti-reflective glass, which is treated with a special coating, can reduce these reflections by up to 40% at a reflective angle of 60 degrees, and also helps reduce glare.

Hydrophobic Glass

Hydrophobic glass is coated with a polymeric layer that repels water, causing rain or other water to run off the glass without leaving droplets and also greatly improving the effectiveness of windshield wipers in completely clearing water from the windscreen. This leads to significant increases in visibility under wet conditions.

Heatable Glass

In heatable glass, invisible wires or an invisible metallic coating - in each case embedded into the interlayer of the laminated windscreen - respond to an electrical charge by raising the temperature of the glass, in cold weather speeding the removal of any condensation or ice and then of course preventing any further condensation or ice build-up.

Thermal Comfort

Today's increased use of glass in cars means that, without the righttechnologies, more solar energy will penetrate the interior of the car, causing high temperatures. For example, when the outside temperatures is 27°C, without anti-heat technologies, a car interiorcan heat up to 58°C in few minutes. Combating this solely by way of

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air-conditioning alone would be an environmentally unfriendly approach, leading as it would to higher fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

In recent years, the industry has developed solar control glazing. This type of glass is specially engineered to reduce vehicle cabin by up to 7 or 8°C temperature, and reduce heat penetration in vehicles exposed to solar radiation by over 25%. In this way a significant amount of energy is saved from powering air conditioningunits while passengers comfort is safeguarded.

Solar control glazing

Solar control glazing has a coating that allows it to reduce the transmission of solar heat from the external environment while stillpermitting the optimal light transmission essential to ideal drivingconditions. This type of glazing can reduce by over 25% the heat penetration in vehicles exposed to solar radiation, thus reducing the need for the use of fuel-hungry cooling systems. Dark-tinted glazing and switchable glazing also have solar control properties which can reduce the amount of solar heat entering the vehicle's cabin.

Acoustic Comfort

Acoustic laminated glass technologies have been developed to combat levels of noise penetration in vehicles, which can have an effect onpeople's health, causing disturbance and stress if an occupant is exposed over a prolonged period. Noise mainly comes from the sound of the car's engine, air and other environmental factors (e.g. othercars, roadwork, etc.). When using specific acoustic laminated glass,improvement of the order of 3-5dB1 can be reached, which is quite noticeable to the ear. Lower noise levels mean that the driver will become less tired, and make communication inside the vehicles more comfortable, thus contributing to overall safety.

Acoustic glazing

Acoustic glazing consists of two or more sheets of glass, bonded together with one or more acoustic interlayer. The interlayer act asa noise-dampening core, weakening the sound as it travels through the glass. Acoustic laminated glass also benefits from all the

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safety and security properties of standard laminated glass. Moreover, acoustic windscreens reduce the need for heavier glazing, which allows car manufacturers to reduce vehicle weight.

Style and Taste

A car is, for many people, a reflection of their desired image or style, expressing an element of who they are and what they enjoy. And the car's glass is an important visual component of this. Some people prefer the privacy of darkly tinted glass (or the "VIP image"that goes with it), others like more light and openness.

Light and aerodynamic design requires glazed surfaces of increasingly complex geometries, which can be real manufacturing challenges to ensure durability and perfect vision. Manufacturers are therefore continuously developing advanced glass shaping techniques which allow for the bending and shaping of the glass to offer car makers the freedom to achieve their design and style concepts.

According to the specific design characteristics of the brand and the expectations of clients, glass manufacturers also offer a range of different colours (e.g. green glass, dark tinted, etc.) which contribute to the car's colour harmony and make the car model unique:

Dark tinted glass keeps the interior cool by absorbing solar energyand at the same time offers privacy for passengers in the back of the car (dark tinted glass is not permitted for the driver and forward-passenger windows, neither for the windscreen). Dark tinted glass is available in several colours and each colour in several shades from lighter to very dark.

Switchable glazing, which responds to varying electrical conditions with correspondingly different colour properties, allows for the creation of a "customised" interior ambience. Via a simple dial, a driver or passengers can control the amount of light entering the vehicle - blocking anywhere from 4% to 40%. Heat from sunlight can be reduced by anywhere from 2 to 20%. One can select a lighter tint on cloudy days, and then darken it when the sun reappears, or simply

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change the lighting to suit one's mood or create an appearance appropriate for the occasion.

