Major players in the glass industry have lined up investments worth Rs 7,000 crore for capacity expansion and new technologies over the next 2-3 years. The industry, growing in double digits, will see a two-fold rise in investment as against the last 3-4 years on the back of increase in consumption, M Somany, president, All India Glass Manufacturers' Federation said. According to Mr Somany, HNG has earmarked Rs 1,500 crore fora adding 1000/tpd to its existing capacity of 3000/tpd, over the next 12-18m. For this it would set up a new plant at Naidupeta in Andrha Pradesh and expand capacity at its Nasik plant. City-based AGI Glaspac will also invest Rs 600 crore to double its capacity at its Bhongir plant to 900/tpd by January 2012, company president run Kumar Dukkipata said. The per-capita glass consumption in India is 1.2kg, compared with 8-9kg in developed countries and 30-35 kg in the US. The Indian glass industry is pegged at US$2.7BN. Glass consumption growth is expected in construction (9%), consumer goods (10-12%), and pharmaceuticals (12-15%). the flat glass market in India currently stands at 4,500/tpd and is growing at 16% year-on-year while the container glass sector is at 7,000/tpd and contributes 55-60% to the overall glass market. The "other" sectors in the glass industry make up around 1,500/tpd.
