However, the company has started exports and its managing director S Santhanam said that the company's export target for March 2001 was 2,500 containers.

He said that the plant, built in two years, was equal in technology to the latest Saint- Gobain plant in the UK. (The French company has 25 glass float lines in 11 countries.) Over Rs 500 crore was invested in this plant and it is equipped to produce 650 tonne of clear, tinted and automotive glass everyday, though the plant is presently only producing clear glass.

Over 30 per cent of the unit's production is earmarked for exports.

Santhanam said, ``The float line employs several unique state-of-the-art technologies for the manufacture of advanced automotive and mirror quality glass''.

There are three other float glass companies in India. Gujarat Guardian Ltd, Float Glass India Ltd and the mini-float line Triveni Glass India Ltd.

The demand for float glass has been steadily increasing since last year when the industry climbed out of a period of recession. Saint-Gobain is the only flat glass company in south India which accounts for about 25-30 per cent of the 1,200 tonne daily sales glass market in the country.

Tamil Nadu industries secretary Shaktikanta Das said that Saint Gobain's export performance pointed to the fact that Tamil Nadu focuses was not only on infotech and the services sector but also on manufacturing companies.

He said that the government was keen on holding proactive interaction with French companies in Tamil Nadu to encourage foreign investment in the state.

A similar meeting was earlier held with Danish companies, he added.