The most recent report from Research and Markets is that of the US glass and fiber optic manufacturing industry. This sector includes about 2,000 companies with combined annual revenue of USD 20 billi…
The most recent report from Research and Markets is that of the US glass and fiber optic manufacturing industry. This sector includes about 2,000 companies with combined annual revenue of USD 20 billion, and names such as: PPG Industries, Owens-Illinois, and Corning, with the 50 largest companies holding more than 80% of the market. Most companies are those manufacturing products from bulk glass bought from a limited number of primary glass manufacturers. Production of optical fiber from glass is included, while the use of that fiber to produce fiber optic cable is not. Demand comes mainly from the construction, auto, bottling, and container industries, with profitability of individual companies depending on low-cost operations, since most products are commodities bought based on price. The industry is highly concentrated because large manufacturers have large efficiencies of scale in operations. However, small manufacturers can compete effectively by producing speciality products or serving a local market. Major products discussed in the survey are glass containers, flat glass, fiber glass, and speciality products such as TV make up for more than 60% of industry revenue, containers about 20%, and flat glass about 15%.