Buying a used float glass plant can save years compared with building new, but only if you check the right things before you commit. After 35 years in glass manufacturing, these are the questions I would ask first.
1. Why is it for sale, and how was it last run?
Ask for the operating history: production records, last campaign length, reasons for shutdown and any known problems. A plant that was run well and stopped for commercial reasons is a very different purchase from one that was failing.
2. The furnace and tin bath
These are the heart of the line and the hardest items to assess. Ask for the furnace age, the state of the refractories, the tin bath condition and how both were cooled down or kept warm.
3. Annealing lehr, cutting line and handling
Check the lehr length and control system, the cutting and stacking equipment, and the condition of drives, bearings and conveyors.
4. Documentation and drawings
Complete drawings, equipment lists and control system documents make dismantling, shipping and re-commissioning far easier and cheaper.
5. Inspect before you pay
Have an independent engineer inspect the plant on site and report what is there, what is missing and what will need replacing. A short inspection is cheap compared with a wrong purchase.
6. Plan for dismantling, shipping and re-commissioning
The purchase price is only part of the cost. Budget for careful dismantling and marking, packing, shipping, civil works at the new site, installation and start-up support.
7. Match the plant to your market
Check the glass thickness range, ribbon width and product mix against what your customers will actually buy.
If you are considering a used float glass plant, I am happy to talk through the checklist for your situation. A used 150 tpd float glass plant is currently available: see the plant page.
Tahir Jamal Khawaja MIET
Founder, TJ Khawaja Industrial Consultants Ltd