Glass: Italy first in Europe. Germany surpassed in production capacity and employment

Energy costs among the highest in Europe, international turbulence and environmental challenges do not stop the Italian glass industry , which in 2024 becomes the first European manufacturer, even surpassing Germany , thanks to new packaging furnaces and the solidity of its reference supply chains such as food & beverage, construction, automotive and pharmaceuticals.

This is the message launched on July 4th by the Annual Assembly of Assovetro , the trade association that represents 73 companies with 111 production sites and over 16,500 employees (+3% on 2023). “Our value is not only economic and social, but also a support for Made in Italy”, declared the president Marco Ravasi , underlining that 2024 was a difficult year on the production front but characterized by investments to increase production capacity.

Despite a drop in volumes, Italy has consolidated its leadership by adding all glass applications : from hollow glass for bottles and containers to flat glass for construction and cars, up to special yarns. Among the positive signs, also the green light from the EU to the “energy release”, which will allow energy-intensive industries to access regulated prices for energy.

The energy issue remains a structural criticality . The sector, which consumes approximately 1.5% of national gas and electricity, saw an average gas price stable above €35/MWh in 2024 and an Italian electricity cost of €109/MWh, much higher than Germany (78), Spain (63) and France (58). Today, approximately 20% of the energy used in glass production is electricity, of which only 11% comes from renewable sources.

On the commercial level, 2024 saw a recovery in trade with a positive balance of 75 million euros (+100% compared to 2023). Imports from the EU are stable, with France , Germany and Spain among the main partners.

However, production data reflect the difficulties of the sector : flat glass fell by 8% (982 thousand tons), hollow glass by 3.4% (4.37 million tons), yarns by 10.6% (74 thousand tons). On the other hand, some import items increased (+15% for flat glass, +9% for yarns) and, to a lesser extent, exports of flat glass and yarns (+3%).