Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday inaugurated a float glass plant, an integrated windows line and Saint-Gobain–SIPCOT Urban Forest mission at Saint-Gobain's World Glass Complex at Sriperumbudur, in neighbouring Kancheepuram district. These facilities, established with an investment of over Rs 500 crores, will provide employment to over 200 people and take the cumulative investment in the World Glass Complex to over Rs 3,750 crores. "Globally, the World Glass Complex at Sriperumbudur, continues to be the group's single largest investment destination," the glass making giant said. With a record of investing in Tamil Nadu for over two decades, Saint Gobain is giving a thrust to the Tamil Nadu government's vision of 1 trillion dollar economy, housing and green Tamil Nadu Mission, the company said.
The Chief Minister who went around the complex and later laid a sapling as part of the mission to spread green cover in the state, urged investors to choose Tamil Nadu as their destination. "Companies like Saint Gobain should come forward to invest in Tamil Nadu," he said on the occasion. Benoit Bazin, CEO of Compagnie de Saint-Gobain and B Santhanam, CEO, Asia Pacific & India region, Saint-Gobain, Minister for MSME T M Anbarasan, S Krishnan, additional chief secretary and Lise Talbot Barre, Consul General of France in Pondicherry and Chennai were also among those who participated. The float glass plant will meet the emerging needs of architectural, automotive (including electric vehicles) and solar applications, showcases the capacity, capability, technology and state-of-the-art industry 4.0 features. It reflects the group’s vision of being the reference for light and sustainable construction and furthers the $ 1 Tn economy vision of Chief Minister Stalin.
Former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had laid the foundation stone of the first float glass plant in January 1998 and inaugurated it in September 2000, catalysing the growth of the Saint-Gobain group in India. The plant has an expanded production capacity of 130 percent today with a revolutionary design that will result in reducing the unit energy consumption by 20 percent. The Integrated Windows Line is the world's first and Asia's largest fully integrated facility and it is spread over 10,000 sqm. It will have an annual production capability of 1,00,000 windows by the end of 2022. The fully digitised and completely automated plant is backed by best-in-class innovation, research and testing to deliver the largest portfolio of UPVC Window products focusing on the evolving needs of acoustics, solar / thermal comfort and security. This project is well-aligned with Tamil Nadu government's thrust on housing, the company said. Close to 60,000 trees spanning over 40 resilient native species have been planted over an area of 3,00,000 sqft at the Saint Gobain–SIPCOT Urban Forest joint-venture initiative to increase the state's green cover to 33 percent.
"We began our greenfield investments in the country close to two-and-a-half decades ago. We are very positive about our economic, business and social results. As a Group, we are committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 in line with our purpose of 'Making the World a Better Home'" said Benoit Bazin.
Assuring to continue to innovate by developing products and solutions that are lighter, recyclable and produced using "low-carbon" materials and processes, he said, "our experience in India has been extremely good. "We have sustained high growth rates for a long period and have leadership positions in building materials (glass & glass solutions, gypsum, mortars, insulation and construction chemicals). We are today, the No.1 company in light & sustainable construction in India," Bazin said. "I am glad that with today's investments, the World Glass Complex continues to be a shining example of the faith that we have in India and in Tamil Nadu," he added. According to B Santhanam, with investments close to Rs 4,700 crores in Tamil Nadu across 15 plants in four locations, consistently exceeding the MoU investment commitments made to the state government, Saint Gobain is well poised to support the government's growth ambition. A R Unnikrishnan, Managing Director, Saint-Gobain India Private Limited-Glass Business said, "Today, with 5 plants, we have over 50 percent of India's float glass manufacturing capacity. Sixty percent of our float glass investments are in Tamil Nadu in the World Glass Complex which also accounts for over 90 percent of value-added flat glass exports from India.
PTI Inputs
