is a Japanese glass manufacturing company. In 2006, it acquired Pilkington of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. This makes NSG/Pilkington one of the four largest glass companies in the world alongside another Japanese company Asahi Glass, Saint-Gobain, and Guardian Industries. The company is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

History

The company was established in November 1918 as America Japan Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. with its head office in Osaka, after it obtained technology from Libbey Owens Ford Glass Co. of the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

to produce flat glass using the Colburn process. The company changed its name to the Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. in January 1931. It expanded operations across Japan post

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and in October 1970, acquired Nippon Safety Glass Co., Ltd. In April 1999, the company merged with Nippon Glass Fiber Co., Ltd. and Micro Optics Co., Ltd. In April 2001, the company acquired Nippon Muki Co., Ltd. and in July 2004, moved the registered head office from Osaka to Minato Ward in Tokyo.

Pilkington

In 1986, Pilkington bought Libbey Owens Ford. Following an agreed acquisition of 20% of Pilkington of the

in 2001, in 2006, NSG purchased the remaining 80% of shares.

Present

Founded in 1918, NSG acquired the leading UK-based glass manufacturer Pilkington plc in June 2006. Today, the company has combined sales of approximately JPY 800 billion, with manufacturing operations in 29 countries and sales in 130 countries, employing some 25 thousand people worldwide. The Group's Flat Glass businesses, encompassing Building Products and Automotive Products, account for 90 per cent of annual sales, with the balance being in Technical Glass (Creative Technology Business). The Creative Technology business covers a number of niche markets, including lenses for printers and scanners, specialty glass fibers and glass flakes, mainly glass cord, which is a reinforcing material for timing belts, and Fine Glass products. Geographically, approximately 40 per cent of the Group's sales are in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

, 25 per cent in Asia including Japan and 35 per cent in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

and South America. About NSG , NSG Corporate Website
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Main products in Japan

NSG TEC solar energy products, technical glass for white goods and displays

Home use

* SPACIA: Double glazing with vacuum layer at center plane. (Eco-Glass) * SECUO: Security glass as laminated glass with resin sheet. * PAIR REIBORG: Double glazing, sunshading and high-thermal insulating glass with special metal coating. (Eco-Glass) * PAIR REIBORG HIKARI: Photocatalytic cleaning glass with REIBORG. (Eco-Glass) * HOME TOUGH LIGHT: Toughened glass with 5 times toughness as normal glass.

Building use

* UMU: Electric controlled switching glass with transparent or photo scattered.

Telecom・IT use

* SELFOC: Flat-end-type Rod lens with graded index by ion exchange (self focus) * SLA SELFOC LENS ARRAY: Arrayed Selfoc lens for scanning image like a copy-machine or printer.

Automobile use

* LAMIPANE: Laminated glass for windshield. * THERLITE-T: Heater line installed Anti-fogging glass.

References

External links

NSG Group Website

Pilkington Website

GO FOTON!
(formerly NSG America, Inc.) {{Authority control Glassmaking companies of Japan Glass trademarks and brands Manufacturing companies based in Tokyo Mitsui Companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Japanese brands Sumitomo Group Manufacturing companies established in 1918 Japanese companies established in 1918