The Wigan / UK plant of PPG Industries (Pittsburgh / USA; www.ppg.com) is to cease manufacture of chopped-strand glass fibre mat and concentrate on production of single-end, direct-draw rovings for the European market. The restructuring will include investment of USD 5m in automated manufacturing and the loss of 100 jobs by 31 March 2007. Chopped-strand mat production is being moved to the plant of PPG Sinoma Jin Jing Fiber Glass Zibo in Zibo / China. Manufacture of gun rovings has already transferred to the same facility. The streamlining of the Wigan two-furnace operation is designed to make the plant more competitive in wind energy, long-fibre thermoplastics and high-pressure pipe applications.