Russia will increase its glass output by a third to 160 million square meters by 2005 said Vadim Manevich, head of technological development at AO Institut Stekla, at the second international forum Ru…
Russia will increase its glass output by a third to 160 million square meters by 2005 said Vadim Manevich, head of technological development at AO Institut Stekla, at the second international forum Russia: Oil, Energy, Progress in Khanty Mansiisk on 10 October 2003. Manevich said output would be boosted by modernizing equipment and bringing new production capacity on stream. The cost of glass production at Russian plants is USD 1.5 per square meter, considerably below the world market price of USD 5 – 6 per square meter, he said. The cost of setting up a USD 15 million – 20 million glass factory in Russia can be recouped in two to five years. Russia will also develop manufacturing of glass packaging, he said. Demand for glass containers on the Russian market alone is about 5 billion bottles a year while production totals 4.5 billion bottles. Russia controls about 7% of the world glass market while China controls 29%, he said. The government of Khanty Mansii Autonomous district is considering the construction of a USD 100 – 120 million plant to produce 400 – 600 tonnes of sheet glass a day, Ivan Smirnov, deputy director for investment and technology in the region, said at the forum.