In the 1970s, the Group built float glass plants in Australia and South Africa and added a new plant in the UK. It made its first incursion into continental Europe with a manufacturing operation and acquired safety glass interests to serve the growing Swedish motor industry.
It was also the year when Pilkington became a public company, listing on the London Stock Exchange as Pilkington plc. By then, the company had been reorganized into operating divisions, a new research and development complex had been built at Lathom, near St Helens, and a new headquarters had been occupied in St Helens.