Glass manufacturing process involve two methods, float glass process and glassblowing process. Float glass involves the production of glass sheets and glassblowing involves production of bottles and containers. During manufacturing of glass, raw materials such as silica sand, soda ash, and limestone are collected and mechanically crushed. These ingredients are accurately weighed and administered before being combined. These components are mixed together in mixing machines until a homogenous mixture is achieved. The batch, also known as frit, is a homogeneous mixture that is taken for further melting in a furnace. In contrast to using plastic, this product has several advantages, such as non-reactivity, making it suitable for chemicals and other applications.
Market Scope and Structure Analysis
Description
Glass manufacturing is segmented on the basis of product type, including container glass, flat glass, and fiber glass. Glass containers are widely used in the food & beverages and pharmaceutical industries. These glasses are used to pack foods, medicines, and drinkable items. Flat glass is used in doors and windows, as well as partition panels. These glasses are used to enhance aesthetic appearance of interior and exterior of house. Fiber glass is widely employed in transportation applications due to rise in demand for lightweight materials in vehicle construction. Due to their unique properties, including bendability, stability, and lightweight, they are employed in a variety of applications, such as boats, roofs, and aircraft.
COVID-19 Impact analysis
- The COVID-19 pandemic ceased the production of various products in the glass manufacturing industry, which is attributed to the global lockdown. This has hampered the growth of glass manufacturing market from the last few months and is likely to continue through 2022.
- COVID-19 affected the sales of glass manufacturing in the first quarter of 2022 and is anticipated to have a negative impact on the market growth throughout the year.
- The major demand for glass manufacturing was previously noticed from giant manufacturing countries, such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and South America, which are negatively affected by the spread of the coronavirus, thereby declining the demand for glass.
- Further, potential impact of the lockdown is currently vague and financial recovery of companies is totally based on their cash reserves. Glass manufacturing manufacturers can afford a full lockdown only for a few months, after which the players have to modify their investment plans. For instance, various players in the market halted their production activities for several weeks to reduce their expenses. On the contrary, few players also adopted employee lay-offs to sustain themselves during the COVID-19 health crisis.
- Glass manufacturing manufacturers are expected to focus on protecting their workforce, operations, and supply chains to respond to immediate crises and find new ways of working after COVID-19. For instance, provision of sanitizers, maintaining social distance, and ensuring the vaccination of every employee in the company can assist in promoting the health & safety of the workforce.
Top Impacting Factors
Throughout the forecast period, rise in demand for glass in various end-user sectors, such as automotive and construction, is expected to move the industry forward. Increase in product deployment in a variety of applications, including as packaging, construction, and electronics, is expected to drive market growth over the projected period. The packaging business is evolving toward a more sustainable product strategy, with paper-based and glass-based packaging becoming more popular in developed countries.
Furthermore, glass sector is constantly expanding as a result of the rising tendency to not use plastic containers in everyday life. Consumers' worldview is shifting toward sustainable and recyclable items as they become more concerned about environmental damage caused by plastic due to its poor recyclability rate. Similarly, use of glass in designing the display screens of electronic devices dominates product demand in the electrical & electronics segment, as rising internet usage is changing consumer preferences and thus increasing the sale of electronic devices, which is positively impacting market growth.
Key players are manufacturing strong and durable glass for various applications such as home construction, doors & windows, and packaging. They are expanding their manufacturing business to strengthen their market position.
- In April 2021, AGC Inc. manufactured glass package that is ideal for edge emitting laser diode chips. Both sides of this glass have polished surface for efficient light extraction without the use of additional components such as prism mirrors.
- In October 2020, the Nippon Sheet Glass Group introduced Pilkington sanitized glass for a better, healthier, safer, and cleaner environment. Pilkington SaniTiseTM is a clear coated glass which is naturally triggered by sunlight. It has antibacterial qualities and acts against viruses on glass surfaces.
- In April 2019, Scheuten opened its new insulation glass production center in Venlo, the Netherlands. This center is involved in manufacturing, laminating, silk-screening, printing, and designing of glass.
Key Benefits of the Report
- This study presents the analytical depiction of the glass manufacturing industry along with the current trends and future estimations to determine the future investment pockets.
- The report presents detailed information related to key drivers, restraints, opportunities, and market share of glass manufacturing share.
- A quantitative analysis highlights the glass manufacturing growth scenario.
- Porter’s five forces analysis illustrates the potency of buyers & suppliers in the market.
- The report provides a detailed glass manufacturing analysis based on competitive intensity and how the competition will take shape in coming years.
Glass Manufacturing Market Report Highlights
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