Glass is a combination of sand and other minerals that are melted together at very high temperatures to form a material that is ideal for a wide range of uses from packaging and construction to fibre optics. A form of glass occurs naturally within the mouth of a volcano when the intense heat of an eruption melts sand to form Obsidian, a hard black glassy type of stone. Glass, chemically, is actually more like a liquid, but at room temperature it is so viscous or sticky it looks and feels like a solid. At higher temperatures glass gradually becomes softer and more like a liquid. It is this latter property, which allows glass to be poured, blown, pressed and moulded into such a variety of shapes.
Market Outlook
Glass is the dominating material in modern day architecture. It can be designed to incorporate many desirable properties by modifying its composition and processing. Today, the glass industry offers glazing with technical features that can be used for heat, solar, or sound protection, as design components, safety glass, or as a part of solar systems. As product versatility increases, so does the need for architects, planners, and building owners to consult with the glass processor.
Indian glass market is estimated to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15 per cent over the next three years. The glass consumption growth is expected in construction (10-12 per cent), automotive (20), consumer goods (15-20) and pharmaceuticals (15-18) sectors. The highest share in the number of factories of the glass industry is Uttar Pradesh with a share of 36.9 per cent, followed by Gujarat at 15 per cent, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu at 5.6 per cent and Karnataka with 4 per cent.
The growth in the Indian glass industry is dominated by container glass segment, which accounts for majority of the sales in terms of volume, The growth in the glass industry is characterized by the increase use of processed & reflective glass as the Indian customer has become more aware about the importance of glass in effectively addressing the concerns of safety and energy efficiency.