Owens Corning to Invest $7 Million in Indian Fiberglass Plant

---

SUGAR LAND--June 17, 2010--Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Owens Corning India Limited (OCIL) plans to spend an estimated $7 million on environmental upgrades at the company's fiberglass plant in Taloja, India, the next nine months. OCIL is a joint venture of Owens Corning (NYSE:OC) (Toledo, Ohio), which owns 78.5% of the company, and Mahindra & Mahindra Limited (BSE:500520) (Mumbai, India), which has a 21.5% stake.

The Taloja plant operates eight hours shifts, six day a week, and is closed on Sundays. Commissioned in August 1998, the state-of-the-art plant, located 25 miles from Mumbai, manufactures fiberglass reinforcement materials, chopped-strand mats, and multi-end rovings (assembled glass fibers); and T-30 (Direct Roving) materials on an international scale. These products are used to make composites (reinforced plastics).

Owens Corning India holds ISO 14001, ISO 9001:2000, and OHSAS 18001 certifications. At Taloja, OCIL plans to convert the furnace using Advanced Glass Manufacturing technology, replacing all firing systems to natural gas, and installing a piped oxygen-supply system that will be used to fire the furnace and front end.

This project is designed to reduce the energy consumption and emissions (SOx, NOx, suspended particulate matter and greenhouse gases) from the manufacturing process. In addition to reducing energy consumption and lowering emissions, the project will result in an increased production from improved operational efficiencies. Since its inception, OCIL has implemented more than six major energy-saving projects.

Owen Corning was the first glass manufacturer to adopt Advanced Glass Manufacturing Technology as the preferred glass-melting technology for certain glass compositions, and the Taloja plant was one of the plants to use the technology. The process accelerates the melting process in glass manufacturing and greatly improves production rates from conventional air-fuel or oxyfuel technologies.

View Plant Profile - 1074072

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. IIR's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.