Environmental Benefits

Glass Recycling Facts

Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss in quality or purity – something no other food and beverage packaging option can claim.

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Glass is made from readily-available domestic materials, such as sand, soda ash, limestone and “cullet,” the industryterm for furnace-ready scrap glass.

The only material used in greater volumes than cullet is sand. These materials are mixed, or “batched,” heated to a temperature of 2600 to 2800 degrees Fahrenheit and moulded into the desired shape.

Recycled glass is substituted for up to 70% of raw materials.

Manufacturers benefit from recycling in several ways: Recycled glass reduces emissions and consumption of raw materials, extends the life of plant equipment, such as furnaces, and saves energy.

Recycled glass containers are always needed because glass manufacturers require high-quality recycled container glass to meet market demands for new glass containers.

Cullet is always part of the recipe for glass, and the more that is used, the greater the decrease in energy used in thefurnace. This makes using cullet profitable in the long run,lowering costs for glass container manufacturers—and benefiting the environment.

Glass containers for food and beverages are 100% recyclable,but not with other types of glass. Other kinds of glass, like windows, ovenware, Pyrex, crystal, etc. are manufactured through a different process. If these materialsare introduced into the glass container manufacturing process, they can cause problems and defective containers.

Other types of glass, like windows, ovenware, Pyrex, crystal, etc. are manufactured through a different process. If these materials are introduced into the manufacturing process, they can cause production problems and defective containers.

Furnace-ready cullet must also be free of contaminants such as metals, ceramics, gravel, stones, etc.

Colour sorting makes a difference, too. Glass manufacturers are limited in the amount of mixed colour-cullet (called "3 mix") they can use to manufacture new containers. Separatingrecycled container glass by colour allows the industry to

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ensure that new bottles match the colour standards required by glass container customers.

Some recycled glass containers are not able to be used in the manufacture of new glass bottles and jars or to make fibreglass. This may be because there is too much contamination or the recycled glass pieces are too small to meet manufacturing specifications. Or, it may be that there is not a nearby market for bottle-to-bottle recycling. This recovered glass is then used for non-container glass products. These "secondary" uses for recycled container glass can include tile, filtration, sand blasting, concrete pavements and parking lots. 

The recycling approach that the industry favours is any recycling program that results in contaminant-free recycled glass. This helps ensure that these materials are recycled into new glass containers. While curbside collection of glass recyclables can generate high participation and large amounts of recyclables, drop-off and commercial collection programs tend to yield higher quality recovered container glass.

Glass Recycling Statistics

Glass bottles and jars are 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without any loss in purity or quality.

Over a ton of natural resources are saved for every ton of glass recycled.

Energy costs drop about 2-3% for every 10% cullet used in the manufacturing process.

One ton of carbon dioxide is reduced for every six tons of recycled container glass used in the manufacturing process.

There are 49 glass manufacturing plants operating in 22 states. Over 80 cullet, or recycled glass, processors are in35 states. On average, a typical glass processing facility can handle 20 tons of colour-sorted glass per hour.

In 2011 over 41% of beer and soft drink bottles were recovered for recycling, according to the U.S. EPA. Another nearly 34% of wine and liquor bottles and 15% of food and other glass jars were recycled. In total, 34.2% of all glass

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containers were recycled, equivalent to taking 210,000 cars off the road each year.

States with container deposit legislation have an average glass container recycling rate of just over 63%, while non-deposit states only reach about 24%, according to the Container Recycling Institute.

Beverage container deposit systems provide 11 to 38 times more direct jobs than curbside recycling systems for beverage containers. (Source: The Container Recycling Institute, "Returning to Work: Understanding the Jobs Impacts from Different Methods of Recycling Beverage Containers").

About 18% of beverages are consumed on premise, like a bar, restaurant, or hotel. And glass makes up to about 80% of that container mix.

In 2008, NC passed a law requiring all Alcohol Beverage Permit holders to recycle their beverage containers. Since then, they have boosted the amount of glass bottles recovered for recycling from about 45,000 tons/year before the ABC law to more than 86,000 tons in 2011.

Glass bottles have been reduced in weight by more than 50% between 1970 and 2000.

Recycled glass is substituted for up to 70% of raw materials.

