Glass & Glass Product Manufacturers
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 1,310 glass manufacturers in the US produce glass products, including flat glass, containers, glassware, housewares, and specialty glass, and process glass via coating, laminating, tempering, and shaping to give the glass specified or regulated properties. The industry is concentrated with the 20 largest firms controlling 65% of revenue.
Volatile Energy Costs
Glass manufacturing is an energy-intensive activity and fluctuations in the price of natural gas and other fuels can have a significant impact on operating costs.
Recycled Raw Materials
Manufacturers can use cullet (recycled glass) to make new glass products while reducing energy costs and emissions.
Industry size & Structure
A typical glass and glass product manufacturer operates out of a single location, employs 65 workers, and generates about $19.5 million annually.
- The glass and glass product manufacturing industry comprises about 1,310 companies, employing more than 82,200 workers and generating about $26.4 billion annually.
- The average manufacturer of other blown or pressed glass operates out of a single location, employs about 32 workers, and generates $9 million annually.
- The average container manufacturer operates out of 1-2 locations, employs about 183 workers, and generates about $121 million annually.
- The industry is concentrated with the 20 largest firms controlling 65% of revenue.
- About 63% of establishments have fewer than 20 employees.
- Large US companies include O-I Glass, Owens Corning, Libbey, Anchor Hocking, Apogee, and American Fiber Green Products.
Industry Forecast
Glass & Glass Product Manufacturers Industry Growth
Recent Developments
May 30, 2024 - Producer Price Hikes Ease
- Producer prices for glass and glass product manufacturers were flat (up 0.1%) in March compared to a year ago after rising 7.7% in the previous annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Despite March’s flat comparison, producer prices for makers of glass and glass products remain near all-time highs. Residential construction spending – a demand driver for glass and glass products – rose 4.3% in March year over year and jumped 15.6% from the previous month. Meanwhile, employment by the industry fell 4.6% in March versus a year ago and remains below pre-pandemic levels, BLS data show.
- Artificial intelligence is making rapid inroads in glass and glass product manufacturing, according to Glass Magazine. Practical applications for AI systems in the glass industry include auto-replacing purchase orders for stock replenishment, with AI assuming the task of stock management. By automating purchase orders, the AI system ensures that stock levels are maintained efficiently without the need for manual intervention. AI’s ability to analyze stock levels, predict future requirements based on usage patterns, and automatically place orders to replenish stock streamlines inventory management and reduces the risk of human error, ensuring that the supply chain is uninterrupted and responsive to demand fluctuations. AI is also well suited for monitoring and optimizing the throughput of each machine and workstation in the glass manufacturing process, Glass Magazine reports.
- Manufacturers of glass and glass products are facing an acute labor shortage, which only looks to get worse, Glass Magazine reported recently. “Labor is the number one challenge for fabricators, glaziers, and full-service glass companies," says Jenni Chase, VP of Workforce Development for the National Glass Association, adding, "It is the biggest pain point for the glass industry,” Moreover, the construction and manufacturing industries are also facing a chronic labor shortage. Construction will need half a million workers on top of the normal hiring rate to keep up with labor demand in 2024 and again in 2025, per the Associated Builders and Contractors. A study by Deloitte and the National Association of Manufacturing reports that the ongoing shortage of skilled labor could lead to 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030. Recognizing the severity of the labor shortage, the NGA has added Workforce Development to its organizational goals.
- Architectural billings – a leading indicator of construction activity – predict a solid year for the construction market in 2024, albeit a slower rate of growth than in 2023. According to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), overall gains in construction spending are projected at just under 6%, with almost 3% for the commercial sector, 15% for industrial facilities, and 4% for institutional buildings. Commercial construction will continue to benefit from the billions of dollars in infrastructure investment from the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act, which are still working their way into the economy. While final numbers for 2023 aren’t in yet, total construction spending in 2023 is forecast at $1,960 billion, an increase of 6.0% over 2022, with nonresidential spending leading that growth, Contractor Magazine reports. Demand for glass windows and doors is driven by construction activity.
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