Glass International June 2022 by Quartz Business Media

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June 2022—Vol.45 No.6

A GLOBAL REVIEW OF GLASSMAKING

Glass International June 2022

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Contents

www.glass-international.com Editor: Greg Morris Tel: +44 (0)1737 855132 Email: gregmorris@quartzltd.com

Deputy Editor: Jess Mills Tel: +44 (0)1737 855154 Email: jessmills@quartzltd.com

Editor’s Comment + International news

Designer: Annie Baker

June 2022

Company proﬁle: Leerdam Crisal Glass Treading a sustainable path in tableware

Decarbonisation: Linde Oxy-fuel burner testing with Hydrogen and Ethanol

Decarbonisation: Sefpro Decarbonising the glass industry: the role of refractory solutions

Batch plant: EME Batch handling possibilities to minimise segregation

Furnace Solutions review Decarbonisation the focus at Furnace Solutions

Decarbonisation Decarbonisation in the ﬂoat glass industry

Laser technology: VDMA Lasers add value in the glass industry

New HQ: Tiama Tiama reveals new headquarters

Glasstec preview All set for glasstec

Recycling: Close the Glass Loop Closing the Glass Loop around the world

Case Study: Siam Glass and Tiama Siam Glass gives its feedback on working with Tiama

Vol.45 No 6

Sales Executive: Manuel Martin Quereda Tel: +44 (0)1737 855023 Email: manuelm@quartzltd.com Managing Director Tony Crinion tonycrinion@quartzltd.com Chief Executive Ofﬁcer: Steve Diprose Chairman: Paul Michael

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International News

GREG MORRIS, EDITOR

Be first with the news! For breaking, up-to-date news

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VISIT: www.glass-international.com

for daily news updates.

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Collaboration remains key for climate aims

Congratulations to the Society of Glass Technology (SGT) for their hugely successful Furnace Solutions event earlier this month. The annual meeting was held in person for the first time in three years and for many people it was a chance to catch up with old friends. The success of the meeting is reflected in our five-page write up later in this issue. It was also the first time the event had been held in St Helens, UK, right next door to the Glass Futures building. The facility, still in construction, is something to behold. It is huge, about the same height as the adjacent St Helens rugby stadium and catches the eye. It will be the home of glass development not only for the UK glass industry but internationally as well. Delegates at Furnace Solutions spoke about the importance of collaboration, particularly after such a long absence of face to face meetings. Glass Futures is the epitome of this. It is a partnership of a number of companies from the UK, Europe, the USA and Asia. The talking point in the industry is decarbonisation and the use of renewable glass manufacturing before 2050 but ideally sooner. It is a huge challenge and one unlikely to be achieved by companies working in their own silos. Only by working together, and alongside neutral, disruptive organisations such as Glass Futures, is the industry likely to achieve its aims.

Glass safest packaging for food new research says

International research found that glass and ceramic packaging was the safest for food contact materials. Nearly 3000 chemicals can potentially leak from packaging into food, making human exposure to these chemicals highly probable. The study stated that of the 2881 Food Contact Chemi-

cals (FCCs) detected, only 47 were detected in glass & ceramic food contact materials (FCMs). Meanwhile, more than two thirds (1975) were identified in plastic FCMs, followed by paper & board (887). “The study shows that glass is safest among the packaging materials as it has virtually no

detected chemicals and therefore is the safest for human health,” said Adeline Farrelly, Secretary General of FEVE the EU federation of container glass producers. The majority of the FFCs (65%) found were unknown; they had not been recorded in any regulatory or industry list to date.

Knauf launches Nashville glass recycling initiative Knauf Insulation has been named the Official Glass Recycling Partner of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, US. The fiberglass manufacturer will form a major glass recy-

cling initiative for the threeday festival of racing and music, as well as Nashville’s entertainment districts. The initiative will begin on July 1 at participating establishments in Broadway and in

Midtown, culminating August 5-7 with the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at the Nissan Stadium campus. The company aims to collect 150,000 glass bottles throughout the month.

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International News

NEWS IN BRIEF

Produvisa and Revimac re-engineer line

Glass container producer Produvisa joined forces with machinery supplier Revimac to re-engineer line 7.0 at Produvisa’s plant in Aragua, Venezuela. Parts of the old Owens Illinois (O-I) IS Machine were replaced with new reengineered parts. Line 7.0 is now running at full production.

Industries such as beverages, pharmaceutical and perfumery have faced a shortage of glass bottles due to a global increase in demand. Glass production in Mexico is not enough cover the demand for manufacturers of beverages, food, perfumes and drugs. These industries are facing shortages and increasing prices for bottles and containers. In the first quarter of 2022, production rose 7% while the demand for bottles grew 11% on average. Mexican glass producers manufactured 5,317.3 million containers, an increase of 7.1%

per year, after two years of contraction due to the pandemic, according to INEGI data. In the same period, the production of tequila grew 30.8% annually in volume. Sauces, mayonnaise and jams increased by 11.1%, while vials grew by 8.9% and beer expanded by 5.5%. This generated an average increase of 11% in the demand for containers. Tequila producers gave the following reasons for the increase in demand, which they labelled as a “global” problem: � The over-demand after Covid. � Gas supply problems in Europe.

