Editorial: A new era of compromise for global manufacturers of glass fibre and fabric

Continuous filament glass fibre accounts for as much as 88% of the fibre used for reinforcing composites in terms of tonnage, and has several advantages over carbon fibre as it is less brittle, less stiff and made from cheaper raw materials. Furthermore, there is much scope for new uses of glass fibre reinforced composites in the transportation sector, as well as in residential and commercial buildings and filter media. As such, major manufacturers of glass fibres and fabrics in Western Europe and the USA have expanded their capacities as demand has increased – despite growing competition from China. At the same time, some manufacturers have chosen to compromise by forging joint ventures with Chinese companies in order to remain competitive and gain access to the Chinese market. In the other direction, Chinese companies have set up operations outside China in order to gain access to Western markets. In this report, Robin Anson analyses the impact of expansions, joint ventures and foreign investment on the business strategies of some of the leading providers of glass fibre products, with particular reference to the USA-based companies Johns Manville and Owens Corning and the China-based company Jushi Group.

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