Ocean Glass Sales To Lag Due To Kiln Shutdown

Ocean Glass plc, a leading glassware producer of non-lead crystal, expects 2007 sales to increase only slightly by around 20M baht to 1.62M baht, due to the temporary shutdown of its glass-melting kiln at Bang Poo Industrial Estate in Samut Prakan. MD Kirati Assakul said the 60-day shutdown for machine maintenance and repair would resulting in production output declining to 135M items in 2007, down from 138m items last year. The plant shutdown is scheduled to take place every 5-6/y. Mr Kirati said that the company had ben dealing with rising operating costs as fuel prices increased and the company has also imported high quality sand to use as a raw material specifically for quality purposes. "Better quality means higher prices," he said.