After 14 months of construction, Guardian Industries Corp.“s German subsidiary Guardian Flachglas has officially started commercial production at the group“s newest float glass plant in Wolfen-Thalh…
After 14 months of construction, Guardian Industries Corp.“s German subsidiary Guardian Flachglas has officially started commercial production at the group“s newest float glass plant in Wolfen-Thalheim, Germany. The plant is located in the new eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt and, says the company, marks a significant investment by a US-based company in the former East Germany. Guardian says that strong support for such an investment by local, state and federal governments encouraged it to make the investment. On 23 November 1996, the glass ribbon was pulled at the plant, marking Guardian“s 17th float plant worldwide in commercial production. Present at the ceremony were Minister-president of Saxony-Anhalt, Reinhard Hppner, Germany“s Minister of Economy, Klaus Schucht, as well as Wolfgang Schaefer, the country“s Finance Minister. James Moore, managing director of Guardian Europe and Lajos Sapi, managing director of Guardian Flachglas also attended the inauguration. Mr. Moore stated, “Guardian Flachglas, which employs 270 people, will provide a strong complement to Guardian“s existing facilities in Europe, producing clear and coloured float glass for the construction, commercial and automotive markets”. “Approximately 60% of the plant“s output will remain in Germany, while 40% will be exported throughout western and central Europe”, he added. With a production capacity of 600 tons of float glass per day, Guardian said the new plant will enable it to meet rising demands for glass in the region and efficiently supply the area with the highest quality float glass available. The facility is equipped with an on-line, high-speed coater for production of low-emissivity glass, now required for energy conservation in the Federal Republic. Guardian continues to expand globally, with construction of two additional float glass manufacturing plants under way in Thailand and Brazil. Another float project has been announced in New York.