Steps are being taken by all the major glass fibre manufacturers to improve the glass fibre supply situation.
Vetrotex is spending FFr 300 million on a second 25,000 tpy unit in Korea, and is also …
Steps are being taken by all the major glass fibre manufacturers to improve the glass fibre supply situation. Vetrotex is spending FFr 300 million on a second 25,000 tpy unit in Korea, and is also increasing capacity at its Wichita Falls site in Texas, US. PPG is investing US$ 50 million in its Chester facility in South Carolina, US, and by the end of 1996 will have increased European capacity by 60% since 1992. Owens-Corning is to add 135,000 tonnes/year to its worldwide capacity, including a doubling of the current 65,000 tonnes/year capacity at its Jackson site in Tennessee, US, and a further 35,000 tonnes/year at Anderson, South Carolina, US. The company has already announced large capacity increases for Brazil and Korea. The tightness in supply of glass fibre is expected to ease, with a slow-down predicted in the German automotive and building industries. In 1994 the world market for glass fibre was valued at UK 2.4 billion. The market in Europe increased 17% in volume terms to 511,000 tonnes. 6%-7% annual growth is predicted until 2000 for developed areas such as Europe and the US. In underdeveloped regions growth of between 12% and 15% per year is expected. The reinforced thermoplastic market is still very strong, mainly fuelled by automotive applications, and front end applications for composites are growing fast, with a trend towards the use of GMT. Other predicted growth areas are infrastructure applications, filament winding and multiaxial fabrics.