More Double-Glazing Done

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31206, 2 November 1966, Page 18

More Double-Glazing Done

Sir Harry Pilkington, who controls British fiat glass production, yesterday arrived in Christchurch from Australia to inspect his interests and to meet glass merchants.

The trend was in favour of more double-glazing, he saidThis was because of the Increases in air-conditioning and central heating. Sir Harry Hikington is chamnen of Hikington Bros IM„ which has about 40 manufacturing or processing works. He is a member ef the National Exports Council and a director of the Bank of England. Double-glazing was not used in Christchurch yet because of import restrictions,

he said. The glass kept the heat out or in, “whichever way one wishes to look at it” When Sir Harry Hikington was told that Christchurch had frosts up to IS degrees, he said he saw extensive possibilities for it.

He said that some doubleglazing had been done in hospitals and telephone exchanges in the North Island. It cost more than twice as much as ordinary glass. Float glass was replacing plate glass, he said. It was the revolutionary thing of this century in the tUfs field. Float glass served the same purpose •> plate glass but was made by a very much more simple process. It avoided grinding and polishing, but was just as good as plate and better in some ways. Broadly speaking, float glass was cheaper than plate glass, said Sir Harry Hikington. Both capital Costs and pro-

duction were less, which was why float glass was displacing plate glass. Sir Harry Hikington said that he would visit the safety glass plant at Lower Hutt of Hikington Bros. (N.Z.), Ltd., as well as the New Zealand sheet glass works at Whangarei that was 50 per cent owned by Pilkingtons. In the 11 years since he was last in New Zealand, his company had increased its activities here.

Speaking of the glass works at Whangarei, he said: “We answered the New Zealand Government’s hopes when we came and rescued it.”

Sir Harry Hikington said that he did not think much more additional plant could be expected at the Whangarei glass works for some time. Sir Harry HUrington and Lady Hikington will spend about a fortnight in New Zealand.