In this article, we will be taking a look at the 12 biggest glass companies in the world. To skip our detailed analysis of these companies and the glass industry, you can go directly to see the 5 Biggest Glass Companies In The World.
The glass industry is among the most overlooked industries in the market, as many customers who habitually and repeatedly purchase glass products do not realize the extent of their reliance on them. Despite this, the glass industry has steadily been on the rise across the globe over the last two decades in terms of the usage of high-performance glasses. As a result, key players in the glass industry such as Saint Gobain Company (EPA:SGO), PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG), and Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW), among others, have been profiting. Geographically, the Asia-Pacific continues to be the largest market for glass and glass products. In 2021, this region alone accounted for 20.3% of the global market revenue share in the glass sector.
According to a report published by the National Glass Association this January, while US economic recovery continues, glass manufacturers have begun pushing for improved efficiency and better performance to meet rising demand. The report mentions that there is a fair likelihood of demand for glass products remaining high throughout 2022. Stephen Weidner, the head of Architectural Glass North America, was cited as commenting that the glass market is continuing to grow at a rate of 3% per year. The glass market has also started making headway into solar products with the rise of "green" glass products used in the production of solar panels for the increased use of green energy and electricity.
Apart from just being used in conventional sectors such as electronics, green energy, and more, glass products also have much to contribute to the automotive sector. Companies such as Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), and Ferrari N.V. (NYSE:RACE) in this sector all rely on glass companies for the provision of automotive glass and coatings used in the manufacture of vehicles. Glass demand in this sector is also expected to stabilize throughout 2022, ensuring a vital customer base remains from which the glass industry can continue to benefit for years to come.
Photo by Quino Al on Unsplash
Our Methodology:
For our list below, we have selected glass manufacturers that are among the largest in the world, based on their market cap. The companies are ranked on the basis of the lowest to the highest market cap.
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: N/A
Market Cap as of November 3: N/A
Guardian Industries Company, based in Michigan, US, is among the largest glass companies in the world today. It manufactures float glass, glassware, fiberglass insulation, and other forms of building materials for commercial and residential construction. The company's products and services are also used in the automotive industry.
The company is a fortune 500 worldwide leader in the glass industry. The company's annual revenue as of 2022 was $4.3 billion, and it employs around 18,000 employees. At this moment, Guardian Industries Company supplies glass products to about 160 countries on five continents.
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: N/A
Market Cap as of November 3: N/A
Beijing Glass Group, based in Beijing, was founded in 1940. The company is a manufacturer of industrial and technical glass, alongside eyeglasses, quarts, and silicon materials.
Beijing Glass Group is also known for its production of photovoltaic cell modules used in the production of solar panels. The company also produces high-grade fused refractories, eyewear, and eye-care products.
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: N/A
Market Cap as of November 3: $50,040,000
Pilkington Glass Company (FRA:FDD) has been a subsidiary of Nippon Sheet Glass since 2006, and is based in Lancashire, United Kingdom. The company has become the world's leading producer and distributor of tempered automotive, aerospace, and building glass. Since the company's sales have been significantly high since its inception, it is considered on its own as one of the biggest glass companies in the world.
The company had a peak revenue of $593.4 million in 2021, and its revenue on average is $593.4 million annually. Pilkington Glass Company (FRA:FDD) focuses on the production of solar control, insulation, fire protection, noise control, self-cleaning, decoration, and other glass systems.
Stocks like Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), and Ferrari N.V. (NYSE:RACE) in the automotive industry benefit from the existence of companies such as Pilkington Glass Company (FRA:FDD) that provide specialized products for the production of automobiles.
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: N/A
Market Cap as of November 3: $1,250,000,000
China Glass Holdings Company (HKG:3300) is a manufacturer of flat and coated glass. The company was established in 2004. It was listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2005.
The company's main products include float glass, reflective glass, energy-saving glass, photovoltaic products, deep processing glass, and more. China Glass Holdings Company (HKG:3300) exports its specialized products to over 100 countries and regions, for use in landmark buildings on a national and international level.
