The National Glass Manufacturing Company of Saudi Arabia (Zujaj) incurred a rise in loss, by SR 34.3m in 1998, a 145% increase over the preceding year. According to a financial report, it had incurred a loss of SR 14m in 1997. This happened after making a profit of SR 15.8m in 1996 when it began production. Sources at Zujaj attributed the reasons for the loss as the decrease in the demand and the simultaneous increase in supply of glass from new players in the market. A glass manufacturing expert in the Gulf said in a report that almost all other glass manufacturing factories in the region have also been passing through a difficult phase. The companies have, so far, not disclosed details. The Gulf glass industry has reportedly witnessed the emergence of several new producers during the last two years. The GCC countries produce around 550,000/tpy.
