Schott opens processing factory in China

26-Apr-2002

The Mainz, Germany-based technology company Schott Glas opened a modern processing plant for flat glass and CERAN® glass ceramic cooktop panels in China on April 25, 2002. Located in Suzhou, approximately 80 kilometers west of Shanghai, Schott Home Tech (Suzhou) Co. Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Schott Glas, employing around 90 people.

$US 10 million (11.1 million Euros) has been invested in the new facility which is located on 13,000 square meters of land in the Suzhou New District technology park, where over 550 European, American and Asian companies are located including Siemens, Motorola and Sony. The Schott factory was built and made operational within nine months. Two production lines have been installed for the processing of flat glass and CERAN® glass ceramic cooktop panels for household appliances. The high quality processing steps include cutting, grinding, drilling, screen printing and tempering using advanced machinery and technology.

The processed flat glass is destined for the appliance industry for applications such as hob tops, oven doors and freezer lids, while the glass ceramic cooktop panels are being manufactured for both gas and electric cooking appliances for Chinese and other Asian markets.

Just as Schott revolutionized the kitchens of Europe and North America during the past three decades with its easy-to-clean CERAN® glass ceramic cooktop panels, the company is now targeting Asian markets with solutions for induction, radiation and gas technologies in both built-in stoves and table-top appliances. Through close cooperation with the appliance industry, Schott tailors solutions for CERAN® glass ceramic cooktops with both electric and gas energy sources to suit the cooking cultures of diverse countries.

With this investment in the world's most populous country, Schott is meeting the growing demand concentrated in the urban areas of Shanghai, Beijing and the coastal region of Guangzhou. The market for household appliances is growing at an estimated annual rate of 8 percent in China, where discerning consumer are seeking new and innovative products, preferably from foreign firms.

Through local processing capabilities, Schott is now able to provide faster service to its Chinese customers. Schott sees itself as a partner of the appliance industry and will work closely with manufacturers to develop modern designs and applications for the Chinese market.

With Schott Home Tech (Suzhou) Co. Ltd. Schott Glas now operates 99 companies worldwide. Last year Schott reached more than 2 billion Euros of sales and employed around 19,800 people in 38 countries.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/10372/schott-opens-processing-factory-in-china.html