China Glass Holdings Company (HKG:3300) is also a dividend-payer, holding a yield of 7.35% as of November 3. It has a forward P/E ratio of 3.78.
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: N/A
Market Cap as of November 3: $8,820,000,000
Vitro Glass (BMV:VITROA) was founded in 1909 in Monterrey Mexico and is currently one of the largest glass companies in the world. The company owns subsidiaries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, that also manufacture, process, distribute, and market glass products. It operates through these subsidiaries, numbering over 30 companies, based in Mexico, the US, Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama.
Vitro Glass (BMV:VITROA) is a specialized company in five areas: glass containers, construction glass, automotive glass, and mechanical equipment and chemicals. While it began its journey as a glass container factory, the company has since made strategic acquisitions in Bolivia and the US to expand its business areas.
The company has annual revenues of $1.77 billion. It employs about 15,000 people across the globe at present.
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: N/A
Market Cap as of November 3: $20,730,000,000
Saint Gobain Company (EPA:SGO) is the oldest company on this list, originally founded in 1665 and currently based in Paris, France. Saint Gobain is now a Fortune Global 500 company and primarily focuses on glass manufacturing, ceramic plastic, gypsum building materials, and other high-tech materials. It offers products to the automotive, home and office, and health and industrial sectors.
The company was originally a mirror manufacturer but is now one of the top 10 glass companies in the world. It has successfully been raking in over $40 billion a year, making it a leader in the glass manufacturing sector.
Saint Gobain Company (EPA:SGO) has a P/E ratio of 7.15, and employed over 167,000 people in 2021. It had a net profit margin of 6.77% in June 2922, demonstrating a growth of 15.33% year-over-year compared to the same period in 2021.
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 22
Market Cap as of November 3: $25,870,000,000
PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) is a provider of automotive coatings and flat glass, based in the US. The company also manufactures and distributes paints and specialty materials across the globe.
A Buy rating was reiterated on PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) shares on October 21 by analyst David Begleiter at Deutsche Bank. The analyst also placed a $128 price target on the stock.
PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) has become the world's largest producer of coatings after its purchase of select Akzo Nobel assets. The company's significant global footprint in over 75 countries and expanded consumer base helped it generate $16.8 billion in total sales in 2021. In the second quarter of 2022, PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) had record sales of $4.7 billion, demonstrating a growth of 8% year-over-year from the prior year.
Bailard Inc was the largest stakeholder in PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) in the second quarter, holding 9,271 shares worth $1.02 million. In total, 22 hedge funds were long the stock, with a total stake value of $240.2 million.
ClearBridge Investments, an investment management firm, mentioned PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) in its first-quarter 2022 investor letter. Here's what the firm said:
“”While commodities-exposed areas of the materials sector such as mining and steel fared well in the quarter, we tend to have less direct exposure to commodities across our portfolio. Holdings like paint and coating company PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG) that use natural gas and oil related products as feedstock into their products faced sharp input cost escalation, driving meaningful margin compression, which was not well-received by investors. While negative in the short term, we remain confident that the company will be able to adjust pricing accordingly and recover margins over the medium term.”
Like Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), and Ferrari N.V. (NYSE:RACE), PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) is among the stocks many hedge funds are piling into today.
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Disclosure: None. 12 Biggest Glass Companies In The World is originally published on Insider Monkey.
The earliest known glass manufacturing dates back to around 3500BC, with finds in Egypt and Eastern Mesopotamia. Discovery of glassblowing around 1st century BC was a major breakthrough in glass making
Today glass is being used in many industries including:construction,automotive,sports, recreation, food service and the kitchen. Construction and Civil Engineering news reviews the top glass manufacturers in the world.
Saint-Gobain(France)
Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A. is a French multinational corporation, founded in 1665 in Paris and headquartered on the outskirts of Paris, at La Défense and in Courbevoie. It is the leading glass manufacturer in the world.Originally a mirror manufacturer, it now also produces a variety of construction, high-performance, and other materials.
