MorePPG Industries' Wigan, England, fiber glass plant is proposing to transform its manufacturing processes and workforce to direct its focus on the European market for single-end, direct-draw rovings. The proposed restructuring involves significant streamlining of the facility's manufacturing processes at the site, as well as a reduction of approximately 100 jobs by the end of March 2007.
The transformation's objective is to enable the Wigan facility to be more competitive in select European markets, according to Steve Verdin, Wigan plant manager. "Our entire two-furnace operation will be geared to meeting European customers' growing needs in the wind energy, long-fiber thermoplastics and high-pressure pipe industries," said Verdin. "We intend to invest approximately $5 million in automated, state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities to provide our customers with high-quality, direct-draw product at competitive prices."
As part of the Wigan transformation, PPG will shift the manufacture and supply of chopped strand fiber glass mat to the PPG Sinoma Jin Jing Fiber Glass Zibo, Ltd. joint venture in Zibo, China. PPG's website is located at www.ppg.com.
The transformation's objective is to enable the Wigan facility to be more competitive in select European markets, according to Steve Verdin, Wigan plant manager. "Our entire two-furnace operation will be geared to meeting European customers' growing needs in the wind energy, long-fiber thermoplastics and high-pressure pipe industries," said Verdin. "We intend to invest approximately $5 million in automated, state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities to provide our customers with high-quality, direct-draw product at competitive prices."
As part of the Wigan transformation, PPG will shift the manufacture and supply of chopped strand fiber glass mat to the PPG Sinoma Jin Jing Fiber Glass Zibo, Ltd. joint venture in Zibo, China. PPG's website is located at www.ppg.com.
With access to over one million professionals and more than 60 industry-specific publications,
