Keda Peru says a second production line could lift the cost of its Cañete glass project to about US$300 million, adding another US$150 million to a factory that opened on 7 October. But the expansion depends on results from the first line and market prices, General Manager Michael Xu said; the company hasn’t announced a firm start date, permit or financing plan.
Local Production, Regional Ambitions
The first plant, in San Vicente de Cañete south of Lima, cost about US$150 million, according to Gestión and El Peruano. President Keiko Fujimori opened it, alongside Production Minister Juan Carlos Requejo. “Not only will we stop importing glass, with this plant we are going to export to the rest of the region,” Fujimori said, according to the National Society of Industries, Peru’s main manufacturers’ association.
El Peruano reported capacity of 600 tonnes a day and said construction created about 1,000 jobs, mostly local. Xu told Gestión that output then stood between 450 and 500 tonnes a day, with production expected to reach 600 tonnes within two to three months. Estimates for permanent jobs differ: Gestión cited 400 direct posts, while the government cited 850 over five years.
The company estimates that replacing imports would save Peru more than US$70 million a year in foreign currency. Gestión reported that about 70% of output is intended for Peru and 30% for nearby markets. Keda Peru said exports to Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia and possibly the United States could begin at the end of October, initially at about 10 containers each. Shipments could increase gradually as production grows.
The possible second phase would add a melting furnace and production line, with a start expected between 2027 and 2028. Gestión also cited glass import levels as a factor in the timing. A third phase could produce higher-value goods, including mirrors and automotive glass, but the company hasn’t reported a budget or date for that stage.
Trade Routes and Corporate Partners
Keda Peru operates under the Twyford brand and belongs to Twyford International. Gestión describes Keda Industrial Group, a Chinese machinery and building-materials group, as Twyford’s controlling shareholder. Twyford runs 31 production lines in nine countries, employs more than 15,000 people and already makes glass in Tanzania. Cañete is its first industrial project in South America. Keda Peru lists Corporación Limatambo, Corporación Corrales and HPD Glass Group as strategic partners.
Peru’s Trade Promotion Agreement with the United States has been in force since 1 February 2009, allowing goods made in Peru to enter the United States under the agreement. Keda hasn’t said how much glass it expects to send there, what U.S. duties, if any, would apply, or how its prices would compare with Chinese imports.
The Cañete factory is separate from the Chinese-run port of Chancay, about 70 kilometres north of Lima. Keda hasn’t said which port it will use for exports. Xi Jinping took part in Chancay’s opening on 14 November 2024. Cosco owns 60% of the port, Peruvian miner Volcan holds 40%, and the project cost about US$1.3 billion, Forbes Perú reported. Gestión reported that Mauricio Claver-Carone, then an adviser to Donald Trump’s transition team, floated a 60% tariff on any product passing through Chancay and extended the idea to ports in the region owned or controlled by China.
Unresolved Costs and Deadlines
The plant’s investment figures vary by account. The presidency cited more than US$130 million for the first line, while El Peruano and Gestión put the cost at US$150 million. Gestión reported that a 2024 Production Ministry resolution set 15 May 2025 as an investment deadline; the plant opened in October 2026. The second line remains a proposal, with no announced permit, financing plan or firm start date.