Flat Glass Market Overview 

The global market for flat glass in the European Union represented approximately 8.5 million tonnes in 2005, reaching 9 million tonnes in 2006 and above 10 million tonnes in 2007. Although these past years, demand in volume grew at a rate of 2.5% to 3% per annum, the economic crisis is likely to greatly affect the demand for flat glass and production is expected to decrease in 2008 and 2009.

Of the total output, around 95% is high-quality float glass that will be subsequently processed by laminating, toughening, coating, silvering and assembling into insulating glass units.

The remainder is sheet glass, rolled glass, and lower-quality float glass.

Between 80% and 85% of the total output is used for building and construction products, and 15% to 20% for automotive and transport applications.