SIC 3211 Flat Glass
SIC 3211
This group includes establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing flat glass. This industry also produces laminated glass, but establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing laminated glass from purchased flat glass are classified in SIC 3231: Glass Products, Made of Purchased Glass. Manufactured flat glass covered under this industry includes such types as building glass, cathedral glass, float glass, colored glass (including both cathedral and antique), insulating glass, laminated glass, optical glass, picture glass, sheet glass, structural glass, and window glass.
327211
Flat Glass Manufacturing
The flat glass manufacturing market is dominated by products intended for use by the office and housing construction industry. The construction market accounts for more than 50 percent of flat glass demand in the United States; the automotive industry accounts for a quarter of total demand; and the specialty glass market (mirrors, solar panels, and signs) accounts for 17 percent.
The fate of the flat glass industry, like that of most manufacturing industries, is inextricably linked to the status of the nation's general economy. Although low interest rates kept the new housing market robust into the mid-2000s, commercial and industrial construction fell off significantly in the early years of the decade. The value of U.S. flat glass product shipments has remained relatively flat, at $2.8 billion in 2003, the same value as in 1998. By 2004 industry analysts were predicting a steady worldwide demand, with annual growth of about 4 percent.
Flat glass producers can be divided into two major classes: makers of raw float glass and fabricators, or companies that treat raw glass with special coatings for finished products. Two popularly used types of treated glasses are tempered and laminated flat glass. Tempered glass is discussed in more detail below; information on laminated glass and other glass products can be found in SIC 3231: Glass Products, Made of Purchased Glass.
The distribution of flat glass once it has been manufactured and, when applicable, processed with special coatings, occurs along a multi leveled chain, with sales possible at all levels. According to Glass Magazine, the normal distribution routes for domestic and imported flat glass are directly from domestic or foreign producers to fabricators, glazing contractors, and retailers, or through independent glass distributors who, in turn, serve manufacturers, fabricators, glazing contractors, and retailers. However, many companies, which may have originated as either manufacturers or distributors, have found it profitable to expand from one segment of the market into another and have integrated manufacturing, fabrication, and sales into their operations.
The flat glass industry is subject to regulation by many government agencies and branches, including but not limited to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Bureau of Standards, and the Department of Commerce. Standards and recommendations for the glass industry are also set by such groups as the American National Standards Institute and the Building Officials and Code Administrators International, and more specialized groups such as the National Glass Association, the Chemical Manufacturers Association, the Glazing Industry Code Committee, and the American Architectural Manufacturers Association.
Archeological remains indicate that glass was first made in the form of beads or small rods in the near East (possibly Mesopotamia), beginning about 2500 B.C. Ancient glass was made from the same basic raw materials as modern glass: sand, soda, and lime, with other materials like dolomite and salt cake added. Early glass was used to make beads, vases, and other largely aesthetic objects; its fragility and limited transparency and the difficulties inherent in its production precluded other uses.
From ancient times until the beginning of the nineteenth century, glass was made by laborious hand methods. But mechanization followed on the heels of the great advances made in science and technology in that century, and this led to decreased production costs. Flat glass also became more functional, and by 1925, 42 plants in the United States were producing 600 million square feet of sheet glass.
In 1959 the English firm of Pilkington Brothers perfected the revolutionary float glass manufacturing process, which enabled flawless clear or tinted glass to be produced without the cumbersome grinding and polishing steps that had previously been necessary. The transparency of the new float glass allowed 75 to 92 percent of visible light to be transmitted to the interior of a room. The float glass manufacturing process also brought about savings: capital investment costs decreased by 25 to 50 percent per ton of glass, and manufacturing outlays decreased by 15 to 30 percent.
The energy crisis of the 1970s forced glass manufacturers to develop energy efficient glasses, like tinted and coated glasses. However, since such glasses absorb and reflect heat, they reach higher temperatures than ordinary windows. Thus, manufacturers developed tempered glass, which is heat-treated to increase its strength and ability to resist thermal stress. Tempered glass is considered safer than ordinary glass because when broken, it shatters into cube-shaped particles without jagged edges. Tempered glass is thus ideal for high- and rough-usage areas and those that come into contact with high heat, such as storefronts, shower doors, and fireplace screens. In addition, tempered glass cannot be cut, drilled, or edged, so it is used as a security glass in...
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