Pilkington acquired Italian glassmaker, Societa Italiana Vetro Spa (SIV), giving the company a major customer base in the automotive market of Southern Europe and adding manufacturing operations in San Salvo and Venice in Italy, and in Sagunto, Spain.
While the core business was being expanded, other operations were sold - notably, the dismantling of the Visioncare operation.

Also in this year, NSG acquired a 20 percent shareholding in Triplex Safety Glass, the Group's UK automotive glazing business. The move provided Triplex with additional production and technical expertise as well as access to the Japanese car manufacturing market.