Overview of the Sheet Glass Market in Ukraine.
At the moment, the market of the glass industry in Ukraine is not experiencing the best time, which is facilitated by the economic crisis associated with military operations in the country. A sharp change in consumer behavior, mass mobilization, destroyed infrastructure of enterprises, and accelerated inflation do not contribute to economic revival in this area. Significant decline in production, closure, and bankruptcy of the oldest enterprises of the glass industry – all this has led to an acute shortage of domestic sheet glass. Therefore, the Ukrainian market of sheet glass is not satisfied with its production and is forced to import products from other countries.
Previously, domestic glass production was provided by: CJSC “Lisichanskiy glass plant “Proletary”, LLC “Glaskomerts” (Konstantinovka, Donetsk region), OJSC “Lviv mechsteklozavod”, LLC “Buchanskiy glassware plant”.
Lysychansk glass plant did not survive the global economic crisis of 2008 and was shut down in 2013, in 2015 an attempt was made to launch an industrial glass processing shop with modern equipment, but since 2016 the plant entered bankruptcy proceedings and in 2017 was sold for scrap. The specialization of the enterprise was the production of sheet glass (in the 2000s the plant produced float glass, furniture glass, mirrors for furniture, haberdashery mirrors, tinted glass, glass-mirror showcases, as well as tempered glass with silk-screened pattern, and glass furniture).
Lviv Mechsteklozavod is currently closed and completely dismantled, and a new residential complex has been built on its territory. The plant produced glass for Lviv buses, mopeds and motorcycles, forklifts, windows, and furniture.
Buchansky Glassware Plant LLC was established as a result of the restructuring of Buchansky Glassware Plant OJSC in 2000 and was a manufacturer of patterned and reinforced glass, window glass, mirrors, and glass processing tools. Not in operation since 2012.
Glaskomerts LLC was established based on the Kostyantynivskyi Glass Plant named after the October Revolution and is currently the only operating glass plant producing rolled sheet glass in Ukraine.
The next problem for the market, starting from the pandemic of 2021, was the shortage of materials, even more, aggravated in the market of raw materials and components: the previous systems of their supply, in particular steel and aluminum, were disrupted and interrupted, there was a dependence on energy, uncertainty, and globalization led to the emergence of uncontrolled value chains, which gave rise to a constant rise in prices for products.
The review considers global trends, as well as the place and problems of the Ukrainian sheet glass market.
