Italian glass industry registers growth in 2018

The Italian glass industry reported strong year-on-year growth in 2018, including a 6% upturn in production and 10.4% increase in exports.

The results, presented by Assovetro during its annual meeting on 5 July, revealed a positive performance in all production segments.

The production of flat glass exceeded 1 million tons (+20.7%), driven mainly by the building renovation sector. The segment also saw significant growth in exports, up by 40% compared to 2017.

Container glass closed the year at 4.3 million tons (+2.7%), an increase attributable mainly by the strong performance of the food industry: +3% in the production of bottles, +1.4% jars for preserves and +4% bottles for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

Glass wool and yarns also saw significant growth, with production up 13.3% and exports up 6%. The sector employs 16,500 people and has 102 manufacturing facilities.