The flat glass market is expected to reach a CAGR of over 5%, over the forecast period. Flat glass is a type of glass, initially produced in plane form, commonly used for windows, glass doors, transparent walls, and windscreens. For modern architectural and automotive applications, the flat glass is sometimes bent after the production of the plane sheet. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, most of the manufacturing facilities have been shut down, and automotive production has been affected severely and impacted the production facilities for several months due to the lockdown, and the supply chain throughout the world has been fractured. The economic instability due to the pandemic outbreak has also made developers, in both public and private sectors, rethink their projects as a debts mount. This has created a downfall in the construction sector.

- Over the medium term, the major factors driving the growth of the market studied are increasing demand from the construction industry in which glasses are being used in windows, facades, doors, interior partitions, balustrades, shop fronts, and railings for stairs and balconies, among other building parts and growing demand for electronic displays as the increasing demand for consumer electronics, such as televisions, smart phones, tablets, laptops, wearables, and other devices.
- On the flip side, fluctuating raw material prices, and the impact of COVID-19 are expected to hinder the growth of the market.
- Asia-Pacific region is expected to account for the largest share of the global flat glass market with the largest consumption coming from countries such as China, Japan, ASEAN Countries, etc.,

Key Market Trends

Construction Industry to Drive the Demand for Flat Glass

The construction industry is the largest end-user segment of the market studied. Moreover, the ongoing trend of smart city projects is also anticipated to drive the flat glass demand. Flat glasses are made of sodium silicate and calcium silicate, and are available from 2mm to 20mm thickness ranges, for several applications. They have a weight range of 6kg/m2-36 kg/m2. These glasses are often considered as building blocks for several types of architectural and interior applications. Glasses are being used extensively in the construction industry, in windows, façade, doors, interior partitions, balustrades, shop fronts, and railings for stairs and balconies, among other building parts, providing potential opportunity to float glasses. The body-tinted float glass is a new type of glass, in which, melted colorants are added for coloring and solar-radiation absorption properties. This type of glass saves energy, reduces heat penetration into buildings, and provides a striking visual effect.

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Previously, flat glass was used for smaller windows in domestic housing, since larger windows required toughened glasses. Currently, flat glass can also be toughened by putting it through a heating process, which very nearly melts it, and then cools it to ambient temperatures, using a jet of cold air. This glass requires a greater pressure to break. This characteristic makes the glass suitable for use in building applications. The increasing construction activities in the United States and Europe, along with the growing tourism in Saudi Arabia, are driving the market studied.​ The United States has one of the world’s largest construction industry, and it recorded an annual revenue of USD 1,306 billion in 2019. ​According to the US Census Bureau, the total construction spending in July 2020 was about USD 1,364.6 billion, which was 0.1% lesser than the amount spent in July 2019. The industry is still recovering from the COVID-19 outbreak.

In Europe, the construction activities are mainly driven by residential and commercial construction. The top hotels brands are expanding their businesses in Europe.​ The InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is planning to construct 79 new hotels in the region. Meanwhile, Hilton Hotels is planning to expand its portfolio of Hampton by Hilton, Double Tree by Hilton, and Hilton Garden Inn, each with 42, 17, and 17 new hotels. The new hotel construction work in Europe is dominated by Germany, the United Kingdom, and France, followed by Spain, Italy, Poland, and Russia. The new luxurious hotels come with some astonishing architecture and colored glasses, as they provide a rich look. This is expected to drive the market. ​ The construction sector of Asia-Pacific has been witnessing a steady growth, in the recent past, owing to the presence of fast-growing economies, rapid urbanization, and rising infrastructure spending. The increasing presence of foreign companies in the Asia-Pacific region has also created demand for the construction of new offices, buildings, production houses, etc., thereby, driving the growth of the construction sector in the region.

Owing to all the aforementioned factors, the market for flat glass is projected to grow during the forecast period.

Asia-Pacific Region to Dominate the Market

Asia-Pacific region is expected to account for the largest share of the global flat glass market with the largest consumption coming from countries such as China, Japan, ASEAN Countries, etc. Asia-Pacific accounted for the largest share, with about 56.70% of the total revenue of the global flat glass market in 2019. Moreover, international vendors are shifting their manufacturing base to the Asia-Pacific region. This can be due to the availability of cheap unskilled and skilled workers in the region.

Rapid industrialization and urbanization in India, China, and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, combined with the adoption of smart and energy-efficient technology as advanced construction practice have a positive influence on the flat glass demand. More than 45-50% of India's flat glass industry is linked to the architectural sector. However, the energy sector’s share is expected to increase, with India's emphasis on solar power and its target of achieving 100 GW of solar power by 2022.​ Flat glass is also used as display glass for various consumer electronic goods, like mobile phones and tablets. According to the Brand Equity Foundation, the demand for electronics hardware in the country is expected to reach USD 400 billion by 2024-2025, with the National Policy (DNP) targeting the production of one billion mobile handsets by 2025. This is expected to create a huge demand for flat glass in the country during the forecast period. ​An increase in applications, such as window and windshield, in countries, such as India and China, may also drive the market. For instance, in India, according to the IBEF, 24.97 million vehicles were sold in the recent past.

China’s 13th Five Year Plan started in 2016, as it was an important year for the country’s engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) industry. In addition, the country ventured into new business models domestically and internationally, during the year. Although the construction sector slowed down after 2013, it is still a major contributor to the GDP of the country. The China’s construction industry developed rapidly in the recent past, due to the central government’s push for infrastructure investment, as a mean to sustain economic growth. The Chinese automotive manufacturing industry is the largest in the world. In 2019, according to OICA, the automotive production of China is estimated to around 25.7 million while India accounted for 4.5 million. ​

All the aforementioned factors, in turn, are expected to drive the demand for the flat glass in the region during the forecast period.

Competitive Landscape

The flat glass market is highly consolidated, with the top five players constituting more than half the market share. Some of the key players include Saint-Gobain, AGC Inc., GUARDIAN GLASS LLC, and Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd,, Sisecam Group, among others.

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