Page 111 - Glass-Technology International no. 4-2019

COUNTRY OUTLOOK

South Africa

is among the

largest flat

glass markets

on the African

continent. Aided

by the country’s

construction and

rapidly growing

automotive
South Africa’s sector, the flat

glass industry

flat glass industry has made

modest progress

in the last ten

outh Africa is the regards to the construc- are under control and the years. Glass-
leading economic tion sector, which is the reconfirmed political sta-
S powerhouse in the main driver of the flat glass bility are essential factors Technology
African continent, and is sector. Nevertheless, the for a robust recovery.
a leader in almost every country’s overall economy International
sector. It contributes ap- reported growth of 0.8 per PFG BUILDING GLASS
proximately 16 per cent of cent in 2018, which was PFG Building Glass, a di- presents an
Africa’s GDP and is the less compared to previ- vision of the PG Group, is
30th largest in the world ous years, when reported the leading manufacturer
according to the World growth up to the end of of float and patterned glass insight of South
Economic Forum’s Global 2013 was 2 per cent or in South Africa. The com-
Competitiveness Report. higher. pany is the only float glass Africa’s flat
Over the last five years, It is and remains the most manufacturer in the coun-
after the important works industrialized economy in try. The company’s pro- glass industry in
and construction for the Africa, with a slower pe- duction facility is located
World Cup, economic riod of prolonged growth at Springs, near Johannes- this article.
growth has undergone a but the outlook is positive, burg, producing 260,000
slow-down, especially with public debt and inflation tons of high quality float

Glass-Technology International 4/2019 109