Tehran will host the Sixth International Exhibition of Glass, Machinery and Equipment on July 14.
According to secretary of Iran Glass Industry Association, Hossein Zojaji, companies representing Italy, Germany, Turkey and China are participating in the four-day event, along with dozens of domestic companies and organizations, IRIB News reported.
Machinery, equipment and production lines, mineral and processing raw materials, different types of products such as auto and anti-bullet glass will be displayed at the exhibition, touted as the biggest event of glass industry in Iran.
Zojaji noted that the event is aimed at showcasing the latest related products and developments, technical knowhow and modern technology, familiarizing visitors with the latest achievements in different sectors of the glass industry, attracting investment and creating employment opportunities, marketing and export development.
He added that several domestic and foreign investment delegations from commercial and industrial sectors will attend the exhibition and hold negotiations with Iranian companies.
Underlining the competitive advantage of the glass industry in Iran, the official said its high value added due to vast and cheap energy resources, specialized workforce, local technology and a consumer market of 500 million people in the region are undeniable advantages that draw the attention of authorities to this field of industry.
Zojaji unveiled plans for the production of over 3 million tons of glass in Iran in the current Iranian year (March 2023-24), out of which 1.85 million tons are flat glass, 850,000 tons are food and pharmaceutical container glass and 375,000 tons are table glassware, including crystal and opal containers.
“Currently, more than 600,000 square meters of flat glass are produced daily in 15 large flat glass manufacturing factories in Iran, of which about 40% are exported to the countries of the Persian Gulf, Central Asia and even Europe. The remaining 60% meet the needs of the domestic market,” he said.
The official noted that float glass is produced in 10 factories out of 15 Iranian glass manufacturing units.
“About 90-95% of the country’s need for building glass are produced domestically. The industry has become more than 90% localized in the raw materials sector and in the engineering sector it has achieved a self-sufficiency of 60-70%,” he said.
Global Market Size at $175b in 2023
According to the Business Research Company, the global glass manufacturing market size grew from $165 billion in 2022 to $175.36 billion in 2023 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3%.
The glass manufacturing market size is expected to grow to $232.59 billion in 2027 at a CAGR of 7.3%.
Increasing demand for consumer electronics and large-scale investments in infrastructure development is expected to propel the glass manufacturing market. The current digital revolution is causing an increase in the use of electronic devices.
Technological innovation is a key trend gaining popularity in the glass manufacturing market. Major companies operating in the glass manufacturing market are focused on providing technologically-advanced solutions to strengthen their market position. These companies are implementing next-generation glass manufacturing technologies into their manufacturing processes, such as VRT and plasma technologies, white paper, laser, radiation-induced glass coloring, solarization, IT and Al.
For instance, in February 2021, O-I Glass, a glass container manufacturing company, introduced a technology named MAGMA (Modular Advanced Glass Manufacturing Asset) glassmaking process, a flexible, modular, standardized glass production line that will allow for rapid mobile capacity expansion in smaller increments.
In December 2020, China Glass Holdings, a Hong Kong-based glass manufacturing company acquired the Orda float glass manufacturing facility, for an undisclosed amount. With this acquisition, China Glass Holdings expects to tap into the great potential of Kazakhstan's glass industry. Orda Glass Ltd. is using the latest float glass technology.
Major players in the glass manufacturing market are China Glass Holdings, Guardian Glass LLC, NSG Group, Corning Incorporated, Kyocera Corporation, Coorstek Group, Schott A.G, Morgan Advanced Materials, AIS Glass, Central Glass Ltd., AGC Inc., Central Glass Co. Ltd., Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co. Ltd., Guardian Industries, Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Ltd., Owens Illinois Inc., Koa Glass, Heinz Glass, Saint Gobain, Amcor, Nihon Yamamura, Vitro, Xinyi Glass Holdings Co. Ltd. and Sisecam Group.
Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the glass manufacturing market in 2022.