� Raw material expenses, which tripled the cost in logistics. � Supply chain issues. � Mexican manufactures having full schedules until 2023. INEGI reports that the country’s 94 glass plants operate at an average capacity of 95%. To increase their capacity Vitro and Vidrio Formas announced expansion of their plants towards 2023. Meanwhile, industries such as tequila, mezcal, breweries, sauces and perfumes have chosen to migrate to aluminium or plastic containers where possible.

CelSian in training deal with Float Glass Consortium CelSian has acquired the intellectual property of all training material from the Float Glass Consortium (FGC). The firm will provide an introductory course on float glass, 8-9 November 2022, based on training material from the acquisition. CelSian will also offer further training specially adapted to the needs of the float glass industry. FGC was formed in 2008 by

David Woodward and David Hilton, both NSG Pilkington retirees that continued consulting for many years. Johan Lotter, a CFD Engineer at CelSian with over 10 years of experience in float operations, and Mr Hilton will provide a two-day introductory training on Float Glass Melting and Forming in St Helens, UK. Registrations for this new training are already open.

Mr Hilton, Managing Director of FGC, said: “We are delighted to know that FGC’s float glass knowledge, that was built over the past 15 years, will keep on being transmitted through the CelSian Academy. “We are confident that they will perpetuate our know-how and keep empowering current, and future, float glass professionals to write the future of that industry”.

Berlin Packaging will acquire specialist glass packaging supplier Verrerie du Comtat. Berlin Packaging believes the supplier will strengthen its position in the wine and olive oil markets in France.

EME breaks ground with Glass Futures

EME has been awarded the contract to install the batch plant for Glass Futures’ Global Centre of Excellence in St Helens, UK. Following a competitive engineering tender, EME was awarded the contract in March 2022 to install a batch plant for the state-of-the-art research and development facility. Due for completion next year, Glass Futures will be a global hub for R&D, innovation and training, with the target of eliminating carbon from mass production in the glass industry, among others.

NSG integration with SYP Automotive

NSG will integrate with a major Chinese automotive glass manufacturer. NSG will transfer its automotive processing operations in Guilin and Tianjin to SYP Kangqiao Autoglass (SYP Automotive). SYP Automotive is a manufacturer of advanced coated float and processed products for the Chinese architectural glass market. NSG believes the integration will strengthen its ability to meet the needs of vehicle manufacturers in China.

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Glass supply issues in Mexico

Berlin Packaging acquires French supplier

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International News

NEWS IN BRIEF

Encirc finds bulk shipping reduces CO2e

Encirc study finds bulk shipping could reduce the UK wine industry’s carbon footprint. Encirc, in co-operation with environmental consultancy Carbon Intelligence, found products from the most popular wine-making regions could reduce their shipping carbon footprint by over 50% if they were transported to the UK in bulk, rather than in bottles.

Forglass installs Stoelzle cullet system

Forglass will construct a new PCR Cullet System at Stoelzle’s plant in Knottingley, UK. Forglass will design and manufacture the company’s second PCR Cullet System at its Knottingley plant. The new system is scheduled for commissioning later this month.

Glaston increases automotive production in China

Glaston plans to increase the production of automotive glass equipment for China at its Tianjin factory. The aim is to serve customers in the largest global automotive market with local machine production. The estimated investment is approximately €1.4 million. The first China-produced products for the Chinese market are expected to be delivered in 2023.

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CPS plan receives boost

Solar glass manufacturer Canadian Premium Sand (CPS) has completed the latest phase of its preparations to build a glass manufacturing facility. The company has completed a Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) study, as well as a market report confirming the economic viability of manufacturing patterned solar glass at a site in Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada.

Allied Glass €45 million furnace investment Allied Glass has invested €45 million in a 300t/day furnace at its Leeds, UK facility. New Emhart machines, capable of both double and triple gob manufacture, will be complimented with new transport and stackers, energy efficient lehrs and gob weight control and inspection camera systems. The cold end lines will be completely removed and replaced with new lines and palletisers from MSK with an inspection system from Tiama. In April 2022, the L2 furnace was drained and demolished after 12 years of service

to the facility, to make way for the new development. Alan Henderson, CEO of Allied Glass, said: “This is a huge investment for us here at Allied. The whole of our Leeds No.2 shop is being replaced from furnace through to finished goods inspection and packing which will hugely improve our site’s abilities. “We will also be continuing our developments with further £1 million of investment in our decoration facility for the second half of this year as our client portfolio continues to grow.” The company is working on

expanding the building that houses the production facility to accommodate the development. Allied Glass said the development will revolutionise its ability to manage its carbon footprint, enabling it to deliver greater volumes of glass with lower emissions. The new furnace will increase output to 300tpd, achieving a 20% energy efficiency gain and targeting Nox < 800mg/Nm3. F Allied Glass specialises in manufacturing containers for prestigious spirits brands.

