PPG announce Chinese plant expansion

Glassing firm PPG industries is set to expand the plant it owns in conjunction with Simona Jingjing Fibre Glass by installing another furnace.

The companies are expected to split the cost of the furnace, the third at the factory, down the middle with the building work expected to be complete by early 2009.

Victoria M Holt, the senior vice president of glass and fibre glass with PPG, revealed that the extra furnace was necessary to meet increased product demand in the region. She said: "PPG is pleased to continue supporting the growth of the global composites industry with this capacity expansion in Asia.

"Demand for single-end rovings, such as HYBON fiber glass direct-draw roving by PPG, has grown globally by double digits each of the past few years. We expect this growth to continue, especially in support of wind energy and energy infrastructure applications."

On completion of the build the factory will increase its output by 60,000 tons of fibre glass a day