Şişecam Flat Glass Holds Furnace Firing Ceremony in Bulgaria

Şişecam Group continues its investments in Bulgaria, where it operates in flat glass, automotive glass, glassware and chemicals. Şişecam's renewed flat glass furnace at the Targovishte facility of Şişecam Flat Glass was fired up on 2 July 2019 in a ceremony marking the completion of a EUR 42 million investment. Speaking at the ceremony, which was attended by Bulgarian Minister of Economy Emil Karanikolov, Member of Parliament Venka Stoyanova, Governor of Targovishte Mitko Staikov and Mayor of Targovishte Dr. Darin Dimitrov, Şişecam Group Vice Chairman and General Manager Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kırman noted that the Group's investments in Bulgaria to date have reached a combined EUR 600 million level, and stated: "Through our operations, our Group is contributing to Bulgaria's economy by generating approximately 3,250 jobs." The ceremony was hosted by Şişecam Group Vice Chairman and General Manager Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kırman and was attended by Bulgarian Minister of Economy Emil Karanikolov, Member of Parliament Venka Stoyanova, Governor of Targovishte Mitko Staikov and Mayor of Targovishte Dr. Darin Dimitrov. Speaking at the ceremony, which was attended by over 300 guests including Şişecam Group management and employees, Şişecam Flat Glass's European customers, architects and industry professionals, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kırman highlighted that Şişecam is today a global player in all core areas of glass—such as flat glass, glassware, glass packaging and glass fiber—as well as in soda and chrome compounds, stating: "We rank as the world's third largest manufacturer of glassware, and the fifth largest in glass packaging and flat glass. We hold the seventh position globally in synthetic soda production, and we are the world leader in chrome chemicals. With our 22,000 employees, production activities spanning 13 countries across three continents, and sales reaching more than 150 countries, we are an international-scale Group. With our new natural soda investment in the United States, we will increase the number of countries in which we conduct production operations to 14."