A Glass is an amorphous or a non-crystalline solid material. They are typically brittle and optically transparent. A natural glass is created when rocks high in silicates melt at high temperatures and cool before they can form a crystalline structure. Example of naturally occurring glass is obsidian or volcanic glass. A soda lime glass which is used in windows and drinking vessels is composed of about 75% silica, sodium oxide from soda ash, lime and other small additives.

There are some glasses which will not have silica as a major constituent, but have physico-chemical properties useful for fiber optics and other specialized technical applications. Examples of glasses used in fiber optics are fluoride glasses, aluminosilicates, phosphate glasses, borate glasses, and chalcogenide glasses.

A tempered glass also called as safety glass is used in a wide variety of applications, and mostly by all consumers daily.

A Glass is not a solid, not a gas, and not a liquid either. It is generally classified as a rigid liquid, which has liquid properties while acting like a solid. Heat can return it to a liquid and workable form, making it easy to reuse and recycle. It resists chemical interactions. It does not leak chemicals like plastics do, and can withstand extremes of heat and cold.

Two main methods involved in glass production are float glass process, which produces sheet glass, and glassblowing which produces bottles and other containers.

Some of the most common products manufactured in the global glass industry are fibreglass, flat glass, glass containers and specialty products such as lenses, optic fibers, mirrors, and glassware and TV tubes.

The recent study finds world glass industry generates yearly revenue of $75 billion, with leading exporters being the US, France, Japan, China, India and Germany. 

2 . Glass Industry Current Trends

As per the reports, the world flat glass market is expected to record 3% annual growth between 2012 and 2015 and by 2020, smart glass for use in transportation and architectural facades, privacy screens and windows is expected to reach a value of $700 million.

In the first six months, the industry in Europe including Switzerland and Turkey produced 10.9 Mtonnes of glass compared to 10.7 Mtonnes in the first half 2011. The increase was prominent in countries such as Portugal (13 percent), Poland (7 percent) as well as in the North & Central Europe (6.2 percent) and South & East Europe (5.1 percent). Other European Union countries like UK (2.9 percent), Germany (1.4 percent) and Spain (1 percent) kept the steady trend of last year’s while other countries recorded a decline after strong growth in 2011. Turkey confirms a positive trend (8.3 percent). Source – FEVE (European Container Glass Federation)

3 . Major Glass Industry Players

Some of the major companies currently operating in the global glass manufacturing industry include Jiangsu Farun Group, French outfit Compagnie de Saint-Gobain, Asahi Glass,Beta Glass Co PLC, Dai Hung Container Trading, Envases Venezolanos, Gulf Glass Manufacturing Co KSCC, Hindusthan National Glass & Industries Ltd, and Nihon Yamamura Glass Co Ltd etc.