Manufacturers benefit from recycling in several ways—it reduces emissions and consumption of raw materials, extends the life of plant equipment, such as furnaces, and saves energy.

PACKAGED GLASS FACTS

Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss in quality or purity.

Legislation such as container deposit measures will further enhance the benefits associated with glass packaging.

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80% of the glass that is recovered is made into new glass products.

A glass container can go from a recycling bin to a store shelf in as little as 30 days. An estimated 80% of recoveredglass containers are made into new glass bottles.

Glass is nonporous and impermeable, so there are no interactions between glass packaging and products to affect the flavour of food and beverages. No nasty after taste - ever.

Glass has an almost zero rate of chemical interactions, ensuring that the products inside a glass bottle keep their strength, aroma, and flavour.

When consumers choose foods or beverages that are packaged in glass, they avoid potential risks while enjoying a numberof benefits.

Solar Energy Glass Products

Flat glass is an integral component of many solar energytechnologies, including solar thermal collectors, photovoltaicmodules and concentrated solar power plants. The solar energymarket for flat glass is one of high added-value glassproducts and a strong driver for innovation. However, despiteEurope's technological lead, a crumbling European market andunfair trade practices in the entire value chain have severelyhit Europe's production. 

Glass is designed to optimise solar energy conversion whileproviding long term protection against external conditions.Extra, with low iron oxide content is typically used in solarapplications. Either float or patterned, low iron glass may becoated with an anti-reflecting coating to further increaseperformance. Transparent conductive coating can also be usedas an electrical contact in some photovoltaic technologiesallowing the light through to the photovoltaic material while

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conducting the general electricity out of the modules. Glassmay also be toughened to increase strength and durability.

 SOLAR APPLICATIONS

Glass in solar thermal applications

Solar thermal collectors are intended to collect heat - asopposed to photovoltaic panels which convert sunlight intoelectrical power. The collected solar heat can be used tosupply hot water or heat exchangers, for domestic orindustrial applications.

There are various kinds of solar thermal collectors but mostrequire a flat glass cover, or glazing, which serves not onlyto protect the panel while letting the sunlight through butalso to prevent cooling of the panel from exposure to coldair.

 

Glass in photovoltaic applications

Photovoltaic technologies are used to convert solar energydirectly into electricity. There are many differenttechnologies available to suit various requirements, fromdomestic systems to utility scale. Photovoltaic panels come invarious shapes and colours offering flexibility for designintegration and building integrated applications (BIPV).

The most common photovoltaic technology is based oncrystalline silicon solar cells. In this application glassacts as a protective outer layer, while transmitting the solarlight to the photovoltaic cells interconnected underneath.

Other photovoltaic technologies include thin film where solarcells are deposited as a sequence of thin films on glass. Inthese technologies, transparent conductive coated glass can beused as the front glass upon which the films are grown. Theconductive coating not only allows light through to thephotoactive films, but also conducts the generated electricityout of the modules.

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Glass and mirrors in concentrated solar power Systems

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) systems are used to produceelectricity from the sun at utility scale. These systems aremainly used in regions with high levels of solar irradiance.CSP systems use lenses or mirrors to concentrate a largeamount of sunlight onto a central receiver, thereby producingelectricity either by concentrating the sunlight onto a highperformance photovoltaic cell or by heating a transfer fluidto supply heat to a conventional thermodynamic power plant.For CSP systems, extra clear glass and mirrored glass are usedto redirect accurately the maximum amounts of light towardsthe focal point.

Overview

Glass as a material to be used in buildings has been around forcenturies. But the importance that it has assumed in modernarchitecture transcends its status as a building component andelevates it to a status that perhaps no other material has reachedbefore. Today, glass is not just a means of letting light into aspace and achieving protection from the elements, but a statement ofstyle, awareness and an expression of the designer and the client'sideological stand on the environment.

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The Indian market scenarioStructural glazing and curtain walling were first seen in the UnitedStates in the mid 40s. From North America, the technology spread first to Europe, then to Australia and then to South East Asia. The first building in India that had a curtain wall was the Le Meridian Hotel in New Delhi, which was constructed in the early 80s in preparation for the Asian Games. By the 90s, curtain walls were accepted as standard technology for high-end buildings in the country, with an explosion of projects in Mumbai and the NCR region,and later, in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai, driven by the IT boom. Today, structural glazing is a norm rather than an exception for malls and corporate structures across the nation. 

