European gas above €100/MWh: what should you do about your flat glass orders this winter?

On 28 October, European gas passed €100 per megawatt-hour, for the first time since December 2022. Flat glass is made in furnaces that burn gas day and night: here is what this rise can change for your purchases.

The figures of the week

• Price: about €103/MWh on 30 October, against about €32 before the war with Iran began in late February.
• Storage: about 75% full in the European Union in late October, a very low level for the season.
• Causes: less liquefied natural gas from the Gulf because of the Hormuz crisis, and a very hot summer.

What effect on glass prices?

Nobody can announce this winter’s glass price today. But a glass furnace does not stop: when gas rises, the production cost of furnaces exposed to these prices rises too, and the market can follow. Analysts warn that a cold winter could push energy higher still.

What to do now

1. List your needs for the first quarter of 2027: references, thicknesses, ports.
2. Ask for a firm price and check how long it is valid.
3. Group your references in one mixed container rather than several small orders.

Protect your cash too

When prices move, keeping cash available matters as much as buying well. Noxem Group offers payment 30 or 60 days after delivery, anywhere in the world and with no minimum order, subject to acceptance of your application.

Sources: CNBC · Euronews