With about 30 tonnes monthly sales of imported glass, the average daily sales in the second quarter of this financial year were around 1,232 tonnes. In the first quarter, the jump had been only 8.8 per cent, according to informed sources and data available from industry observers.

A leading glass dealer here said that imports have come down drastically and during this quarter the average daily sales of imported float and reflective glass were less than 1,000 tonnes a month. They used to be over 3,000 tonnes a month, a year ago.

Daily sales by the float/sheet glass companies had been increasing from April when it was 1,164.65 tonnes. July sales were 1,225.30 tonnes and they declined to1,167.07 tonnes in August. There was a jump again in September to 1,215 tonnes.

Another notable feature of the sheet glass trade has been the stability in prices at around Rs 38 per mm per square metre for float glass and Rs 33 per mm per square metre for sheet glass.

The stable prices had its effect on imports. During 1998, when an alleged manufacturers cartel had pushed up the glass prices to around Rs 48 for float glass and Rs 40 for sheet glass per square metre, the imports were around 3,000 tonnes a month. With stable prices, imports have come down to less than 1,000 tonnes a month.

The surplus in the market and possibility of imports at less prices have checked the domestic glass price spiral despite increase in manufacturing cost owing to the increase in fuel prices. There are six major float/sheet manufacturing companies. Among these Gujarat Gaurdian Ltd leads the market with 33.28 per cent in average sales during the second quarter.

Float Glass India Ltd followed with 24 per cent share insales. Triveni Glass Ltd, claims 16.50 per cent share of the market and Haryana Sheet Glass Ltd 15.12 per cent. Gujarat Borosil Ltd which manufactures only sheet glass, had 7.10 per cent of the market and Indo-Asahi Glass Company Ltd had four per cent of the total sales.

The market share configuration is expected to change with the entry of the seventh company, the 650-tonne daily capacity, Saint Gobain Glass India Ltd, whose plant is nearing completion at Sriperumbudur near Chennai, and is expected to go on stream in early 2000.

Going to be the only glass manufacturing company in south India, Saint Gobain India, will have the advantage of proximity to a market which accounts for about 25-30 per cent of the total float/flat glass sales in the country.

The company has also a captive market in its associate concern in Pune, Securit Saint Gobain India Ltd, which processes automotive glass. It can also easily tap the export market in the nearby Asian and African countries.