Guardian Industries has started production at its Krasny Sulin, Rostov region, Russia float glass manufacturing plant.
The initial ribbon pull marking the beginning of production took place earlier this week. The $220-million plant is Guardian’s largest to date, producing 900 tonnes of glass per day, and will include a technologically advanced glass coater.
The Rostov region plant will make an important contribution to area economic growth, providing building material for the region and beyond. It will produce glass products for construction of homes, offices, retail, health-care and other facilities.
The location is a good fit for Guardian’s growth strategy to supply glass to Russia and neighboring countries. The area is close to Sochi, home of the 2014 Winter Olympics. In 2008, Guardian began production at its first Russian plant in Ryazan, serving the greater Moscow region.
“Guardian is bullish on Russia given the excellent growth at our first plant in Ryazan and the customers we have in the country,” said Scott Thomsen, Guardian Global Glass Group president.
The new plant is located 957 kilometers (594 miles) from Moscow in the southern part of Russia along the Azov Sea.
"Our sales programmes at the new plant will focus on the southern Russian and the East Ukrainian regions,” said János Együd, managing director of Guardian Steklo Services, the company overseeing the Ryazan and Rostov plants.
