The glass processing industry continues to grow steadily and expectations are more and more processed glass - toughened, laminated, insulating units – will be used in residential and commercial buildings in the coming years, noted Mr P. L. Safaya, Chief Operating Officer, Asahi Glass India, who was the guest of honor at the Zak Glass Technology 2007, which concluded in Mumbai recently.

 "On like to like basis, comparing with Chinese cement, steel and glass industries, glass has the potential to grow three times in the immediate future," he said.

 The glass industry’s growth in India is about 12 percent, which is more than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

   Glass consumption in India is still at a nascent stage vis-à-vis in developed and other developing countries. While India had a per capita consumption of 0.88kg, Malaysia had 2kg, China 3.50kg, Thailand with 5.20kg and topped by Japan with 14kg.

   Employing over 10,000 personnel directly and indirectly, the total glass production in the country during the year 2006 - 07 was about 925,500 metric tons. "This is nearly 15 percent higher than the production during the same period the previous year," said Mr Safaya. "The growth in the demand of high quality float glass, which includes heat reflective glass and mirrors, in the first eight months of this fiscal has been over 20 percent."

   The most robust increase has been in the field of exports. There has been a growing acceptability of the Indian flat glass products in the global markets. The Indian manufacturers explored many new markets and exported about 170,100 metric tons of different varieties of float and sheet glass. Preferred markets are South East Asian countries, South and East Africa, including neighboring countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal., etc.