The glass and glazing industry for architectural application in India for the year 2000 was estimated at a minimum of Rs 100 crores.Of this, the glass component would be about 1.2 million square meters. Indian and imported ACP would come to about 1 million squaremeters and another 700,000 square meters would constitute residential windows. 

In geographical terms, the South Indian region dominated by Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and parts of Kerala, contributes to 30percent of the glass consumption. West India follows with 29 percent. Here Mumbai, Pune and parts of Gujarat are big consumers. The North Indian market, comprising mainly of Delhi and the NationalCapital Region accounts for 20 percent of the total architectural glass and glazing market. East India currently contributes only 7 percent of the consumption. However, with a renewed focus on real estate in West Bengal, this is set to change and this regional market is growing very fast.

Glazing market size: IndiaThe growth of the Indian glazing market is impressive. While it was an Rs 1 billion market in the year 2004, it is estimated to touch Rs340 billion by 2015. Even so, this is a very small market size compared to other evolving market for the glass industry. For instance, the Bangkok International Airport job, used glass worth USD 84 million, which is nearly the size of the entire Indian glass market! The total Thai Market for 2004 was estimated at USD 1.6 billion and is said to be the fastest growing market in Asia. 

The sheer capacity for production of glass in India is so low as compared to other countries. India at present has about 3-4 float lines and 14 glass processors. In comparison, China has 140 float lines and over 800 glass processors. The Chinese glazing market for 2004 was estimated at between USD 4-5 billion.

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India exports about 13,000 tonne of glass per month to the Middle East, African countries, Europe and South America. The rapid increase in the demand for flat glass in the domestic market has resulted in a cutback in exports by as much as 60% in the last couple of years.  

Major Indian Players

Asahi India

Saint-Gobain Glass

Haryana Sheet Glass

Gujarat Borosil

Triveni Sheet Glass

IAG Co.

Schott Glass

Jai Mata Glass

Outlook for Indian glass industry

India is at an early stage in terms of market maturity at present, but glass demand is growing steadily. Aggressive and organized efforts on the part of manufacturers and processors are expected to achieve higher levels of awareness among glass specifies and users. In the next five years, the Indian architectural glass market will move to higher maturity levels. However, policy and regulations including the lack of standards and glass codes for India are a source of anxiety for manufacturers and processors alike. The industry also needs increased exposure. Followed the opening up of FDI for the real estate sector, here appears to be more chance of foreign investors coming in and a greater demand for international standards in construction. This, and the ever-growing popularity of glass as a material, will ensure growth. Further, constant technicalinnovations by manufacturers are keeping customers constantly interested in glass and glass products.

Glass Consumption: India

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Glass ConsumptionConstruction AutomotiveConsumer goods

Pharmaceutical goods

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Industry Current share Growth estimated

Construction 65% 9%

Automotive 15% 19%

Consumer goods

12% 12%

Pharmaceuticals

8% 14%

COMPARATIVE STUDY

If we compare the Glass markets, we find that India with the second most population in the world does not capture even a slice of the pie shown below. Seven south east countries totally gather 7% of the market. Compare this to china, which with the highest population in the world can boast of 50% of the total glass market.

MARKETSHARE

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Comparison of per-capita consumption: South Asia

MARKET ANALYSIS

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Countries

Consumption percapita(in kg)

