Flat Glass Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Application (Architectural, Automotive), By Product (Laminated, Tempered), By Region (Asia Pacific, North America, MEA), And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030

Report Overview

The global flat glass market size was valued at USD 273.43 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.3% from 2022 to 2030. The rising number of solar energy installations globally, coupled with the increasing penetration of glass architecture in residential and non-residential constructions, is anticipated to drive market growth over the forecast period. Factors such as the depletion of renewable resources, government regulations, rising environmental concerns, reductions in the cost of solar installations, advancements in technology, and the growing electricity demand, are propelling solar capacities to increase, which, in turn, is benefitting the market growth.

The U.S. holds vital significance in the global market on account of increasing construction activities in the country coupled with the rising demand for flat glass products in the automotive aftermarket. Although the outbreak of COVID-19 severely impacted the overall economy, construction activities were deemed an essential service in many parts of the U.S. As a result, the country’s overall construction spending increased in 2020, a highly positive aspect of the pandemic. The building & construction industry is the primary end-user sector. Various developments in architecture have augmented the product demand over the past few years.

The product used in these applications provides various advantages, such as transmission, absorption, and refraction of light; weather resistance; rust resistance; dust resistance; efficiency in terms of cost and energy; better insulation; various color options; and flexibility to be drawn into any shape. Rising disposable income coupled with a growing preference for look & appeal in interiors has augmented the demand for luxury construction, which is anticipated to benefit the market growth. For example, in September 2020, Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC joined CPP Investments and Cyrela in developing the Brazilian Multifamily Property Sector in São Paulo.

The investment marks Greystar’s entry into the burgeoning Brazilian rental housing market. However, the global market was obstructed in 2020 owing to the pandemic that resulted in mandatory shutdowns in manufacturing operations, followed by strict norms compelling companies to work at minimal capacities, disrupting the demand-supply chain. The pandemic adversely affected the sales of various glass manufacturers. For example, Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co.’s U.S. subsidiary reported a net loss of 92.1 million yuan (~USD 13.4 million) in the first half of 2020.

Product Insights

The insulated product segment dominated the global market and held the largest volume share of more than 44.0% in 2021. The demand from applications, such as curtain walls, storefronts, overhead glazing, non-vision locations, and commercial and operable windows, is likely to remain a key factor driving the growth of this segment. The growing demand has compelled manufacturers to expand their production capacities. For example, in February 2020, Pilkington IGP expressed interest in expanding its manufacturing plant in Ostroleka, Poland, to cater to the growing demand for highly specialized products in architectural and construction markets.

Tempered glass is another critical product type suitable for various applications in cookware, mobile phone screens, architectural parts, shower doors, and windows, among others. The growing demand for tempered products has augmented its production. For instance, in August 2020, Tomakk Glass Partners announced the launch of its tempered glass fabrication facility in Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S., to cater to the rising demand from the commercial, residential, and architectural application segments. The laminated product segment is mainly driven by the rising demand for laminated glass in the automotive industry.

It is preferred in windshields as, in case of an accident, it breaks in the form of a spider web, and none of the pieces fall off, thus, reducing the risk of passenger injuries. This has augmented its usage in sunroofs too. Companies like Ferrari and Volvo have incorporated laminated glass in their cars with panoramic sunroofs. It is also used in skylight glazing and Photovoltaic (PV) cells.

Application Insights

The architectural application segment held the largest revenue share of over 72.0% in 2021. The segment will expand further at a steady growth rate from 2022 to 2030 on account of the increasing construction activities and infrastructural developments as a result of the rapid urbanization and growing population across the globe. In the automotive sector, the product has a broad scope of applications in vehicle windows, doors, windshields, side panels, sunroofs, and lights. However, the automotive application segment witnessed slow growth over the past few years due to a decline in global vehicle production.

On the other hand, increasing demand for Electric Vehicles (EVs), along with rising cases of road accidents, is anticipated to propel product consumption in automotive applications. The other applications segment is anticipated to register the fastest CAGR over the forecast period because of the rising demand for solar energy. Glass is a critical component in solar panels as it protects the PV cells from external forces, such as weather, hail, and airborne debris. The rising number of solar energy installations across the globe is expected to benefit the market growth. Despite the pandemic, solar PV installations observed positive growth in 2020.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific dominated the market and accounted for more than 61.0% of the global revenue 2021. Infrastructural developments in developing economies of the region are expected to augment market growth over the forecast period. Southeast Asia is also among the emerging regional markets, and countries, including China and Japan, have started investing in this region. Between 2000 and 2019, Japan financed around USD 230 billion worth of projects while China invested around USD 155 billion to improve infrastructure in the Southeast Asia region. North America faced obstructions in its construction activities, especially in the first half of 2020. However, the market in the U.S. witnessed a moderate recovery in the second half of 2020 due to an acceleration in residential construction activities.

