In a bold move for global glass innovation, GlassKote Float Glass Industries (GK) has confirmed an AUD 1.2+ billion investment to build two state-of-the-art low-iron float glass plants, setting unprecedented standards for technology, sustainability, and energy efficiency. The first facility will rise in Queensland, Australia, in early 2026, with a second super-plant in the United Arab Emirates following soon after.
The Queensland complex will produce 700 tonnes per day of premium low-iron glass for use in architecture, solar energy, and advanced engineering. It will integrate a 400 TPD Waste-to-Energy plant powered by Cyrion’s proprietary technology, capable of producing green hydrogen and renewable electricity with zero emissions. Key innovations such as DNA AI “Living Glass” and silicon nanotube enhancement will enable self-healing, energy-responsive, and seismic-resistant materials. The site will also house solar glass manufacturing for BIPV and smart façades, plus advanced coating lines for toughened, laminated, ballistic, and Low-E glass.
In the UAE, GK will establish a 1,000 TPD float glass super-plant, the largest and most advanced in the MENA region, with Gorilla Glass production, AI optimisation systems, and nearly zero operating energy costs.
Meanwhile, SDH Australia and Cyrion Technologies have developed a groundbreaking refractory material that lasts the entire lifetime of a float plant, removing the need for shutdowns or rebuilds and significantly improving environmental and operational performance. 
According to Founder Aleksandar Vasiljevic OAM, these projects will create over 1,000 skilled jobs and generate AU$1 billion annual EBITDA within four years, redefining what’s possible in sustainable glass manufacturing.
Source: GlassKote FGI with additional information added by Glass Balkan
