3 MIN. READ
Glass is an integral part of society, so ingrained in everyday life that one scarcely notices it.
Nature manufactured glass long before man, such as the obsidian glass from volcanoes that humans turned into jewelry and tools. Around 1500 BC, manufactured glass appeared in the Middle East.
Today, it’s impossible to imagine life without glass. From eyewear to table wear, windshields to solar panels, glass makes life easier, more comfortable and more affordable. It is completely recyclable, and using recycled glass enables more efficient manufacture of new glass.
Glass is also a popular building material. Technology enables manufacturers to create a single glass sheet in excess of 56 feet in order to accommodate this trend.
The U.S. flat glass manufacturing sector, primarily used for buildings, is projected to reach more than $189 billion by 2027.
U.S. Glass Manufacturing Statistics
The National Association of Manufacturers estimates that in 2018 (the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Labor and Industry), manufacturers earned more than $87,000 per year in wages and benefits. Workers in other sectors earned, on average, only $67,000 per year.
According to data collected by MNI, compiler of the data that powers IndustryNet, the U.S. glass manufacturing industry is comprised of more than 2,100 companies employing over 106,000 individuals.
These numbers represent an increase of 1.49% over last year.
Overall, the industry is comparable to the wider U.S. manufacturing industry, but slightly more dependent on imported raw materials. About 11% of U.S. manufacturers import their raw materials, while about 16% of U.S. glass manufacturers do so.
Regional Distribution of U.S. Glass Manufacturers
The South is home to the largest number of U.S. glass manufacturers, with 669 companies representing 31% of those manufacturers.
Running a close second, the Midwest houses 608 glass manufacturing companies, or 28% of the nation’s total.
The West and the Northeast run a distant third and fourth as sites for glass manufacturing companies. The Western United States hosts 432 glass manufacturing companies, or 20% of the country’s total. A total of 281 glass manufacturing companies are located in the Northeast, or 13% of U.S. glass manufacturers.
Top U.S. Glass Manufacturers
Broken down by number of employees, the top U.S. glass manufacturers follow the regional distribution as discussed:
1. Gentex Corporation, located in Zeeland, Mich., tops the list with 5,000 employees working with automotive glass.
2. Fuyao Glass America Inc., also an automotive glass manufacturer, is located in Moraine, Ohio, and employs 2,300 individuals.
3. Pella Corporation, headquartered in Pella, Iowa, specializes in windows, doors and skylights. This company accounts for 2,224 employees.
4. Viracon is based in Owatonna, Minn., and provides jobs for 2,000 employees.
5. Safelite Autoglass, a nationwide automotive glass company, is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. It counts 1,600 individuals among its employees.
6. Anchor Hocking Inc., a longtime manufacturer of glass tableware and other foodservice glassware, calls Lancaster, Ohio, home. It employs 1,200 individuals.
7. SMR Automotive, based in Marysville, Mich., manufactures rearview mirror and intelligent cameras for automotive purposes, employing 1,085 individuals.
8. Corning, Inc., Optical Fibers Div., in Wilmington, NC, employs 1,000 individuals to manufacture optical fibers.
9. Gallo Glass Co. manufactures wine bottles from its Modesto, Calif., site that employs 1,000 individuals.
Those seeking a reliable source of glass or can search, source and quote for free among 400,000 U.S. manufacturers and suppliers of more than 10,000 products and services on IndustryNet. IndustryNet is also a powerful platform for suppliers to stand out to potential buyers.
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