India 0.8

China 3.5

Malaysia 12

Thailand 5.2

Indonesia 2.5

The glass industry represents a number of definable product segments: (a) flat glass including Float Glass, (b)glass containers and hollowware, (c) vacuum glass, (d) domestic and industrial glassware, (e) crystal glass, (f)fibreglass, (g) glass wool, (h) TV picture tube glass shells, and (I) laboratory glass. Most of the glass products have both industrial and consumer usages. Laboratory glass is a minor constituent. So are fibreglass and glass wool- although fibreglass is gaining momentum increasingly. The total market of glass was valued at Rs 40 bn in 2007-08 with 83% supplied by domestic producers.The industry is growing at around 8% per annum. Consumption per capita of glass in India is only about 0.8 kg compared to 3.5 kg in China, 5.2 kg in Thailand, 12 kg in Malaysia and 2.5 kg in Indonesia. The total organised producers in the glass market have a turnover estimated at over Rs 40 bn, represented by a fairly large number of suppliers.The dominance of China as a major market supplier of glass products has been increasing with economic liberalisation and rising foreign investment. China accounts for about one-third share in the worldwide demand of flat glass. India has one of the lowest per capita flat glass consumption but with rapid growth in domestic construction and automotive market, it presents a significant opportunity for global majors, which have entered the market in a big way.The two main entrants in the glass industry in the recent years havebeen Float Glass (a technological variant of flat or sheet glass) and crystal ware. Fibreglass and glass wool are still a small turnover industry but has been operating in India for quite some time.Flat glass is segmented into conventional sheet glass and Float Glass. Float Glass is stronger (by 25%) than normal sheet glass. It also has a much higher degree of optical clarity. Other varieties include figured and wired glass.The flat glass industry expanded by about 90% between 2000 and 2007,resulting in a compound annual growth rate of 11%. This led the per capita consumption of glass, which was 0.41 kg in 1999, to reach 0.80 kg level in 2007. The demand for flat glass in India has increased at an average rate of 12% each year for the past five years. Respective market shares of float and sheet glass are 89% and11%. The two main consuming sectors of flat glass in India are the construction and automotive industries, both of which had been experiencing impressiveGrowth for five years ending 2007-08.

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Float Glass is a capital intensive process and the minimum economic size calls for a large investment. The segment witnessed the creation of large capacities in a very short time. The demand for float glass witnessed a phenomenal growth due to the comparative product quality at a relatively acceptable price. But it soon found it difficult even to sustain quantities.Capacities to the tune of nearly 70 mn sqm were installed. Float Glass India had a capacity of 29 mn sqm, Gujarat Guardian of 24 mn sqm and Triveni Sheet Glass of 15 mn sqm.The industry has been facing rough weather due to various factors: over-capacity, depressed growth in demand and cheap imports. An excess capacity of raw glass in the industry was experienced in the beginning of 2006. This excess capacity could become larger if current investment plans saw the light of day. In 2007, the excess capacity was four times that of 2006 and in 2008 it could be six times that of 2006. This is based on the assumption thatDemand continued to grow at the current double-digit pace. It is interesting that the aggregate profit of flat-glass manufacturers inIndia is still operating in the red area. As far as over-capacity isconcerned, it is expected that the supply will far exceed demand at least until 2009. Excess capacity, intense competition and the development of a regulatory framework are the real future challengesfor the Indian glass industry. The major players including Gujarat Guardian, Indo Asahi, Triveni Glass, Gujarat Borosil and Float GlassIndia have been accumulating heavylosses. Some units were at the verge of turning sick. About 83% of the glass produced is used in the construction industry, 15% in the automotive industry and 2% in miscellaneous industries, such as furniture and photo frames.India exports about 13,000 tonne of glass per month to the Middle East, African countries, Europe and South America. The rapid increase in the demand for flat glass in the domestic market has resulted in a cutback in exports by as much as 60% in the last couple of years.Asahi India has plants at Taloja in Maharashtra and Roorkee in UttarPradesh. Asahi India's two plants produce 500 tonne and 750 tonne per day. In 1994, it started off as a joint venture between the Tatas and Asahi of Japan. With the exit of the Asahi in 2003, it wastaken over by Asahi India Safety, the automotive glass manufacturingcompany. The merged entity is known as Asahi India Glass Ltd. The company set up Float Glass with a 750-ton capacity in early 2007 at Uttrakhand in North India. Asahi India has a market share of 16% in the Indian float glass industry, which was expected to increase to over 25% post-commissioning of the Roorkee Plant.

