Glass major to meet growing demand for domestic, global markets

The facilities, inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami, would meet the growing demand of both the domestic and international glass markets. Palaniswami recalled late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa inaugurating the second float glass plant in 2006 and then expressing confidence about the company’s growth over the years. “I am happy to know that it has invested more in TN, among its international investments,” he said, recalling the company proposing to invest Rs 750 crore in the state in the just concluded Global Investors’ Meet, 2019.

B Santhanam, MD, Saint-Gobain India Pvt Ltd, said from a greenfield investment made in 2000, the company had ramped up capacities in automotive for windshield, sidelights and back lights and expanded operations. It has also invested in solutions for architectural glazing besides setting up advanced lines for fire safety and bullet-proof glazing. Except for 2007-11, when it had not made any major investments, Saint Gobain had consistently accelerated its investments. “Over 20 years, we have invested over Rs 7,500 crore and generated employment to over 6,000 people,” he said.

Santhanam said the fresh Rs 720 crore investment announcement this year takes its overall investments in the state to Rs 4,120 crore. The glass market pegged at over 2 million tonnes has been growing 8 per cent annually and the company’s 20 per cent revenues come from the automotive segment. Chennai Metro Rail and other Metro facilities are some of its projects. The company is working with Alstom for Sri City Metro cabins, he added.

The Euro 40.8 billion group (Rs 3.25 lakh cr) is focused on process technology, optimising costs with optimal human interface apart from using advanced emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, Santhanam said.

The facilities inaugurated at Sriperumbudur were the firm’s third float glass manufacturing plant, an advanced magnetron coater and glass solutions line and a 72 million litre capacity rainwater harvesting reservoir, the company said.

The initiatives at the company’s World Glass Complex, completed at an estimated Rs 1,200 crore, has taken its cumulative investment here to over Rs 3,000 crore, the glass-maker said.

As one of the fastest growing economies in the world, India was an important market and investment destination for Saint-Gobain, Pierre-Andre de Chalendar, Chairman and CEO, Compagnie de Saint-Gobain, France, said.

The company’s earlier investment in Saint-Gobain Research India, located here, was aimed at developing innovative solutions, not only for markets such as India, but also for the world.

“And India has consistently encouraged and supported us ... our products are well accepted, our businesses have leadership positions.. the brand recall of Saint-Gobain in India is as good as that in France. Indeed, we are as much an Indian company as we are French,” he said.

Anand Y Mahajan, Chairman, Saint-Gobain India Private Ltd, said “We have built a pan-India manufacturing presence and have developed strong market positions in all our businesses. About 95 per cent of our local sales are of products manufactured at our plants in India.”

Santhanam also said it is working with Indian Oil Corporation to see the best way to use LNG or liquefied natural gas. “LNG is the best possible fuel for TN. We missed bus in the past but by the end of this year, the LNG project by road will be a reality,” he said, adding piped LNG was the ideal solution as it would enhance the average quality of glass.