Pilkington announces the start up of a £25 million automotive glass plant in Poland to serve the region’s rapidly growing car industry with a wide range of high quality products using leading edge Pilkington technology.

The plant, which will be in full production by the end of 1999, will produce both toughened and laminated glass and will be integrated with the Pilkington float glass plant at Sandomierz in southern Poland. It is already supplying several of Pilkington’s existing customers who have growing operations in the region.

Paolo Scaroni, Pilkington chief executive, commented: "This is another example of Pilkington’s strategy of exploiting opportunities in high growth markets. By developing an automotive plant that operates alongside our existing float plant we are creating a cost-efficient business capable of sustainable profitability."

1. Pilkington first invested in Poland in 1995 when it built the country’s first float glass plant in a joint venture. Pilkington Sandoglass, which operates the plant, is now 56 per cent owned by Pilkington. The Group also owns a network of glass processing and distribution outlets. Pilkington currently employs around 1300 people in Poland.
2. Vehicle manufacture in Poland has grown by more than 10 per cent a year since 1995 and is expected to reach 700,000 units by 2002.

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