PPG joint venture fiber glass plant begins operations

PFG Fiber Glass (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., a 50-50 joint venture of PPG Industries and Nan Ya Plastics Corp. of Taiwan, began operations at a plant that will supply fiber glass yarns to Nan Ya's fabric weaving, copper clad laminate and circuit board printing operations next door, all on a 210,000-acre site west of Shanghai.

"This new plant symbolizes our commitment to the fiber glass industry and being a global leader," said Victoria M. Holt, vice president, fiber glass, for PPG Industries. "Being part of a campus that goes from sand to circuit boards also illustrates our commitment to generating solutions for our customers."

Holt said the PFG plant will have a minimum annual capacity of 30,000 metric tons. She added the plant can accommodate additional furnaces, bringing annual capacity in excess of 120,000 metric tons that can serve the electronics yarn and reinforcement industries.

"Through its PFG joint venture, PPG is not only well situated to meet Nan Ya's needs, but the needs of the entire Asian market as well," said Terry E. Fry, general manager of global electronics and leader for PPG's fiber glass business in the Asia/Pacific region. "Our investment in Kunshan is a clear signal that PPG is serious about meeting the requirements of the global electronics market."

Another PPG-Nan Ya joint venture, PFG Fiber Glass Corp., has produced fiber glass electronic and specialty materials yarns and reinforcements at Chia Yi, Taiwan, since 1991.

"At Nan Ya, growth is based on customer requirements, and the addition of the PFG fiber glass plant to our Kunshan campus ensures we can meet customer standards for quality and assurance," said C. F. Lee, vice president of Nan Ya.

Nan Ya is a member of Formosa Plastics Group, which is the largest publicly owned industrial corporation in Taiwan. Nan Ya manufactures primarily plastics, fiber and electronic materials, with sales of US$3.0 billion in 2002. Formosa Plastics Group's 2002 sales were US$20.1 billion.

PPG is one of the world's largest manufacturers of continuous-strand fiber glass, with eight manufacturing facilities worldwide, focused primarily on the global electronics, thermoplastics and general industrial markets. With 2002 sales of US$8.1 billion, Pittsburgh-based PPG is also a leading global supplier of coatings, glass and chemicals.