With an investment of over $185 million (about One Thousand Crore Rupees), the World Glass Complex at Bhiwadi is Saint-Gobain’s pride as it is Saint-Gobain’s newest, India’s Largest and world’s most modern manufacturing facility.Speaking on the occasion the Chief Minister said that France and Rajasthan were already partners in tourism since the largest number of European tourists visiting the state were from France.She remarked that setting up of the Glass Complex by the French giant was a matter of pride for the industrial sector in Rajasthan. She also said that the state government sees the companies which invest in Rajasthan as partners in growth and development. Expressing her happiness on the start of Glass Complex, Smt. Raje pointed out Saint Gobain’s involvement in skill development and dwelt on Rajasthan’s efforts in increasing employability of youth through the State’s Skill Development Programme. The Chief Minister, Raje, said that she was happy to see a dream come to fruition.
The plant has a capacity to manufacture close to 1000 tons of Glass per day and is a fully automated, futuristic (with state-of-the-art robotics), integrated glass facility. The plant features several innovative features that are being deployed for the first time in the Indian Glass Industry.
The Plant’s location is strategic, for the entire glass market of North India can be optimally serviced from Bhiwadi. Further, it being on the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, gives it significant logistics advantages. Truly, the Bhiwadi Plant will become Saint-Gobain’s gateway to further penetrate the North India market and to better serve its customers.
Mr Pierre-André de CHALENDAR, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Saint-Gobain said- “I am happy to note that ‘Make in India’ is the new direction of the Indian Government. As Saint-Gobain, we not only agree with this, but strongly support this initiative. In fact, this is our philosophy and, from the beginning, we have invested in setting up world-class and world scale local manufacturing, with the result that about 90% of the Group’s sale in India is locally manufactured. And India has consistently encouraged and supported us – our products are well accepted; our businesses have leadership positions; the Brand Recall of Saint-Gobain in India is as good as that in France. Indeed, we are as much an Indian Company as we are French. In India we have gone beyond manufacturing. We have invested in IT Development Centre, in Engineering Services, in a Sourcing Office and, more important, in 2013, we created Saint-Gobain Research India to build the Group’s 7th transversal Global Research & Development Centre in Chennai.”
Mr B Santhanam, President Flat Glass South Asia, Malaysia and Egypt said on the occasion that- “We strongly believe in India’s future and have consistently invested ahead of time in Capacity, Capability and Technology. The Bhiwadi facility, which is Saint-Gobain’s newest and most modern float glass plant will accelerate Saint-Gobain’s momentum in realizing its Vision of being the Clear Choice for Glass Solutions in India and the adjoining region.”
Mr Anand Y Mahajan, General Delegate of Compagnie de Saint-Gobain for India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh said- “Currently, Saint-Gobain Group operates in nine different businesses in India and Bhutan. We have a strong presence and leadership positions in Glass and Glass Solutions, Automotive Glass, Gypsum plasterboard and plasters, Industrial Mortars, Abrasives, Fused and High Performance Refractories, SiliconCarbide and Performance Plastics. India is fast developing as a key manufacturing hub for Value added products, which are widely exported to the Asia Pacific and Middle east regions.”
Spread over a campus of 136 acres and with a built-up area of 1.14 lac sq.m, the World Glass Complex is:
- Asia’s largest float glass manufacturing facility with a capacity to manufacture close to 1000 tons of glass per day in the biggest dimensions of glass possible
- A modern plant in which advanced robotic technology has been incorporated
- A benchmark for ‘green’ manufacturing practices resulting in lower energy consumption compared to other existing glass manufacturing facilities
- A ‘Green’ Complex with a host of environmental measures deployed to promote Sustainability
The Bhiwadi facility will accelerate Saint-Gobain’s momentum in realizing its Vision of being the Clear Choice for Glass Solutions in India and the region.
Saint-Gobain.
Future of Glass. In India.