(source: Pilkington news release)

20 December 2004. Pilkington Automotive has announced to customers in China the reorganization of its three Chinese manufacturing plants.

Pilkington operates three automotive glass plants in China; one fully owned plant in Guilin and two joint venture plants in Changchun and Wuhan, in which Pilkington is the majority and managing shareholder. A newly established umbrella company, Pilkington China Holdings Co. Ltd. owns Pilkington's interests in these plants.

A single, Pilkington-led, organization will be responsible for sales, NMI, purchasing, logistics, finance and production of all three plants.

The plants, which are now fully integrated into Pilkington Automtive's global organization, will be known as Guilin, Changchun and Wuhan Plants of Pilkington Automotive in China.

Every customer will have a primary point of contact in the form of a key account manager, responsible for business negotiations and dealing promptly with any operational requirements.

"These changes mark an important step for Pilkington, which has been operating in China since 1983 and is now the leading foreign supplier of Automotive glass to the Chinese automotive industry," said Pat Zito, president of Pilkington Automotive Worldwide.