Heat Treated Glass Market Poised for Growth Owing to Advancements in Thermal Strengthening Technologies

The heat treated glass market mainly comprises of chemically strengthened or thermally tempered glass. Glass undergoes either chemical strengthening at low temperatures or thermal strengthening at higher temperatures to achieve increased strength and durability compared to annealed or float glass. Thermally strengthened glass or tempered glass is fabricated by heating glass to its softening point followed by rapid cooling, which introduces compression stresses on the surface and balanced tension stresses internally. This makes it several times stronger and more impact resistant than standard annealed float glass. It is widely used as safety glass panes in automotive, architectural and household applications where extreme mechanical, thermal or chemical stresses can potentially cause glass breakage.

Global Heat Treated Glass Market is estimated to be valued at US$ 474.5Mn in 2024 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 3.2% over the forecast period 2023 to 2030.

Key Takeaways
Key players operating in the heat treated glass market are Cincinnati Gasket Industrial Glass Products and Solutions, Asahi Glass Co.,Ltd., Corning Incorporated, SCHOTT North America, Inc., SCHOTT AG, CoorsTek, Inc., Vesuvius PLC, Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd., CeramTec and others.
The increasing use of tempered glass in the construction industry for windows, doors, facades and furniture presents significant growth opportunities in the coming years.
Advancements in glass thermal strengthening technologies such as ultra-fast quenching enable producing glass with enhanced mechanical, optical and chemical properties while reducing energy consumption during manufacturing.

Market Drivers:
Growing automotive production worldwide, especially for electric vehicles is a key factor driving the demand for heat treated glass in automotive applications such as windshields, rear windows, sunroofs etc. as they provide enhanced safety and strength. The increased adoption of large monolithic glass panels in modern architecture also propels the market growth. Stringent government regulations mandating the use of safety glass panes in hazardous locations further boosts the heat treated glass market.

Current Challenges in the Heat Treated Glass Market:

The heat treated glass market has been facing challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The imposed lockdowns and restrictions affected the production as well as the supply chain of heat treated glass. The shutdown of major end-use industries such as construction negatively impacted the demand for heat treated glass in 2020. Increasing raw material costs is another major challenge for manufacturers in this industry. Glass being a commodity, manufacturers have low bargaining power over suppliers for procuring raw materials at competitive prices. This affects their margins.

SWOT Analysis

Strength: Heat treated glass has properties such as scratch resistance, strength and thermal resistance making it suitable for various applications. It can withstand high temperature changes without breaking.
Weakness: The production of heat treated glass is a capital intensive and energy intensive process making the overall cost high. It also has low flexibility for designs and shapes compared to other glass types.
Opportunity: The growing construction and automotive industries worldwide are driving the demand for heat treated glass. Also, increasing consumer preference for smart homes and rise in retrofitting activities are expanding new areas of growth.
Threats: Presence of alternative materials that can substitute heat treated glass based on applications. Strict environmental regulations around glass manufacturing can increase compliance costs.

Geographical Regions with Highest Market Value

The Asia Pacific region dominates the heat treated glass market in terms of value, accounting for more than 40% of the global market share. This is attributed to high construction activities and presence of various automotive hubs in countries such as China, India, Japan and South Korea. North America and Europe are other major regions concentrating substantial market value due to developed end-use industries.

Fastest Growing Geographical Region

The Asia Pacific region is projected to be the fastest growing market for heat treated glass during the forecast period. This is owing to ongoing infrastructure development projects, rising automotive production, increasing disposable incomes and urbanization in developing countries of the region. Additionally, regional players are continuously expanding their production capacities to cater to growing regional as well as global demand.