Nippon Sheet Glas : NSG Group to Start Production of Solar Energy Glass in China with SYP

The NSG Group announces that it has reached agreement with its local partner Shanghai Yaohua Pilkington Glass Co., Ltd (SYP) to start production of the Group's NSG TEC™ solar energy products in China, to meet the rapidly increasing demands of the Chinese thin film Solar Energy industry.

The NSG/SYP joint venture facility in Changshu (JSYP) already uses NSG proprietary online coating technology to manufacture Pilkington Energy Advantage™, specialist energy-saving coated products for the Chinese market. This technology will now be upgraded for the manufacture of NSG TEC™ products, with shipments from Changshu expected to begin in January 2012.

The NSG Group currently supplies the many Chinese thin film Solar Energy customers from Japan and the US. The Chinese manufacturing capability will be gradually developed to enable local supply to the Chinese market. The Group expects to increase capacity further in China, with more coating projects under development in response to growing customer demands.

Craig Naylor, President and CEO, commented “The NSG Group is the leading supplier of a full range of TCO products to the global thin film Solar Energy module industry. Consistent with our Strategic Management Plan, we are building on our successful partnership with SYP, and further extending the scope of our Changshu joint venture.

JSYP will now focus on the thin film Solar Energy sector, in addition to making energy-saving products for the mainstream building products industry. We believe that the Chinese thin film solar sector has high growth potential and we already have strong links with the major Chinese thin film customers. This move will enable us to develop those relationships and to provide a high quality local service in China, the world's largest glass market.”