Şişecam announce major investment in a new glass fibre plant in Turkey

The new plant, which will have an annual production capacity of 70,000 metric tonnes, is expected to become operational in the second half of 2018.  The Şişecam Glass Fibre business, originally Cam Elyaf Sanayii A.Ş., is now part of the Chemicals division of the Şişecam Group, and remains the sole manufacturer of glass fibres in Turkey from its existing glass fibre furnaces and production plant in Gebze, Kocaeli, located 65 km (40 miles) south east of Istanbul, supplying customers in 30 countries worldwide.

The planned new Şişecam glass fibre plant will be located in Balikesir, the north western part of Turkey, very close to the Aegean region industrial cluster where around 80% of wind energy manufacturers in Turkey are now located. The new plant will produce the current range of E-glass fibre reinforcement products supplied as strands, mats and bobbins for producing a variety of glass fibre filled engineering thermoplastics, phenolic brake pads, gypsum reinforcement, and numerous GRP composite end applications typically using unsaturated polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy and polyurethane resins. The range of Şişecam glass fibre products the new plant will produce includes: chopped strands in standard and custom lengths; emulsion and powder bonded chopped strand mats (CSM) for both open moulding and continuous production of GRP panels; multi-end continuous strand rovings for GRP production processes such as spray-up, continuous lamination, and sheet moulding compound (SMC) applications; single end continuous rovings for filament winding, pultrusion and weaving.

The new plant is primarily aimed at supplying the needs of customers in Europe, and this major investment decision is a clear statement of intent by Şişecam and long term commitment to remain a key supplier to the glass fibre business and to support European manufacturing industries looking for a reliable supply chain and a more local source of high quality glass fibre products. Key manufacturing sectors that are supplied by Şişecam glass fibre include: wind energy, automotive, land transportation, marine, industrial, building and construction. To meet the specification requirements of key industry sectors, Şişecam glass fibre products have various DNV-GL, Lloyds Register and FDA compliance certifications.

Şişecam has a growing global presence with more than 21,000 employees, globally operating in 13 countries, with expanded sales operations across 150 countries. Prof. Ahmet Kırman, Vice Chairman and CEO of Şişecam Group, stated: “We are the world’s third largest manufacturer of glassware and the fifth largest manufacturer in glass-packaging and flat glass fields. Besides, we are No. 1 in Europe in the field of flat glass. In addition to being the world leader in chromium chemicals, we rank among the top 10 soda producers of the world.”

“Şişecam has assumed a leading position in the development of the composite industry”
Şişecam Group has been operating in the field of glass fibre, one of the main inputs of the composite industry, since 1974. Ahmet Kırman continued: “Şişecam has a leading position in starting and developing the Turkish composite industry, which has now reached a volume of 1.2 billion Euros. It has recently gained further importance for the wind power, electronics, aviation, space and defence industries in addition to the leading industries of our country. The new plant, which is to be commissioned in the second half of 2018, will have an initial annual production capacity of 70,000 tons and will reinforce our glass solutions and services with further value added products for all the industries we serve.”

Şişecam Chemicals has a total production capacity of 2.2 million tons of soda products, which makes it the 4th largest producer in Europe and the 10th in the world. With future capacity increases, Şişecam Chemicals will remain one of the global players among soda ash and world leader among sodium bicarbonate suppliers. Şişecam Chemicals Group demonstrates its responsible approach with its continuous investments in the environment, meeting its own energy requirements by its energy cogeneration plant.