Description
Companies in this industry manufacture glass and glass products, including glass containers, flat glass, fiberglass, and specialty glass products. Major companies include Corning, Guardian Industries, and Owens-Illinois (all based in the US) as well as Asahi Glass (Japan), Compagnie de Saint-Gobain (France), Fuyao Glass Industry Group (China), and SCHOTT (Germany).
Competitive Landscape
Demand comes mainly from the construction, auto, bottling, and container industries. The profitability of individual companies depends on efficient operations, because most products are commodities that are bought based on price. Large manufacturers enjoy significant economies of scale in operations, which is why the industry is so concentrated. Small manufacturers can compete effectively by producing specialty products or serving a local market. The US industry is highly concentrated: the 50 largest companies account for about 80% of revenue.
Products, Operations & Technology
Specialty products (glassware, lenses, mirrors, optical fiber) account for 65% of US industry revenue, containers for about 20%, and flat glass for about 15%.