Steps are being taken by all the major glass fibre manufacturers to improve the glass fibre supply situation.
Vetrotex is spending FFr 300 million on a second 25,000 tpy unit in Korea, and is also in…
Steps are being taken by all the major glass fibre manufacturers to improve the glass fibre supply situation. Vetrotex is spending FFr 300 million on a second 25,000 tpy unit in Korea, and is also increasing capacity at its Wichita Falls site in Texas, US. PPG is investing US$ 50 million in its Chester facility in South Carolina, US, and by the end of 1996 will have increased European capacity by 60% since 1992. Owens-Corning is to add 135,000 tonnes/year to its worldwide capacity, including a doubling of the current 65,000 tonnes/year capacity at its Jackson site in Tennessee, US, and a further 35,000 tonnes/year at Anderson, South Carolina, US. The company has already announced large capacity increases for Brazil and Korea. The tightness in supply of glass fibre is expected to ease, with a slow-down predicted in the German automotive and building industries. In 1994 the world market for glass fibre was valued at UK 2.4 billion. The market in Europe increased 17% in volume terms to 511,000 tonnes. 6%-7% annual growth is predicted until 2000 for developed areas such as Europe and the US. In underdeveloped regions growth of between 12% and 15% per year is expected. The reinforced thermoplastic market is still very strong, mainly fuelled by automotive applications, and front end applications for composites are growing fast, with a trend towards the use of GMT. Other predicted growth areas are infrastructure applications, filament winding and multiaxial fabrics.