12 November 1998: According to a recent report, Japan“s Asahi Glass Co. has set up a subsidiary in Mexico to manufacture and sell automotive safety glass to meet fast-growing automotive demand in the…
12 November 1998: According to a recent report, Japan“s Asahi Glass Co. has set up a subsidiary in Mexico to manufacture and sell automotive safety glass to meet fast-growing automotive demand in the country. With total investment of US$ 40 million, AP Technoglass de Mexico SA was established in El Salto, Jalisco. It is expected to start full-scale production in the July-September quarter of 1999. AP Technoglass de Mexico has already begun constructing a plant with annual capacity of safety glass for 400,000 cars, and plans to begin trial production at the plant in February next year, Asahi Glass officials said. AP Technoglass de Mexico is a wholly owned subsidiary of US float glass maker AFG Industries Inc., which is a wholly owned unit of Asahi Glass“ US subsidiary. Up to now, Asahi Glass had exported products to Mexico through a US plant of AP Technoglass Co. However, the new plant in Mexico will enable a shift to local production, the officials said. The new company will initially supply products to Mexican units of Nissan Motor Co., Honda Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. of the United States, but plans to gradually expand its sales network, they said. Mexico“s automobile production is expected to reach 1.5 million units in 1998 with annual growth estimated at over 10%, according to Asahi Glass.