It's hard not to be sentimental about the Pilkington deal, in a month that has also seen BOC bought by Linde. But this is part and parcel of being a PLC, and shareholders have realised a price otherwise not possible. This has been widely debated, most often with the conclusion that shareholders can walk away and re-invest their money in other UK businesses.

But NSG's purchase is driven by automotive, no pun intended, and plans for the UK Building Products business are unclear, indeed if there are any.

Keeping the status quo is fanciful perhaps, and we'll have to wait and see. Pilks is in the ‘adding value' stage of its business overhaul and is the only UK glassmaker driving prices up, but there's bound to be some trimming going on before long.

Source

Glass Age