Dear Readers and BV Glas Members,
The current situation in the German glass industry – and in all other sectors of industry – is particularly challenging due to the fact that the German economy has bottomed out. Even though the situation appears to be stabilising at this low level, we do not expect to see any noticeable signs of economic recovery until mid-2025.
Despite the mood of crisis that has been our constant companion in recent years, we must not lose sight of our strengths. The German glass industry is the largest in Europe, the fourth largest in the world and represents a central glass trading hub in Europe. The companies in our industry are strong exporters to non-European countries, many of them have already made excellent progress towards greater efficiency and sustainability, and German-made glass products are technological leaders.
This is something we can build on when we tackle the biggest challenge in coming years: the decarbonisation of the glass industry. Many companies have already embarked on the path towards climate neutrality and it is encouraging to see how many promising projects have been initiated. Nevertheless, decarbonisation is an extremely ambitious undertaking that can only be achieved with the necessary political backing and social acceptance. Maintaining the German glass industry’s competitiveness depends to a decisive extent on the establishment of a framework that supports the transition to alternative technologies. Most importantly, that includes the expansion of the infrastructure to provide a continuous supply of green electricity and hydrogen and, at European level, inclusion in the list of sectors eligible for electricity price compensation under the EU Emission Trading System. BV Glas will continue to do everything in its power to ensure that these demands are heard by the political community.
I would like to thank the BV Glas team at headquarters and the employees of our member companies who are involved in association work for all their hard work to promote the glass industry’s interests.