For instance, as per the U.S. Census Bureau, the completion of new privately-owned housing units rose by 6.7% from 2019 to 2020 in Southern U.S. This upward trend is likely to continue over the coming years, which is expected to propel the product demand in the coming years. Middle East and Africa are expected to be among the fastest-growing regions of the market. However, the region witnessed sluggish growth in 2020 owing to the pandemic. On the other hand, the regional market is expected to recover quickly. For instance, in December 2020, a Dubai-based investment bank allocated USD 1 billion to finance active construction projects across the Middle East and Africa region. This is a positive sign for the overall market growth in the region.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market is highly competitive and fragmented owing to the presence of several major players. Companies are opting for various strategic initiatives to recover losses caused due to the pandemic and strengthen their market presence. For instance, in September 2020, Guardian Glass inaugurated its second float glass facility in Poland. The new facility aims at catering to the growing demand for high-performance products in the architectural and construction markets. Some of the prominent players in the global flat glass market include:

• AGC Inc.

• Cevital Group

• Euroglas

• Guardian Industries

• Saint-Gobain

• ÅžiÅŸecam Group

• Vitro

Recent Developments

• In April 2023, Nippon Sheet Glass announced that it was investing in the upgradation of a glass furnace in the Merseyside facilities of its unit, Pilkington United Kingdom Limited. This update includes two lines for the simultaneous production of float glass and rolled glass, through relocation of the present rolled glass production line to a float furnace in the same town in the UK. The development is part of sustainability efforts to save 15,000 tons of carbon emissions annually

• In March 2023, Saint-Gobain announced that it had globally become the first manufacturer to conduct a flat glass test production using over 30% hydrogen, during R&D trials at the company’s Herzogenrath site in Germany. The success of the trial has validated the feasibility of extensively utilizing hydrogen in flat glass manufacturing, which is expected to reduce direct carbon dioxide emissions of the site by up to 70%

• In February 2023, AGC announced a collaboration with Saint-Gobain for designing a first-of-its-kind flat glass range that can significantly reduce its CO2 emissions. The project involves the transformation of AGC’s patterned glass production line based in Czech Republic to become 50% fired by an oxygen-gas combination and 50% electrified, thus replacing the current technology of being completely fired by natural gas

• In January 2023, Guardian Glass announced the acquisition of Vortex Glass, a Florida-based fabrication business. Vortex specialized in providing insulated and laminated glass that can survive hurricane impacts, as well as supplying customers in Florida and the Caribbeans with tempered glass packages for commercial and residential applications. The acquisition is expected to expand Guardian Glass’ business to major customers in these regions

• In December 2022, AGC announced an agreement with Shanghai Yaohua Pilkington Glass Group Co. Ltd (SYP Group), a manufacturer of float glass, for transferring the former’s ownership stake in AGC Flat Glass (Dalian) Inc. to the latter. Through this transfer, AGC states its expectations of strong business development for AGC Flat Glass (Dalian) Inc., owing to the solid base and sales capabilities of the SYP Group in China

• In October 2022, NSG Group announced the commencement of operations of its second float glass plant in Argentina. The plant is located in Los Cardales in the state of Buenos Aires, with Vidriería Argentina S.A. (VASA), an Argentina-based subsidiary, conducting the operations. This is one of the company’s strategic investments, owing to the strong demand for automotive and architectural glass in the country as well as in the wider South American market

• In May 2022, Saint-Gobain announced that it had achieved zero carbon flat glass production, becoming the first company of its kind to do so. This was achieved through the use of 100% green energy and recycled glass (cullet), with the implementation done at the company’s flat glass manufacturing facility in Aniche, northern France. The development is part of the company’s commitment of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 

Flat Glass Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2030. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global flat glass market report on the basis of product, application, and region:

• Product Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Billion, 2017 - 2030)

  • Basic

  • Tempered

  • Laminated

  • Insulated

  • Others

• Application Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Billion, 2017 - 2030)

  • Architectural

  • Automotive

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Billion, 2017 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Russia

    • Belgium

    • Poland

    • Czech Republic

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

    • Australia

  • Central & South America

    • Brazil

    • Argentina

    • Colombia

  • Middle East & Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE

    • Iran

    • South Africa