PPG Industries and its joint venture partner will build a second fiber glass manufacturing furnace at their facility in Kunshan, China, officials from both companies recently announced. The additional furnace, with 38,000 metric tons of annual capacity, will serve the expanding electronics and thermoplastics industries. Construction of the new furnace is expected to begin later this year, with startup scheduled for the first quarter of 2006. "This rapid plant expansion symbolizes our commitment to the fiber glass industry and being a global leader," said Victoria Holt, vice president of fiber glass for PPG. "The demand for fiber glass is quickly growing in Asia, and we are committed to meeting the needs of our customers."

PPG's website is located at http://www.ppg.com.