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Saint-Gobain: plans to boost India sales through new plant

5 February 1998: French glassmaker Saint-Gobain recently said it planned to increase sales by its Indian units to Rs 12 billion (US$ 310 million) over the next three or four years, from Rs 2.7 billion…

5 February 1998: French glassmaker Saint-Gobain recently said it planned to increase sales by its Indian units to Rs 12 billion (US$ 310 million) over the next three or four years, from Rs 2.7 billion at present. The company said it is planning construction of a Rs 4.5 billion (US$ 115.4 million) India glass plant (for more info, see GlassOnline World News stories of 24 April “97, 20 January “97). “Sales today in India are Rs 2.7 billion,” Saint-Gobain Chairman Jean-Louis Beffa said at a recent meeting. “We intend to raise it in the next three or four years to Rs 12 billion.” Beffa added that the new plant in southern Tamil Nadu is Saint-Gobain“s largest Indian investment. Beffa is one of many French company chiefs accompanying President Jacques Chirac on a three-day state visit to India which began in Bombay, the country“s financial capital. The plant is part of the French glassmaker“s plans to enlarge its presence in a market dominated by Japan“s Asahi Glass Co Ltd, while also helping Saint Gobain to expand in the auto sector and cater to the construction sector in South India, said the company. “No other company is growing as aggressively globally as we are. We plan to use this plant as a springboard for our Asian expansion,” said Jacques Aschenbroich, president of Saint Gobain Vitrage, the company“s flat glass division. Saint-Gobain currently owns 54% of automotive glass maker Maharasthra Glass and Agro Ltd. and a 26% stake of Atul Glass Industries Ltd. It also holds a 51% stake in Grindwell Norton Ltd, India“s leading abrasives maker. Analysts say India“s per capita consumption of glass is low at 0.3 kg per annum, but is growing at between 10-15% per year. Saint-Gobain had a turnover of FFr 102 billion in 1997, the company said. The plant will be located in the south Indian town of Sriperumbudur, about 50 km (31 miles) from Madras, and construction of the plant, which will produce 550 tonnes per day at peak capacity, is expected to begin in the second quarter of this year.

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