The company is designs , produces and distributes high quality photovoltaic glass and many other types of glass. The compoany’s annual revenue is estimated to be $47.7 billion.
AGC(Japan)
AGC is a Japanese company that produces, processes and distributes flat glass for the building industry (external glazing and interior decorative glass), the automotive industry (OEM and replacement glass) and various other sectors (transport, solar power and high-tech applications). The company is one of the biggest glass manufacturers in the world.
The AGC group has 200 companies in over 30 countries with more than 50,000 employees, focusing on 4 main business segments: Glass, Electronics, Chemicals and Ceramics. The company’s annual revenue is estimated to be about $11 billion.
Corning Inc.(USA)
Based in the USA, Corning is one of the world’s leading innovators in materials science, with a 169-year track record of life-changing inventions. Corning applies its unparalleled expertise in glass science, ceramics science, and optical physics, along with its deep manufacturing and engineering capabilities, to develop category-defining products that transform industries and enhance people’s lives.
Corning succeeds through sustained investment in RD&E, a unique combination of material and process innovation, and deep, trust-based relationships with customers who are global leaders in their industries. Annual revenue stands at about 11.8 billion.
PPG(USA)
Also in the list of leading glass manufacturers in the world is PPG. Founded in 1883 as Pittsburgh Plate Glass by Captain John B. Ford and John Pitcairn in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Today, PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, and specialty materials.
Through leadership in innovation, sustainability and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces in more ways than does any other company. The company utilizes latedt technology to produce top notch glass. It uses oxy-fuel furnace technology for its starphire glass becoming the first company to do so.
Total Net Sales for PPG as of 2019 was $15.1 billion. The company is ranked 209 on the Fortune 500. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: PPG).
Nippon Sheet Glass Co. (Japan)
Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited is one of the world’s leaders in manufacturing and marketing panes and pane systems. The company was founded in 1918 an has annual revenue of about $5 billion.Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited manufactures a variety of glass related products. The products include flat glass for construction, building materials, automobiles, and glass fiber products. Nippon Sheet Glass also develops glass for electronics such as plasma panels and opto-electronic devices.
Pilkington(UK)
Pilkington is a Japanese-owned glass-manufacturing company which is based in Lathom, Lancashire, United Kingdom. In the UK it includes several legal entities and is a subsidiary of Japanese company NSG Group.
The company was founded in 1826 as a partnership between members of the Pilkington and Greenall families, based in St Helens, Lancashire.The venture used the trading name of St Helens Crown Glass Company.On the departure from the partnership of the last Greenall in 1845, the firm became known as Pilkington Brothers.In July 1849, the business was incorporated under the Companies Act 1862 as Pilkington Brothers Limited.
Vitro(Mexico)
Vitro is a mexican glass company that started operations in 1909 in Nuevo León. In 1929, the company inaugurated its first Flat Glass Factory. In 1935, Vitro started exporting its products to other Latin American countries.
Throughout Vitro’s history, the Company has demonstrated a commitment to developing industry-leading technologies through continuous research and development initiatives and investments.
Cornwall Glass(England)
Established for over 40 years, Cornwall Glass is a family owned business specialising in the manufacture and production of glass and glazing products and services.
Cornwall Glass can produce and supply glass products to compliment any style of property and our friendly teams are on hand to advise and work with you on projects large and small.The company’s glaziers operate from all our locations offering a first class, flexible and professional service.
Sichuan Shubo Group(China)
Sichuan Shubo (Group) Co., Ltd. manufactures and distributes glass products. The Chinese company produces float glass, stained glass, bullet proof glass, tempered glass, and other related products. Sichuan Shubo (Group) markets its products worldwide.
Guardian Industries(USA)
Closing the top ten list of largest glass manufacturers in the world is Guardian Industries. It is a privately held industrial manufacturer of glass, automotive and building products based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The company manufactures float glass, fabricated glass products, fiberglass insulation and building materials for commercial, residential and automotive applications. The company employs more than 18,000 people and has present activities in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Guardian Industries was founded in 1932 as Guardian Glass Company. The company was originally established as a small windshield fabricator.