While many companies throughout the world are struggling in a flailing global economy, there is a glass manufacturing business group in Colombia that is enjoying strong growth. This group consisting of three of Colombia’s top glass manufacturers is even expanding operations into the American market. The President of one of the group’s members businesses believes a growing Colombian economy, supported by robust national and foreign investments is key to the group’s success. Even with the revaluation of the Colombian peso, this glass group is experiencing increased sales and exports. Be sure to learn more about Christian Daes.
One of the primary reasons for the group’s strong performance is the approval and ratification of the Free Trade Agreement between Colombia and the United States. This new agreement removed many of the barriers to expansion and sales growth. Expected to help strengthen Colombia’s growing economy, the FTA finally removed many of the restrictions that hampered Colombian companies’ long-range planning and will hopefully stimulate new investment. One beneficiary of the FTA is the glass group whose products were qualified as eligible for the Buy American initiative. Acceptance into this program allows the glass group to bid on U.S. Federal government contracts.
The first of the glass manufacturing business group’s companies to enter the market was Energia Solar-ES Windows. Next was Tecnoglass and then Alutions. All three companies are based in Colombia. To support their expansion efforts, the group chose a site in the northern port of Barranquilla for their new manufacturing facilities. This provided a strategic location as they began planning for expansion into the United States. Their U.S. expansion efforts started with a base site in southern Florida.
The glass group’s manufacturing facilities specialize in glass and glass transformation. Their most successful products include impact-resistant glass which can withstand anything from category six hurricane winds to a long-range missile strike.
Another factor contributing to the successful expansion of the group’s market and to the increasing strength of the Colombian economy is Barranquilla’s willingness to accept and support new business and industry.
This city is a bustling industrial port which is also home to a strong business culture. The city boasts both air and sea connections, as well as a skilled workforce. Making the city even more attractive to new business is one of the lowest costs of living anywhere in Colombia. Skilled labor is abundant and businesses are choosing this city as their new home.
The city leadership has made an investment in infrastructure and public services a goal of recent years. This has resulted in a strong transportation and port system which continues to attract new industry to the city.
The city has also benefited from the FTA. As businesses look for new opportunities to expand into the U.S. market, they are realizing that Barranquilla offers them strategic trade benefits as it transforms into the commerce hub of Colombia. For the glass group, Barranquilla is the perfect location. Their goal is to make the city the recognized Window Capital of the World.
Our company owns the world’s only completely integrated window and facade manufacturing facility and it is located in Barranquilla. We build our manufacturing facility with the latest in technology and equipment and with every product produced, the company can beat market prices.
Expansion Efforts
The group’s leadership realized that the 1995 collapse of the Colombian market meant they needed to find new markets outside the country. They believed the United States showed the most promise but were met with resistance as they tried to break into the American market. They had to overcome a perception that Colombian companies produced inferior products and could not meet delivery standards or timelines. To change this perception and prove that the glass group was a professional company that delivered what it promised, the group developed and implemented tight quality controls and a streamlined logistics process. These soon provide the company’s worth and quickly distinguished it from its competitors.
The company’s quality products even earned the coveted Buy American certification which allows the group to bid on U.S. Federal contracts.
As the group has grown and successfully expanded into the American market, the industry has taken note. Others in the industry have recognized the quality of the group’s products and the strength of their business. In 2011, they were recognized by Glass Magazine as one of the six Top Glass Fabricators in the world. Ironically, they were the only company on the list with manufacturing facilities located outside of Canada or the United States.
