AGC Glass Europe

AGC Glass Europe is an international group based in Brussels which produces, processes and distributes flat glass for the construction industry (external glazing and indoor decorative glass), the automotive industry, solar applications and certain specialized industries (glazing for railway and subway cars and ships, glass for domestic appliances, and various high-tech applications). It is the European branch of the AGC group (Asahi Glass Co., Ltd).

AGC Glass Europe currently employs some 14,500 people.[1] Its industrial facilities comprise 18 float glass lines, 10 automotive glass processing centres and more than 100 distribution-processing units in Europe, stretching from Spain to Russia.

History

Glaverbel was founded in 1961 in Belgium out of the merger of Glaver S.A. (Glaces et Verres) and Univerbel S.A. (Union des Verreries Mécaniques Belges). In 1972 the French BSN (Boussois-Souchon-Neuvesel) group (now Danone) gained control over Glaverbel.[2] Glaverbel started with a restructuring program and diversified into glass processing in 1974.

In 1981 BSN shed its flat glass activities and the Asahi Glass Co. Ltd. of Japan acquired Glaverbel. In 1987 Glaverbel was registered at the Brussels stock exchange and in 1991 expanded into Central Europe with the acquisition of Glavunion in Czechoslovakia. Glaverbel was the first western industrial company to invest in Czechoslovakia, and in 1997 the first western glass producer to invest in Russia. In 1998, Glaverbel acquired the European glass activities of PPG Glass Industries, mainly located in France and Italy.

In 2002, AGC acquired the whole of Glaverbel, and was deregistered from the Brussels stock exchange. In 2007, Glaverbel was renamed as AGC Flat Glass Europe and in 2010 AGC Glass Europe.[2]

Industrial facilities

AGC Glass Europe has industrial facilities throughout Europe, from Spain to Russia, with 18 float lines, 10 automotive glass processing centres and more than 100 distribution/processing units.

Products

AGC Glass Europe develops, produces, processes and markets glass products for the construction industry (all types of building), the automotive industry (all car windows) and other specialised industries (transport, domestic appliances etc.). Special glasses include antibacterial glass which kills 99.9% of bacteria on its surface. The two main activities of AGC Glass Europe are producing flat glass in large dimensions ("raw glass") on the one hand, and processing it into finished or semi-finished products (“processed glass”) on the other. These activities are further subdivided according to the field of application of the products concerned: Façades & Architecture, Interior & Design, Automotive, Rail & Ship Transport, and Solar.

Workforce

AGC Glass Europe employs some 14,500 people.[1]

Price-fixing scandal

AGC Flat Glass Europe (Glaverbel) is one of the four glass manufacturers who were fined a total of 486.9 million euros ($717.5 million; £348.2m) by the European Commission on 28 Nov 2007 for illegally co-coordinating price rises.[3] The European Commission said the firm had raised or stabilised prices in 2004 and 2005 through illicit contacts with the other principal glass manufacturers: Guardian of the US, Pilkington, which is the UK unit of Nippon Sheet Glass and Saint-Gobain of France; who between them they control 80% of Europe's market for flat glass.[4]

Neelie Kroes, the EU's competition commissioner, said that the EU would "not tolerate companies cheating consumers and business customers by fixing prices and depriving them of the benefits of the single market".[5][6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "AGC Glass Europe: Profile", www.agc-glass.eu. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  2. 1 2 "AGC Glass Europe: History", www.agc-glass.eu. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  3. ↑ Guardian, Pilkington, Asahi and Saint-Gobain fined for price-fixing
  4. ↑ Press Release: "Antitrust: Commission fines flat glass producers € 486.9 million for price fixing cartel", European Commission (28 November 2007). Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  5. ↑ "Price-fixing glass makers fined", BBC (28 November 2007). Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "Kroes shatters glass cartel", NewEurope (1 December 2007). Retrieved 8 February 2016.

External links

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