SGG Investment - Q&As
Saint-Gobain Glass announces investment of over £15m in UK magnetron
coating plant
Why
has the Eggborough site been selected for this investment?
The UK market for low emissivity product is experiencing exponential growth
as a result of recent changes to Building Regulations. In order to ensure
consistent supplies of high quality product the Group have prioritised
this investment alongside its £65million float glass manufacturing
plant. This proximity simplifies logistics and will enable both a flexible
and reliable route to market for Saint-Gobain low-E product.
Who will be involved in the project construction, how many new jobs
will this involve?
The project is the first phase in a series of investments, which will
see the creation of an additional sixty jobs at the plant. Recruitment
is expected to start shortly with the emphasis on employing local people.
The new operators will undergo three to six months training at Saint-Gobain
facilities in Germany and France before beginning work at the plant.
How does the magnetron coating process work?
An advanced metallic coating is applied to the glass off-line, after the
float glass manufacturing process, by a technique called magnetically
enhanced cathodic sputtering under vacuum conditions. The offline coating
process has the benefit of increased flexibility and control over traditional
online methods and can result in superior overall product performance
(aesthetics, emissivity, solar factor). The new line at Eggborough will
be dedicated to manufacturing high performance soft coat low-E glasses
for the UK and Irish markets.
When will the plant be operational, why is timing important?
Production of glasses from the SGG PLANITHERM range is expected to start
at Eggborough by the end of 2003. With Building Regulations set to tighten
again in the near future we expect demand for these products to continue
to rise sharply over the coming years and as such this investment is significant
in securing reliable and consistent supplies for our customer in the UK
and Ireland.
Why has Saint-Gobain chosen to invest in soft coat technology when
hard coats currently prevail in the UK?
Saint-Gobain has an unparalleled range of low-emissivity solutions comprising
both hard and soft-coated product options. Our experience within many
European markets has shown that in time only soft-coated products are
flexible enough to service both the needs of our customers as well as
regulatory requirements.
This significant investment reinforces our clear strategy of supplying
leading edge soft coat low-E technology. Soft coated glasses offer enhanced
thermal performance and as such provide more flexible solutions to Documents
L or J which cover all three of the main frame types (Wood, PVC-U and
Metal). SGG PLANITHERM has several advantages over traditional hard coated
low-E products.
Superior performance: SGG PLANITHERM offers a lower U-value compared to
hard coated products which makes compliance with Documents L or J much
easier.
More neutral appearance: SGG PLANITHERM has a similar clear appearance
to normal glass, unlike hard coated products which often have a noticeable
tint.
SGG PLANITHERM is also available in both laminated options and in a form
which can be readily toughened to offer safety glazing performance.
