Page 38 - Glass Machinery Plants & Accessories no. 3/2017
P. 38
COMPANY NEWS
company news
cations with Philips and Nipro; are active in other industrial the plant and re-equipping with
this is an ongoing upgrading pro- sectors and have investments in European machinery, aiming at
ject with them. There are signs other plants. It is true that from a much higher level of qual-
that the transparent soda-lime an environmental point of view ity, efficiency and marketing,
market is also moving but so far Indian glassworks are starting with very serious plans for the
there are no major investors com- from a lower level in terms of future. This is a tendency that
ing into this field, which is almost the industry as a whole, with I expect to see with other com-
non-existent in India. However, problems in training and rais- panies, particularly in the glass-
given that the population there ing the awareness of their staff making area of Firozabad (UP),
will be greater than that of China and workers, but a company where there are hundreds of
in a few years, it is logical to like La Opala – number one in independent glassworks making
expect that demand will increase India with Olivotto machin- glass in a traditional way, which
in the not too distant future, and ery – has already taken major is very backward environmental-
investment will follow demand. steps in training and organizing ly. Some are trying to go forward
its workforce and is now at a to a more modern approach, and
AUTOMATION high level. Borosil is at a lower these, together with others in
The factories that I visited level, having acquired Hopewell, Gujarat and Maharashtra, are
recently have a good level of a tableware company in Jaipur changing and becoming more
automation, mainly because they with mostly Chinese machinery, viable enterprises inviting serious
are owned by large groups that and is completely overhauling investment.
glass machinery plants & accessories 3/2017
36
