Pilkington And Saint-Gobain To Build Plant In Brazil

Pilkington and Saint-Gobain, currently joint shareholders in Cebrace Cristal Plano Ltda in Brazil, are to build a fourth float glass line in Brazil. It will be built in Barra Velha in the southern state of Santa Catarina. The new line will be designed and constructed by Pilkington incorporating the latest technology in float glass production and will be operated by the joint venture. The most recent of the three current float lines run by the existing joint venture was similarly designed and built by Saint-Gobain. The new Barra Velha plant will have an output of 200,000 tonnes per year and will provide additional capacity to the three existing lines in Jacarei and Cacapava, Brazil. The product range will vary from 2 to 12 mm of clear and tinted glass, mainly for the building and furniture sectors. It will serve both the domestic and export markets, and is due to come on stream at the end of 2002.