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Apart from a very large number of small players in the glass industry, there are some 76 large and medium-sized producers. Of these, 44 produce containers and hollowware with a capacity of 1.5 mn tonnes, which registered a production of 1.43 mn tonnes. Althougha good packaging medium, glass containers are progressively being replaced by substitute materials like plastics, aluminium and tetrapack. Glass, however, is the relatively more ecofriendly of materials.Presently, there are 8 players manufacturing vacuum flasks and refills with a production of about 25 mn units. Nearly 30% of flasksproduced are exported to developed countries of the USA, the UK and Germany besides the industry is exporting to Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and African countries.Hindustan National Glass (HNGL), the largest and most prolific producer of glass containers, is operating at present 10 furnaces atfive locations (Rishra, Bahagugragh, Pondicherry, Rishikesh and Nashik) with 42 production lines. In addition HNG has acquired a glass container manufacturing unit of Haryana Sheet Glass Limited atNeemrana, Rajasthan. In the 3200 ml segment, HNG Group is the undisputed market leader catering to around 70% of the domestic market in the pharmaceutical, beverage, processed food, cosmetic andliquor sectors covering industry majors like Coca Cola, Dabur, GlaxoWellcome, Nestle, Pepsi, Reckitt Benckiser, Smithkline Beecham,UB Group.Besides, the company also exports to South East, Middle East, Africaand First World Countries in Europe and North America.The Group acquired the Glass Division of L&T at Nashik in October 2005, having one furnace of 320 tonnes per day (tpd) melting capacity. HNG has also entered into a scheme of amalgamation with Ace Glass Containers (ACE).Post-amalgamation HNGL's unaudited turnover in 2007-08 stood at overRs 11 bn. Hindustan National Glass had invested Rs 4 bn for capacityenhancement and up gradation of its Rishra Plant. This investment helped the company to enhance its capacity by 70% from 260 tpd to 440 tpd. It has a 30% market share in the glass container market, which was growing at a rate of over 7% during the past few years. The company registered a growth of 21% in sales at Rs 5.16 bn in 2006-07. Net Profit of the company increased at a more impressive rate of 41% in 2006-07, over the preceding year. The sales for the company increased by 28% in 2008-09 over the preceding year while the net profit remained stable.HNG is setting up a new Float Glass plant at Halol, Gujarat. The capacity of this line will be 600 tpd and is expected to be on stream by middle of 2009.

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Gujarat Guardian (GGL) was the first company to set up float glass plant in India with a capacity to produce 550 tonnes per day. It is a joint venture with technical and financial collaboration between Guardian Industries Corporation of the United States and India's Modi Group. It was followed by Float Glass India and Triveni Sheet Glass in 1996.In addition to Float Glass, GGL manufactures coated glass, mirrors, tempered glass fibreglass and automotive glass. GGL's Rs. 4.5 bn plant went into commercial production in March 1993, as the first Float Glass manufacturing company with the state-of-the-art technology in Bharuch district of Gujarat. The company enjoys a leadership position in the Indian glass market. The company exports its products to several countries across the world. The company's products are sold under Modiguard brand. Gold Plus Glass, a New Delhi-based glass processor, has a significant market share in processing glass industry. Its Roorkee-based Float Glass plant was to start production from 2008. The estimated cost of this project is approximately Rs. 4 bn in the first phase. The planned capacity of this Float Glass production line would be 460 tpd. The Float Glass production line is expected to produce clear and green tinted glass from 2 to 19 mm thickness.Sejal Glass, another prominent manufacturer of value added glass, based in Mumbai is setting up a Float Glass manufacturing plant. Thefactory site is Bharuch (Gujarat), for which the construction has already begun and production is expected to be on stream by middle of 2009. The plant will undertake manufacturing of clear and tinted glass.Saint-Gobain's two plants produce 550 tonne and 700 tonne per day. It started operations in 2000 and is India's largest capacity float plant. It is a 100% subsidiary of the Saint Gobain Group. The company enjoys a market share of 26% and has plans to set up a production line for high-end reflective glass.Saint Gobain India had planned for an investment of Rs. 1.75 bn during 2007-09. Its manufacturing capacity caters to the global markets in the automotive segment. By 2008, the company was to builda capacity for manufacturing 1.5 mn wind shield, one million sets ofdoor glass and another million of rear glass for automobiles. The company is targeting revenue of 25% from export sales by 2009 from this segment. Sales turnover increased for most of the companies in 2008-09 while net profit declined in the same period. For Hindustan National Glass sales increased by 28% in that year while that of Asahi India Glass rose by around 17%. In the former case net profit remained stable in 2008-09 while Asahi India Glass produced a loss.

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FLAT GLASS

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Research Methodology

The research was conducted in two categories-

Primary Research

The primary research was done through an online survey

Research Instrument

A Questionnaire has been used to collect data. Thequestionnaire consists of closed ended questions, ratingquestions (particularly Likert’s five point scale) to measureattitudes.

