About Glass for Europe

Glass for Europe is the trade association for Europe's manufacturers of building, automotive, and transport glass, all derived from the base material known as flat glass.

Glass for Europe has four member companies: AGC Glass Europe, NSG-Group Saint-Gobain Glass, Sisecam-Trakya Cam and works in association with Guardian. Altogether, these fives companies employ over 16,000 people across the EU, run 52 of the 58 float lines based in the EU and represent 90% of Europe's flat glass production.

What is flat glass ?

Flat glass is the basic material that goes into end-products that we see (and see through) every day. It is used to make windows and façades for houses and buildings, windscreens and windows for automobiles and transport as well as solar-energy equipments such as thermal panels and photovoltaic modules. It is also used, in much smaller quantities, for many other applications like interior fittings and decoration, furniture, "street furniture" (like bus stops for example), appliances and electronics, and others.

Flat glass is glass manufactured in flat sheets and therefore it excludes bottles, containers, fiberglass, rods, and tubes, which form other glass industries. Depending on the manufacturing process used, flat glass comes either as float glass, sheet glass or rolled glass. Glass produced by way of the float process represents the overwhelming majority of the production.

Modifications, both during and after the float process, are used to produce the main types of flat glass on the market today.

History

In 1962, Glass in Buildings the first association of flat glass producers was created to represent the flat glass industry towards the EEC.

In 1978 G.E.P.V.P. (Groupement Européen des Producteurs de Verre Plat) was created, automotive issues were including in the work of the association.

In 2007 G.E.P.V.P. became Glass for Europe. Beyond the work on standards, the association initiated work on the promotion of glass products.