The market for protective glass, the specialised products designed to provide some defence against the impact of bullets and bomb blasts, has exploded since the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US and the product has now become a mainstream line of business for some specialist manufacturers. Applications vary from use in the design and construction of terrorist-resistant buildings with say, bullet proof glass that withstand hits from 7.62mm rounds fired from AK-47 automatic riles, to cockpit doors in commercial aircraft. Outside military applications, protective glass products had long been used to provide protection against extreme weather conditions such as cyclones. Now, a new awareness and concern about the need to protect against the threat of natural disasters, so vividly seen in the Indian Ocean tsunami, is giving further impetus to demand.
