We visited the giant glass factory in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture. Nippon Electric Glass says it “does not make ordinary glass” and is continually creating unique products, including components for foldable smartphones and specialty glass for cutting-edge buildings.
Nippon Electric Glass's giant glass factory is located around Awazu Station in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, near the southern end of Lake Biwa, and covers an area equivalent to about 2 Koshien Stadiums.
The company is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market and, as one of the largest manufacturers headquartered in Shiga, expects consolidated net sales of ¥311.4 billion for the current fiscal year. At the same time, it is developing distinctive products under its policy of “not making ordinary glass.”
During our visit inside the factory, we entered a building housing glass-melting furnaces operating at 1,500°C, conveying the atmosphere of a production site making products that go beyond the conventional concept of glass.
The article focuses on the factory's internal structure and manufacturing processes, presenting an exploration of new possibilities for glass.