Asahi lowers production

Asahi lowers production

TOKYO (Reuters): Asahi Glass Co. Ltd. said yesterday it had
cut production of automobile glass at its Indonesian and Thai
units by 50 percent from autumn last year.

An Asahi Glass spokeswoman declined to give current output
levels, but said the two units combined had enough capacity to
make glass parts for 1.30 million cars per year.

The Thai unit had started scaling down output in autumn last
year and the Indonesian unit at the end of 1997.

Following the decision to lower output, Asahi Glass had
reduced its workforce at the Thai plant to 500 from 700, and was
currently considering cutting its workforce at the Indonesian
unit, the company spokeswoman said.

The Indonesian unit currently had 650 employees on its
payroll, she said.