1990

20% capital participation in LOF

In March 1990, NSG acquired newly issued stocks in the American company LOF (Libbey Owens Ford Co.), with which it had long had close ties, thus gaining a 20% stake in the company. In 1989, LOF had 6 float furnaces and 9 safety glass factories across the US, Canada and Mexico, and was the number 2 sheet glass maker in America. NSG had already entered into joint ventures with LOF in the form of L-N Safety Glass SA de CV (Mexico), United L-N Glass, Inc. (US), and Hankuk Safety Glass Co., Ltd. (Korea), but now decided to invest in the company in order to increase its international competitiveness.