An industrial giant among Czech glassmakers, AGC has supplied over 55 tons of glass to the façade of the Czech National Pavilion. It is now becoming a partner of the Czech participation

For the façade of the five-story timber structure, AGC produced and supplied 332 glass panels made of laminated safety patterned tempered glass with an artistic design. “In total, we used almost 3,500 m² of glass weighing 55.8 tons. Each panel is 25 mm thick and consists of three glass sheets bonded with two PVB (polyvinyl butyral) safety interlayers: two sheets of clear Planibel Clearlite glass and one sheet of patterned Imagin Gothic glass. The artistic motif is applied both to the outer surface of the clear glass and the inner patterned glass. We used clear glass from our Řetenice plant and patterned glass from the Barevka plant. And since February this year, Barevka boasts one of the most modern and environmentally friendly glass furnaces in the world,” says Petr Sytař, director of AGC Processing Teplice, where the glazing for the Czech pavilion was processed.

“Czech glass and our craftsmanship have been admired by the Japanese for generations. AGC constantly innovates its glass products and adds new value to glass. This is exactly what we want to show in Japan—we know how to honor tradition, but we are always moving forward, and AGC is a great example of that. The pavilion's façade has attracted admiration since the first visualizations, and in person, it’s even more striking—as confirmed by Japanese journalists we hosted during the completion of the pavilion’s structural frame in January 2025. AGC also places great emphasis on the environment and sustainability. It holds the prestigious ‘Cradle to Cradle Certified®’ designation (which marks products designed for maximum sustainability—from eco-friendly manufacturing and recyclability to reduced environmental impact across the entire lifecycle) for many of its products and is actively expanding its line of low-carbon footprint products. Its contribution in this regard is globally significant and embodies the very values the Czech participation at EXPO 2025 aims to present and support,” says Ondřej Soška, Czech Commissioner General for EXPO 2025.

AGC Flat Glass Czech has committed to achieving AGC Group’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030 and reaching carbon-neutral glass production by 2050. A major step toward decarbonizing the flat glass industry is the research and development project VOLTA, funded by the European Union’s Innovation Fund. “The VOLTA project is a pilot design for a medium-sized hybrid glass furnace for flat glass production. In cooperation with Saint-Gobain, we’ve developed a groundbreaking pilot furnace that should significantly reduce direct CO₂ emissions. As part of the project, we reconstructed the patterned glass production line at our Barevka plant in Dubí near Teplice into a high-performance, modern line that is powered 50% by electricity and 50% by a combination of oxygen and gas, with a strong focus on using a high proportion of recycled materials. The new furnace began operation in February 2025,” explains Jiří Pilný, director of the Barevka plant. The VOLTA project marks a milestone in the evolution of glassmaking, a traditional Czech craft, now with global impact for the decarbonization of the flat glass industry.

“We see the World Expo in Osaka as an event that brings together innovation and breakthrough technologies from across the globe. Since a strategic goal of the expo is to contribute to achieving sustainable development goals, EXPO 2025 is a unique platform for us to present and communicate both our AGC Low Carbon Glass and the unique VOLTA project. And when we add the glass façade of the Czech pavilion made from our products and the fact that AGC (Asahi Glass Company, headquartered in Tokyo) is essentially at home in Japan, we consider supporting the Czech participation and cooperating with Commissioner General Ondřej Soška a pleasant duty,” says Petra Takáčová, Marketing Communications Manager of AGC Flat Glass Czech, adding: “In the spirit of our Group’s strategy ‘We create the future of glass with innovative and accessible technologies to improve people’s daily lives,’ our innovative approach is reflected in our motto ‘Your Dreams, Our Challenge.’ And we’re glad—and frankly proud—that we met the challenge posed by the Office of the Commissioner General in the form of a completely original façade glazing for the national pavilion. Becoming both a supplier and a partner of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025 is an exceptional opportunity and a great honor to represent Czechia and its traditional glassmaking craft.”

About AGC The AGC Flat Glass Czech glassworks in Teplice, a member of the AGC Group, is the largest producer of flat glass and its applications in Central and Eastern Europe, with a tradition of over 130 years. It is the Central European hub of AGC Glass Europe, headquartered in Belgium, which develops, manufactures, processes, and supplies flat glass for construction (exterior and interior applications), the automotive industry (automotive glass), and specialized industries (transportation, solar systems, and high-tech applications), and is part of the global AGC Group (Asahi Glass Company), the world’s largest flat glass manufacturer based in Tokyo.

The glassworks offers a wide range of traditional and innovative top-quality products, including low-carbon glass, insulating double and triple glazing, vacuum insulating glass, safety and fire-resistant glass, electromagnetic shielding glass, mirrors, anti-reflective, lacquered, patterned, frosted glass, and more. These products are suitable for all types of building projects—from use in windows and façades of commercial buildings to interiors of private homes or office buildings.

AGC Flat Glass Czech operates five production plants in Czechia, including three float glass production lines with a daily capacity of 1,350 tons, a network of processing plants in Czechia, Slovakia, and Poland, distribution centers in Czechia and Slovakia, and sales offices across Central Europe.

About the Czech Pavilion at EXPO 2025 In December 2022, the Office of the Commissioner General announced an open anonymous architectural competition—held for the first time in over 20 years—for the design of the national pavilion for EXPO 2025. A total of 38 design teams applied, and in March 2023, a jury led by world-renowned architect Eva Jiřičná selected the winning design—a glass spiral by Apropos Architects. The structure’s main framework is made of modern wooden panels, while the façade features artistic glass, a material with centuries-long tradition in Czechia. The national pavilion will offer a dignified setting for Czech participation at EXPO 2025, which will take place from April to October 2025 on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka Bay. The pavilion will house a permanent exhibition, a multifunctional auditorium, facilities for business meetings, a restaurant, a CTP lounge, and a visitor relaxation zone with a sea view in front of the pavilion.

About Czech Participation at EXPO 2025 Czechia will participate as an independent state at a World Expo for the sixth time. Since September 2022, the role of Commissioner General has been held by Ondřej Soška, who won the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ open competition with his concept and theme “Talent and Creativity for Life.” In Osaka, Czechia aims to showcase not only what the Japanese already know and admire—such as Czech glass and classical music—but also Czech innovation, nanotechnology, promising startups, and regional talents.