Glass Price Increases Set to Go Into Effect This April

Price increases for a variety of architectural glass products are set to go into effect this April, as primary glass manufacturers contend with higher material and service costs.

In a March 7 letter to customers,Guardian Industriesannounced it would increase prices for several products, effective April 8, 2013, citing "higher costs for the materials and services used in manufacturing and distribution of high quality glass products."

"We have seen an increase in costs for everything from sand to soda ash to dolomite," said Scott Thomsen,president of Guardian's Global Flat Glass Group, in an interview with Glass Magazine.

"Logistics costs have also played a part," Thomsen explained. "For example, look at trucking. The U.S. passed CSA 2010. Truck drivers can only drive so many hours per day, and trucking companies have needed to put more equipment on the truck, [more] hardware."

Effective with shipments beginning April 8, 2013, Guardian will increase prices on the following products:

9.5 percent on clear, tinted and patterned glass products 6 mm and thinner6 percent on clear, tinted and patterned glass products from 8 mm to 19 mm in thickness9 percent on ClimaGuard, DiamondGuard coated and SatinDeco acid-etched products9 percent on SunGuard products on clear float glass5 percent on SunGuard products on tinted and UltraWhite low-iron float glass6.5 percent on low-iron substrates - UltraWhite and UltraClear9 percent on all tempered products8 percent on all mirror and laminated products.

According to the letter from Bill Widmann, vice president of sales and marketing, Guardian's energy and transportation surcharges will remain in full effect, as previously established, and adjusted quarterly.

PPG Industriesis also increasing prices, effective April 15, 2013. In a March 14 letter to customers, the glass manufacturer reported that "PPG Flat Glass continues to experience rising material and operating costs despite continuing implementation of productivity improvements and cost mitigation efforts. To provide sufficient reinvestment economics that will justify continuing product supply and future product development, we find it necessary to increase pricing on our primary glass products."

According to the letter from Mark Seeton, director, sales and customer service, flat glass, PPG will implement the following price increases, effective April 15:

9 percent increase on clear glass; pattern glass; Solarban 60 and R100 coated glasses on clear; Solarban z50 coated glass; Sungate 400, 500 and 600 coated glasses; Clarvista coated glass; SunClean coated glass6 percent increase on Starphire ultra-clear glass; Solarphire glass; Solarban 70XL coated glass; Solarban coated glasses on tinted or Starphire ultra-clear glassHeat-strengthened and tempered glasses will increase by the amount shown above for the base substrateCut-to-size 6 mm and above Solarban coated glasses will be addressed via the CFP cut size matrix under separate cover.

PPG also noted in the letter that a portion of energy and transportation cost inflation will continue to be addressed by the quarterly surcharge letter.

Share this article: