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South Asia, consisting of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, is one of the fastest-growing regions in terms of population and GDP. The region encompasses more than two billion people, making it the largest sub-region of Asia. In terms of population, this region represents 25.2% of the world’s total – an impressive figure in any context, and a mouthwatering opportunity for companies seeking sheer numbers and progressive economies embracing consumerism.

Combined with its large population, rising disposable income, and tropical weather, the region is one of the rapidly expanding markets for beverages, which has in turn fueled container glass demand. Along with the beverages sub-segment, the packaged food and pharmaceutical segments have also experienced significant growth, resulting in considerable profits for container glass suppliers.

Add to that the fact that the cost of manufacturing container glass in South Asia has substantially decreased in the past 20 years, and you can see what attracts container glass manufacturers to this region. The region’s economies are expected to further reduce the price of container glass over the coming years, owing to the large skilled talent pool, unskilled labour force, average energy cost, and availability of most raw materials. The article by Yogender Singh Malik in this issue provides compelling reasons why, for ambitious organisations looking for new opportunities, this might be the region to call on if they have not already done so.

A bit further away, in Indonesia, our report from Jahir Ahmed suggests that the demand for processed glass in the world’s fourth most populated country and the largest economy in ASEAN is steadily increasing in order to meet the demands of the construction, industrial, and automotive sectors as a result of the recovery following Covid-19. Companies engaged in the glass processing industry in Indonesia are taking full advantage of this opportunity, utilising approximately 90% of their capacity and operating profitably.

Indeed, Indonesia has emerged as a natural choice for one of the region’s most vibrant glass industries. Micro and macro indicators for the glass industry in Indonesia for recent quarters indicate steady numbers in the future. For foreign investors seeking to complement operations in China, Indonesia offers an enormous market with substantial growth prospects.

Another exciting development is the emergence of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) from their niche market status, with solar glass makers now offering products customised for these applications, writes Rohan Gunasekera.

Previously unprofitable solar glass manufacturers are now producing products specifically designed for the BIPV industry, giving consumers a wider choice. As an example, the introduction of colour solar panels contributes to their aesthetically pleasing appearance, an important aspect of BIPV systems.

These trends mark the beginning of BIPV’s commercial growth as the technology becomes competitive and spreads to mass markets. It has become the standard practice for several solar glass manufacturers to offer products for the roofing market, since this is seen as the most viable market to begin with.

There is also growing regulatory pressure across many countries to improve building energy performance and decarbonise their energy supply. While much remains to be done to further popularise BIPV, it is a market with great potential.

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China Glass

Shanghai, China| 2024 TBC

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