Page 38 - Glass-Technology International no. 4/2018

businessnews

www.glassonline.com

CORNING
INVESTMENTS AUTO GLASS MANUFACTURING FACILITY

tionized the industry with LCD glass recently opened the world’s largest
in the early 2000s. In the automotive LCD glass substrate facility to supply
industry, Corning has 40+ years BOE, China’s leading panel maker.
Corning Incorporated has an- of OEM market presence with its “Corning has been committed to
nounced that, with the support of cellular ceramic substrates that take the China auto industry since we
the Hefei government, it will invest harmful emissions out of vehicle ex- first entered the China market in
in an existing production facility in haust systems. For mobile consumer the early 1980s, and this investment
the Hefei Xinzhan Hi-Tech Indus- electronics, Corning has been a lead- underscores Corning’s longstand-
trial Development Zone in the Anhui ing cover glass supplier for top OEMs ing support of this market,” said Li
®
®
Province, China, for its Automotive since 2007, with Corning Gorilla Fang, president and general manager,
Glass Solutions business. Glass having been featured on more Corning Greater China. “Corning se-
This facility, which Corning expects than five billion devices worldwide. lects its manufacturing locations to be
to be fully operational in 2019, will This manufacturing facility demon- close to our customers, which makes
produce Corning Gorilla Glass for strates Corning’s continued com- Hefei an ideal location. Additionally,
Automotive Interiors, a durable and mitment to China and marks the we have found Hefei to have excel-
optically advantaged cover glass solu- company’s third investment in Hefei lent infrastructure and a solid base
tion specially designed for automotive within the past three years. Corning of skilled local talent. We appreciate
interior applications. Retrofitting an Environmental Technologies an- the support we have received from
existing facility will help Corning bring nounced a new facility focused on its the Hefei municipal government and
on new capacity quickly and efficiently gasoline particulate filter product line the industrial development leadership
in advancing the growth of its automo- and Corning Display Technologies from Anhui provincial officials.”
tive glass solutions business.
“Corning is excited to be delivering
technical glass solutions that ad- GUJARAT BOROSIL
dress and accelerate the adoption of
more dynamic and visually appeal- INVESTMENT IN SOLAR GLASS
ing in-vehicle infotainment systems.
Our cover-glass innovations deliver Solar glass manufacturer, Gujarat Borosil plans to invest around INR 4.35 billion
advantaged performance and eco- to more than double its manufacturing capacity of tempered solar glass by fiscal
nomics versus commodity materials 2020. The company manufactures 2mm tempered solar glass at its Bharuch facil-
and are driving significant pull for our ity, which has a capacity of 180 tonnes per day. With the investment, it plans to
products,” said Michael Kunigonis, increase this capacity to up to 400 tonnes per day by 2020. Tempered solar glass is
vice president and general manager, used on existing glass modules to improve efficiency.
Corning Automotive Glass Solutions. “The expansion for solar glass is already underway. This should be over by early
“Corning’s investment will deliver part of next financial year. In 2019-20 we should see revenues coming in. In India,
the capability, quality and capacity the demand for solar glass is about 375-380 tonnes a day, of which we contribute
the auto industry needs to drive in- about 105 tonnes a day. Thus we meet 30% of the Indian demand. With the ex-
novation and supply drivers with the pansion, we will be able to cater about 60-70% of the demand,” Pradeep Kheruka,
connectivity and user experience they vice chairman at Borosil Glass Works said.
desire.” Claimed to be the world’s first 2mm tempered solar glass facility, the Bharuch
Corning’s decades-long leadership facility was opened in October last year. The 2mm solar glass is said to be not only
in the display, mobile consumer lighter than the world standard of 3.2mm, but also absorbs less solar energy while
electronics, and automotive markets allowing higher irradiance to reach the solar cell, which helps in harnessing solar
positions the company to deliver ad- energy more efficiently. Gujarat Borosil’s key domestic customers for solar glass
vanced technical glass solutions and include Waaree, Emmvee, Tata Power Solar, PV Power Tech, MicroSun, TopSun,
an extensive partner ecosystem to its BHEL, Lanco, Vikram Solar, Goldi Green and HHV. Other than these, it also has
auto glass customers. Corning helped international customer base.
create the first displays in 1947 with The company expects strong growth prospects in solar glass with the Indian gov-
its television picture tubes and revolu- ernment’s strong impetus to solar power and encouraging policy initiatives.

36 Glass-Technology International 4/2018