Glaverbel

Glaverbel　was　the　European　branch　of　the　Asahi　Glass　Company　Flat　Glass.　It　now　operates　under　the　name　of　AGC　Flat　Glass　Europe.　AGC　Flat　Glass　is　the　world’s　largest　glassmaking　group.　AGC　Flat　Glass　Europe　has　about　100　production　sites　throughout　Europe　and　employs　some　10700　people.[1]　Glaverbel　Czech,　formerly　known　as　Sklo　Union,　is　the　main　sponsor　of　the　Teplice　located　football　club　FK　Teplice.

History
Glaverbel　is　founded　in　1961　out　of　the　merger　of　Glaver　and　Univerbel.　In　1972　the　French　BSN　group　(now　Danone)　gains　control　over　Glaverbel.　Glaverbel　starts　with　a　restructuring　program　and　diversifies　in　to　glass　processing　in　1974.　In　1981　the　Asahi　Glass　Company　of　Japan　acquired　Glaverbel.　In　1987　Glaverbel　is　registered　at　the　brussels　stock　exchange　and　in　1990　expands　into　Central　Europe　with　the　acquisition　of　Glavunion　in　Czechoslovakia.　In　1997　Glaverbel　is　the　first　Western　glass　producer　which　invests　in　Russia.　In　2002　Glaverbel　is　integrated　into　Asahi　Glass　and　is　deregistered　from　the　Brussels　stock　exchange.　In　2007　Glaverbel　is　renamed　into　AGC　Flat　Glass　Europe.

Price　fixing　scandal
AGC　Flat　Glass　Europe　(Glaverbel)　is　one　of　the　four　glass　manufacturers　who　were　fined　a　total　of　486.9　million　euros　($717.5m;　£348.2m)　by　the　European　Commission　on　28　Nov　2007　for　illegally　co-ordinating　price　rises.[2]　The　European　Commission　said　the　firm　had　raised　or　stabilised　prices　in　2004　and　2005　through　illicit　contacts　with　the　other　principal　glass　manufacturers　：　Guardian　of　the　US,　Pilkington,　which　is　the　UK　unit　of　Nippon　Sheet　Glass　and　Saint-Gobain　of　France;　who　between　them　they　control　80%　of　Europe’s　market　for　flat　glass　[3].

Neelie　Kroes,　the　EU’s　competition　commissioner,　said　that　the　EU　would　“not　tolerate　companies　cheating　consumers　and　business　customers　by　fixing　prices　and　depriving　them　of　the　benefits　of　the　single　market“　[4].

http：//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaverbel