AGC Inc., based in Tokyo, has announced its decision to establish a new production plant at its Chinese subsidiary, AGC Automotive (Suzhou) Inc., to produce large 3D/complex-shaped cover glass for car-mounted displays. The plant, located in Suzhou Industrial Park in Suzhou in the province of Jiangsu, features a fully integrated production line, based on the latest technologies, which handles every stage of the process from optical thin coating to decorative printing and composite molding of complex curved surfaces. Commercial sales will begin in 2022 for several vehicle models whose orders have already been secured.

Due to major changes in the automotive industry, including autonomous driving, electrification and connected technology, vehicle cockpits are expected to continue adopting innovative, dynamic design as they evolve into a digital lounge. Driven by this trend, car-mounted display cover glass is expected to increase in size, shape complexity and functionality while, at the same time, safe design is becoming a key request as sizes increase. AGC has built up over 60 years of design expertise as a world-leading automotive glass company, providing customers with cover glass that delivers both high quality and safety.

In 2013, AGC became the world's first company to establish a production system for car-mounted display cover glass that fully integrates every stage ranging from raw glass to final processing, and launched the product for sale that year. In 2017, the company also began manufacturing and offering curved glass in addition to the already available flat glass, boasting a top global market share in the industry.

Together with the two existing plants in Japan, the establishment of the new plant marks AGC's third production facility, making it possible for the company to provide high-quality glass on a global level. AGC also plans to establish a new development center specializing in new design and high functionality at its Keihin Plant in Japan in order to realize a system capable of flexibly adapting to upcoming changes in cockpit design.

Highly acclaimed for its advantages shown below, AGC's car-mounted display cover glass has been adopted for more than 70 vehicle models, with total shipments expected to reach the equivalent of 20 million vehicles by September 2019.

Thus, AGC:

- Ensures the level of safety expected of an in-vehicle material by being molded under a special process that ensures maximum glass strength after undergoing AGC's unique design and evaluation process

- Provides a superior quality product as a result of the AGC Group handling every aspect of the production process -- including production of chemically strengthened glass, application of optical thin coating, decorative printing, and composite molding of complex curved surfaces

- Plays a key role in improving both the viewing clarity and usability of displays through proprietary coating and decorative printing technologies covered by multiple patents

Under its “AGC plus” management policy, the AGC Group has made a commitment to create products that add various pluses for stakeholders. Pluses for society include “safety, security and comfort” while pluses for customers include “new value and functionality.” As a pioneer of car-mounted display cover glass, the AGC Group is dedicated to pursuing technological innovations that allow it to continue providing products that add new value and exceed customers' expectations.

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