PPG Industries began repairs at its Fresno, California flat glass facility, a $20-million project it announced last September. According to a statement from the company, it is replacing the refractory linings of the facility's furnace. This type of repair is necessary every 10-15 years.
During the outage, PPG will make upgrades and handle maintenance tasks on other parts of the production line, says Rob Struble of PPG. Struble also notes that the plant is expected to be functioning again in March.
In September 2015, PPG suspended operations at the plant and declared a “force majeure” on the production of architectural, residential and specialty glass products for customers in the western U.S. and Canada. PPG lifted the force majeure at the end of September after it restored normal operations at the Fresno facility.
In operation since 1967, the Fresno plant produces flat and tempered glass for the commercial and residential construction markets.
