Overview of the Glass Industry in India

Glass is a non-crystalline, often transparent amorphous solid and is widely applied today in many places. Most of the demand comes from container glass, accounting for 50% of glass consumption by value. Apart from a few big manufacturers, it is estimated that there are more than 1000 manufacturers in the MSME segment. The Indian glass industry has shown potential for growth in all segments and categories. This growth has been driven by the country’s booming automotive industries and construction market. These have been key drivers of the Indian economy for the past few years.

The glass industry consists of seven segments: sheet and flat glass (NIC1-26101), glass fibre and glass wool (NIC-26102), hollow glassware (NIC- 26103), laboratory glassware (NIC- 26104), table and kitchen glassware (NIC- 26105), glass bangles (NIC- 26106) and other glass wares (NIC – 26109). The commercial glass market in India is segmented into numerous categories mentioned below. This classification is according to many properties, including chemical composition, product type, manufacturing process, glass type and end-use industry. India employs an estimated 630,000 workers in the glass and mica industries, making the country one of the top 15 markets for glass packaging. Also, it is the 3rd fastest growing market after Turkey and Brazil.

Type of Glass Manufactured in India

The glasses manufactured in the Glass industry can be broadly divided into the following segment based on the product type -

Flat Glass: It is created when molten glass is spread out in sheets on a metal plane. Thin like sheets of paper, flat glass is used in windows, automobile windshields, picture glass, etc.

Annealed Glass: It is unprocessed glass or one which has not been subjected to any treatment like toughening, lamination or heat strengthening

Pressed/Blown Glass: Itis a form of glass made by pressing molten glass into a mould using a plunger at a glass industry. This process manufactures glass items like tables, ovenware, flat panel display glass, light bulbs, television tubes, scientific and medical glassware, etc.

FibreGlass: It is a form of fibre-reinforced plastic where glass fibre is reinforced into plastic, also known as glass-reinforced plastic. The glass fibre is usually flattened into a sheet, randomly arranged or woven into a fabric. It is used to make insulation (fibreglass), textile fibres for material reinforcement, optical fibres etc.

Processed Glass: Processed glass is subjected to different treatment types to make it suitable for diverse applications. Examples include tempered glass, safety glasses, reflective glass like mirrors, tinted glass, etc.

As per the above classification, the examples of glasses manufactured in the Glass industry are -

Opportunities for new Businesses in Glass Industry

The Indian glass industry is more efficient and productive today. It continues to seek new and improved products to maintain a competitive position by introducing innovative products like heat-resistant glass, fibre optics and photosensitive glass. Another innovative approach in the industry is manufacturing lightweight, break-resistant glass for containers and flat glass or fibre glass that recovers quickly after compacting. Besides, fibre composites and fibre optics carry more information than is currently possible. These advantages associated with glass manufacturing are expected to increase domestic and International demand for glass and, therefore, the need for new glass manufacturing units

Licences and authorisation needed for Glass Manufacturing Industry

Looking at the process of manufacturing glass, one can see that major industrial waste generated by this industry includes air emissions from fuel combustion for operating glass-melting furnaces. The primary emissions are sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulates. These can contain heavy metals such as arsenic and lead. Delicate particulate matter from the vaporisation and recrystallisation of materials is also released in this emission. Particulates from lead crystal manufacture carry a lead content of 20–60% and an arsenic content of 0.5–2%.

Specific speciality glasses can release hydrogen chloride (HCl), hydrogen fluoride (HF), arsenic, boron, and lead from raw materials. Container, pressing, and blowing operations in the glass industry can generate a periodic mist when the hot gob comes in contact with the release agent used on the moulds. This is why glass manufacturing has been put under the red category in the CPCB list of industries. The industry has to obtain a series of licences and permits along with waste management authorisation in case a TSDF facility is not available to manage the hazardous waste generated by the unit. The licences needed are as follows -

Consent NOC

The glass industry is considered a heavily polluting industry and is categorised in the red category according to the CPCB list. Most of the glass industry, like glass and fibreglass production and processing, requires consent NOC under the Red category. On the other hand, manufacturing mirrors from sheet glass and photo framing require consent under the orange category. For this No Objection Certificate, the glass manufacturer must apply as per their category to their concerned State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee.

Documents required for consent certificates

• PAN card
• SSI certificate
• Aadhaar card
• Industry Department Certificate
• Details on channelisation
• Total open land
• The project report
• Water usage breakdown
• Total constructed area
• DG specifications
• The layout/site plan
• Boiler type, fuel used and quantity
• Effluent/Sewage Treatment Plant flow diagram
• Product/by-product list
• Specifics on air pollution controls
• Registration proof of unit
• Raw material list
• Site plan
• Water bill
• Consent from the state's groundwater authority
• Factory/Trade License
• Authorisation letter
• Municipality or industry license

CGWA NOC for Industrial Use

Water is used in the glass industry for cooling, and most of the plants in the country operate with closed-loop systems. Water is required for washing glass in plants, but the need is for very high purity. So, water is re-circulated after treatment. NOC from Central Groundwater Authority is required if the glass manufacturing business unit needs to abstract groundwater.

Documents required for CGWA NOC are

• SSI Certificate
• Details on channelisation
• Industry Department Certificate
• DG specifications
• Total open land
• The layout/site plan
• The project report
• Water usage breakdown
• Total constructed area
• Raw material list with daily MTD/monthly quantity
• Boiler type, fuel used, and quantity
• Specifics on air pollution controls
• Product/by-product list with daily MTD/monthly quantity
• Factory/Trade License
• Site plan
• Water bill
• Authorisation letter
• Effluent/Sewage Treatment Plant Flow Diagram
• PAN card
• Aadhaar card
• Municipality or industry license
• Registration proof of unit

Additional licences and compliances

• Industry Registration Certificate
• Fire NOC
• Factories licence
• BIS registration
• Udyam certificate

Market Overview of the Glass Manufacturing Industry

Flat Glass Industry: The Indian flat glass market was valued at around 3 billion USD in 2021. The market is projected to grow by more than 7.9% CAGR during the forecast period (2022-2027). The total size of the Flat Glass industry in India is 2.05 lakh tons per month. Imported glass contributes approximately 21% of the Indian Flat Glass market. Future demand is fuelled by the increasing production of vehicles in the country and the growing demand for automotive glass amongst vehicle manufacturers.

Construction Industry: The highest market share in the Indian flat glass market is for the construction and infrastructure industry. This is due to the growing demand for flat glass in residential projects. The Indian construction market output is expected to grow, on average, by 7.1% each year.

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