Since its establishment in 1964, Taiwan Glass Group has focused its efforts on the glass industry and pursued a sustainable business model. By constantly evaluating how to achieve economies of scale, it has provided customers with equitable prices, excellent quality, and comprehensive customer service. To ensure continued international competitiveness as its annual float glass production reached an unprecedented 3 million tons, Taiwan Glass Group embarked on an upstream vertical integration project. In 2008, in cooperation with overseas investors, the Shihlien China Holding Co., Ltd. was created, which in turn invested in the Shihlien Chemical Industrial (Jiangsu) Co., projected to produce 1 million tons of soda ash and 1 million tons of ammonium chloride annually.

As the most professional world-class glass group in Greater China, Taiwan Glass Group has a global outlook underpinned by a deep understanding of industry development and changes in industry conditions. At a time of fluctuating raw material prices, Taiwan Glass Group has undertaken vertical integration to ensure raw material pricing, supply and quality. Taiwan Glass Group recognizes that only through reliable upstream raw material supply and demand will it be able to build a firm foundation to provide customers with superior products. Therefore, at a time when float glass production volumes are reaching new highs, Taiwan Glass Group is crossing into the soda ash industry to oversee the manufacturing and production of the highest quality soda ash for glass manufacturing. Operations are expected to commence in the first half of 2012.

The global financial crisis of 2008 did not prevent Taiwan Glass Group from continuing its development in Greater China. With its solid financial strength, Taiwan Glass Group, along with overseas investors, devoted USD 600 million to the Shihlien Chemical Production Facility at the Huaian Economic Development Zone in Jiangsu Province, a region rich in salt mines. This facility will be a key location for soda ash raw material manufacturing and production. Located in northern Jiangsu Province, Huaian enjoys a convenient transportation network of railways, waterways, and freeways. The Shihlien Chemical production facility will have an annual production of 1 million tons of soda ash raw material, of which 680,000 tons will be supplied to Taiwan Glass Group companies and stockholders. The remaining output will be sold to select clients across Asia and delivered through Huaian’s superior transportation network.

The construction and management of the Shihlien Chemical production facility has been commissioned to outstanding professional teams that are highly experienced. All production lines will be designed by the Tianjin Bohai Design Institute of the Tianjin Chemical Group. Production at the plant will employ the ammonia-soda process, feature the world’s most advanced equipment and technology, have a comprehensive quality control system and be certified to meet environmental standards. In August, the National Development and Reform Commission examined and approved the environmental, safety, health, and other related aspects of the Shihlien project—all were found to be in compliance with strict national standards. The Shihlien Chemical production facility will be capable of guaranteeing world-class product quality.