China will review the country's ongoing flat glass production projects and close sub-standard installations, says the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. New projects should obtain approval from national authorities, said an online notice from MIIT. It is hoped to weed out 26M/weight cases of backward capacity in the sector during 2011. Furthermore, MIIT will raise the ratio of processing enterprises to 45% through mergers and restructuring, while promoting the output of the sector's top 10 companies to take up 75% of the total during the country's 12th five year plan period (2011-2015). It also urges local governments to drive technical innovation among flat glass producers, strengthen their management over the sector and guide local enterprises to invest rationally. In 2010, China built 34 flat glass production lines, which can produce 130M/weight cases more flat glass, bringing the total production capacity to 890M/weight cases. However, output in 2010 was 630M/weight cases, representing a 70% capacity utilisation. Currently, another 30 lines are either under construction or planned.
