The NSG Group is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of glass and glazing products for the architectural, automotive and technical glass sectors. Founded in 1918, NSG acquired the leading UK-based glass manufacturer Pilkington plc in June 2006. Today, the Group has around 27,000 permanent employees, principal operations in 30 countries and sales in over 100. Geographically, just over a third of the Group’s sales are in Europe, around a third in Japan and the rest primarily in North and South America, South East Asia and China. The Group operates in three main sectors: Architectural supplies glass for buildings and Solar Energy applications. Automotive serves the original equipment, aftermarket replacement and specialized transport glazing markets. Technical Glass products include very thin glass for displays, lenses and light guides for printers, and glass fiber, used in battery separators and engine timing.