The questionnaire was constructed using Google documentscreator. It is divided into three categories. The first ispersonal details, second, packaging, and lastly, buildings andinteriors.

Sample

The sample size is 65. The respondents were chosen on aconvenience sampling. Most respondents are city dwellers inWest Bengal, above the age of 18.

Data Collection

The data was collected online. The respondents were sent alink to the questionnaire through social media, and mobileapplications.

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Secondary Research

The secondary research was done by reviewing books and articles overthe years, and also corporate presentations of the major glass producing companies. All of this research was done online.

DATA ANALYSIS

Analysis of primary data

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SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS

Aesthetic Value Light weight High technological innovation Product Variety Environmental sustainability Recycling

WEAKNESSES

High cost of production

High cost of Research and development

Risk of transportation

Breakable

Safety concerns among consumers

Low consumer awareness in Product quality, product variety andproduct application

OPPORTUNITIES

Increase in disposable incomes leading to increase in demand for end user products (liquor, cosmetics, etc.)

Rapid urbanization

THREATS

Low cost and low quality glass from china Direct competition from other industries- cement, plastic,

etc.

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Low Consumer Awareness in Products quality, variety, and applications

INTERPRETATION OF DATA

1. More than 50% of the people surveyed prefer glass as the food packaging material, while 70% are aware of glass’ advantage over other packaging materials

2. With the knowledge that glass is 100% recyclable, the preference for glass packaged cosmetics rose to 85%, including30’% that were willing to pay a higher price for glass packaging.

3. Aesthetics collected the most votes for reasons of using glossin buildings. This shows that people are not aware of the moreimportant reasons for using glass, like solar control, architectural advantages, etc

4. 50% of the people surveyed do not know or are not sure about where to buy glass.

5. The three features, aesthetics, well lit and energy efficiency, all scored high points on the consumer’s importance (need) for them. All these features can and are being provided by using glass more extensively in buildings.

6. The problem can be seen that although glass provides us with alot of features and benefits, people are not aware of these benefits.

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7. It can be derived that the future of glass is in its environmental friendliness. It has to be communicated to all consumers about the environmental benefits of glass and its sustainability. This will help to drive the demand for glass all the way from the consumers.

Findings

1. Only 8% of the people rate themselves one on their level of environmental friendliness.

2. 75% people rate glass more than three on its level of environmental friendliness

3. 50% people prefer glass as packaging material4. 66% people prefer glass as a cosmetic package the number

rose to 84% when the respondents were told that glass is 100% recyclable, including 20% who were ready to pay a higher price to procure the glass packaged cosmetic

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5. More than 90% of the people were willing to pay more to make their home well lit, high on aesthetics and energy efficient

6. Arranged in the order of ranking in terms of highest votes gained on people’s awareness of glass characteristics in a building, the features are Aesthetics, Architectural advantage, Environmental efficiency, Price.

7. 45% of the respondents would not know where to buy glass if the need arose.

Conclusion

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In conclusion, it can be said that glass has not received its fair share in the Indian market and in the minds of its consumers. Glass has so many advantages over its competitors but it seems that the consumers are not aware of them. This is one of the major reasons for the low per capita consumption of glass in India as compared to its competitors.

Glass has a huge potential for growth in India. The growth will far surpass the production capacity. But the potential has to be tapped by informing the consumers about why glass is good for them and for the Earth. A huge potential exists in the area of solar application.

Suggestions

The use of glass can be increased (and needs to be increased in light of its environmental sustainability) by imparting relevant information to the consumers. The different types of glass available, theirs individual characteristics and benefits provided have to be made known. Applications of glass in the solar sector, for energy saving, solar panels etc, have to be widely incorporated in their marketing plan. The industry has to move on from personal selling to advertising to consumers of its products.

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Annexure

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Bibliography

Global_Flat_Glass_Market_Report-_2013_Edition-libre HNGIL_Corp_ Presentation8MAR11 http://www.glassforeurope.com/en/products/solar-energy-

glass.php http://www.glassinthegulf.com/pdfs/MIR-Bowhead-Glass.pdf articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com

› Collections › Andhra Pradesh http://www.polish-glass.pl/pliki/

2008_11_04_10_39_03_Glass_study_final_report081014.pdf www.saintgobain.eu www.jstor.com www.indiastat.com www.inflibnet.ac.in

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