To repair its float furnace at Avilés in northern Spain in "record time", Saint-Gobain Cristalería will spend EUR 35m, enabling the plant to resume production in Sept/08, the firm said. Following clear-up work, technicians have finished their analysis of the consequences of the accident that put the furnace out of action & put forward their report on the costs & timescale for repairs. It was initially feared that the furnace would be out of action for much longer. The September restart will be possible thanks to the company making available all its material & technical resources, as well as to "external support". The repair bill includes upgrades to deal with increases in the production of certain types of glass for further processing and to improve quality. The upgrades will enable the production of super-thin glass, which was impossible with the old furnace. The new furnace ought to have a working life of 18 years, which will assure the plant's future, the company said.
