TOP QUALITY AND EXQUISITE DESIGN OF BOHEMIA GLASS AND CERAMICS Glass – a commodity which this country has always been exporting and selling readily. And art glass of Czech provenance, too, is represented in all world collections. Bohemia glass is a phenomenon with a tradition of more than a thousand years. As far back as the fourteenth century, the art of Bohemian glassmakers was known all over Europe. At that time Bohemia´s churches were among the few which had glazed windows. An important era in Bohemian glassmaking was the period between the two wars, when domestic glassworks became known for their accomplished skills of turning out art pieces in modern styles, such as Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and functionalism.
FLAT GLASS The only manufacturer of large-size flat glass sheets in the Czech Republic is AGC Flat Glass Czech, a.s., a member of the AGC Group based in Teplice. This company is currently the largest manufacturer of flat glass and its applications in Central and Eastern Europe.
PACKING GLASS Packing glass production comprises beverage bottles and canned glass made for the food industry (beer, wine, liqueurs, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral waters, fruit juice, etc.) and glass containers for products of the chemical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. The dominant manufacturers of packing glass in the Czech Republic are the companies of O-I Manufacturing Czech Republic, a.s. with the sales company, O-I Sales and Distribution Czech Republic, s.r.o., and Dubí u Teplic, which are members of the Owens-Illinois (USA) supranational group, and VETROPACK MORAVIA GLASS, a.s., Kyjov, part of the Vetropack Holding AG Group. Other packing glass manufacturers in the Czech Republic are SKLÁRNY MORAVIA, a.s., Úsobrno and STÖLZLE – UNION, s.r.o., Heřmanova Huť.
GLASS FIBRES AND PRODUCTS THEREOF The only manufacturer of textile glass fibres and products thereof in the Czech Republic is SaintGobain ADFORS CZ, s.r.o., Litomyšl. The company manufactures primary glass fibres and glass products for composite materials, such as glass fibre yarns, glass fibre roving (long filament) for cutting, weaving and winding, and drawn profiles reinforced
42
2021
The Czech Republic – Your Business Partner in the EU
by glass fibres, cut glass fibre strands and mats. Glass fibres are also used to make a number of different types of technical fabrics, grid glass fibre fabrics, glass fibre wallpaper, and non-woven fabrics. The only Czech manufacturer of thermal and sound insulation materials using glass fibres in the form of mats and boards (coming under the ROTAFLEX Super.trademark) is Union Lesní Brána, a.s. in Dubí u Teplic. Insulation material, based on glass wool in the form of boards and rolls, is made by KNAUF INSULATION, spol. s.r.o. in Krupka u Teplic.
UTILITY GLASS There is a number of smaller firms making a wide range of glass products, such as Crystalex CZ, s.r.o., Crystal Bohemia, a.s. KavalierGlass, s.r.o. and Crystalite Bohemia, s.r.o., decorated by paint and pen-and-ink drawing, high enamel and engraving, handmade utility glass, historical replicas and metallurgical glass, e.g. AJETO, s.r.o., Lindava, Rückl CRYSTAL, a.s., Nižbor Blažek Glass, s.r.o., Poděbrady, Crystalite Bohemia, a.s., Světlá nad Sázavou, SKLÁRNA SLAVIA, s.r.o., Nový Bor, Královská Huť , s.r.o., Doksy, EGERMANN, s.r.o., Nový Bor, and JADI, s.r.o., Jablonec nad Nisou. Pressed and blown decorated drinking glass is made by Sklárna Heřmanova Huť, a.s., while exclusive, handmade utility glass is produced by Moser, a.s., Karlovy Vary.
OTHER KINDS OF GLASS The range of this category of glass made in the Czech Republic is very wide. It comprises technical and laboratory glass, technical balls, industrial glass appliances, protective welding glass and optical glass, in addition to the production of glass building blocks, costume jewellery, semi-finished products, and lighting glass. The dominant Czech manufacturer of technical and laboratory glass, tubes and apparatus made of borosilicate glass is KavalierGlass, a.s. (formerly Sklárny Kavalier, a.s.), Sázava. Technical and laboratory glass is also made by TECHNOSKLO, s.r.o., Držkov, EXATHERM, s.r.o., Železný Brod
Photo: © CzechTourism archives, Author: David Materna
Glass- and ceramics-making is a traditional sector of the Czech manufacturing industry. Firms are investing in the modernisation of production and the development and manufacture of higher value-added products. This sector is facing keen global competition, which Czech firms are dealing with successfully with the high quality, innovative and exquisite design and originality of their products.
