Established in 1982, Gilan Glass is a major Iranian industrial group that consists of three automotive glass manufacturers; one replacement glass distributor; one unit that produces ceramic enamels; and one company that specialises in the design and manufacturing of glass machinery and other tooling. Gilan Glass products include a range of laminated windscreens and sidelites, tempered sidelites and backlites, as well as double glazed and other industrial glass.

The Iranian automotive glass market has huge potential. In a country that has a population of 76 million, there are currently no more than 4.6 million vehicles on the road – and most of them are more than 20 years old. Indeed the motor industry is widely seen as key strategic branch here: within the space of just four years from 1999 to 2003, it recorded a phenomenal growth rate of 147%. There are 14 vehicle manufacturers and 1,200 parts suppliers which together have a work force of half a million. Local production in 2003 amounted to 560,000 passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. The target for 2007 has been set at one million.

The two major local car producers in Iran are Iran Khodro and Saipa. Although the industry is still largely controlled by the Iranian state, the authorities are keen to promote private ownership. The main foreign car manufacturers with operations in Iran include PSA Peugeot Citroen, Kia, Renault, Daewoo, Nissan, Mazda and Toyota. Kerman Automotive Industries will be starting work to assemble VW Golfs under licence later this year.

“We currently control about 50% of the local automotive OEM market, which makes us the leading automotive glass manufacturer in Iran. We currently supply Peugeot, Pride, Volvo, Daewoo and Xantia, among others. We also benefit from a very strong distribution nationwide network for the replacement market, which gives us the potential to dominate this market as well,” says Mr. Mehdi Takiyan, founder and CEO of Gilan Glass.

“On the strength of our commitment to quality we have been able to implement up-to-date international QA standards such as ISO/TS 2002 and IMS (Integrated Management System). We are ranked as an “A Grade” supplier by both Iran Khodro and Saipa. Our vision is to become a world-class glass manufacturer. Our key assets in pursuing this goal lie in our dedicated staff, continuous quality improvement, innovative management, and our belief in teamwork,” Mr. Takiyan continues.

Modern car design is increasingly driven by aesthetics and aerodynamic performance. Windscreens today are higher than before and have a steeper inclination. This means more and more spherical forms combined with tight corners. At the same time as they continue to introduce ever more demanding shapes in their new models, car manufacturers are holding on to their stringent requirements with respect to shape and repeatability. A good example of this trend is the Peugeot 206, which has a cross curvature of up to 26mm.

Glassrobots’ first TFA 3evolution™ serial bending furnace was installed and commissioned in February 2003 at Sepehr Safety Glass Company, the new subsidiary of Gilan Glass in Rasht. Says Mr. Takiyan: “Quality and performance were the main criteria when we chose our new serial bending furnace in 2002. We supply PSA Peugeot Citroen and our main concern was to make sure we could satisfy the strict quality requirements they had set for their new 206. We carefully studied all the options available, and Glassrobots’ newly introduced TFA 3evolution™ bending furnace seemed to give the best match in terms of quality and performance.”

Sepehr Safety Glass is continuing its efforts to further strengthen its leading position in the OEM market and to break into the export markets as well. “Gilan Glass has a team of skillful professionals dedicated to this endeavour. We have no doubt about the success of the company” states Mr. Esa Lammi, Director of Automotive Technology at Glassrobots.