UK Government funds sustainable glass projects Glass Futures and KEW Projects have secured project funding from the UK Government. The UK Government will fund £299,957 for Glass Future’s project on renewable biofuels and £299,310 for KEW’s project targeted at decarbonisation. Glass Future’s renewable biofuel project will take place in Sheffield, UK. The project will examine

switching glass container furnaces from natural gas to waste-derived fuels and build upon findings from Glass Futures’ previous projects. The team will produce detailed plans for industrial-scale trials of the most attractive waste-derived fuels identified at commercial glass and ceramics plants. KEW’s decarbonisation project will be located in Tamworth, UK.

The project will explore switching flat glass and glass fibre production facilities from natural gas to converted gas waste and biomass. The consortium will demonstrate that KEW’s modular gasification technology can successfully convert waste and biomass into a hydrogen rich syngas. This will substitute the combustion of carbon-intensive natural gas at two glass production facilities.

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International News

NEWS IN BRIEF

Bangkok Glass improves emissions at Thai plant

Bangkok Container Glass’s emissions at its Pathum Thani plant were 10% below the average of the glass manufacturing industry in Thailand. In the fiscal year 2021, BGC’s plant released total of 141,859 tons of CO2e (or 0.692 tons of CO2e per ton output). Thus, the plant was certified as a ‘Carbon Footprint Organisation’ (CFO) by the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation.

Top 10 stories in the news Our most popular news over the past month, as determined by our website traffic. All full stories can be found on our website. � � � � � � � � � �

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Glass supply issues in Mexico Glass safest packaging for food German beer glass bottle shortage Indian company changes name Sisecam plots Eskisehir glass packaging investment O-I Glass completes Canadian plant sale glasstec exhibitors list released Webinar focused on Lubrication in Glass Making Ardagh’s Brazilian glass packaging facility NSG launches solar array at Ohio facility

Schott invests R$ 10.5 million in Brazilian plant

Schott will invest in an expansion at its Indaiatuba plant in São Paulo, Brazil. The company acquired a new flat oven and automated the drill line with the aim of increasing its glass tempering capacity by 45% and the unit’s cutting capacity by 35%. With the investment, Schott’s total capacity in Brazil will grow by 55% and is expected to have a 40% increase in sales throughout South America later this year.

NSG launches solar array at Ohio facility

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NSG Group has launched a 1.4 MW photovoltaic solar array at its Rossford, Ohio, USA glass manufacturing facility. The flat glass manufacturer said the solar field is fully operational and will supply about 2.5 million kWh of renewable energy annually. The array will provide energy to the facility for the next 20 years under a power purchase agreement.

Ardagh’s Brazilian glass packaging facility

Ardagh Group has said its first glass production facility in Brazil will be in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais. The facility will supply glass packaging to customers in the growing Brazilian market with production expected to commence in the first half of 2024. Once operational, the facility will provide 300 jobs.

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Encirc’s Lara Edison wins Furnace Solutions best paper award Lara Edison of glass packager Encirc won the Michael Garvey award this year’s Furnace Solutions 2022 conference. Ms Edison, a Batch and Furnace Supervisor, provided a presentation which discussed a successful three-week biofuels trial at the glass manufacturer and filler’s Derrylin, Northern Ireland site. Gas was switched with biofuels made from animal fat

in a project organised in conjunction with UK research and development group Glass Futures. The trial helped reduce the CO2 emission of each glass container by 89% compared to the average container produced at the Derrylin plant in 2020. The Furnace Solutions conference was organised by the UK Society of Glass Technol-

ogy (SGT) and took place on June 8-9 2022. The Michael Garvey Award is presented each year to the winner of the best paper and is sponsored by Guardian Industries. SGT president Stuart Hakes said Ms Edison’s paper just edged the other 14 presentations; each paper had an overall theme of decarbonisation in the glass industry.

Record results at AGI Greenpac Indian packager AGI Greenpac reported record results in its latest financial note, driven by sales of glass containers. For FY22, the Packaging Business revenue from Operations increased from 1259 crore to 1436 crore, registering a growth of 14% Y-o-Y. EBIT increased 21% Y-o-Y to 238 crore from 196 crore in FY21. For Q4 FY22, the Packaging Business revenue from Operations and EBIT came at 438

crore and 76 crore respectively. The sales growth was driven by a 10% increase in glass container packaging volumes, led by demand for glass from the beer and wine industries. The company started trial production of its greenfield plant in Bhongir, Telangana manufacturing speciality glass for industries such as perfumery, cosmetics, high-end liquor and pharmaceuticals including vials.

Vice Chairman and Managing Director Sandip Somany, said: “Our packaging products business continues to deliver revenue growth, driven by increased demand for glass packaging from key end-user industries and the company has been able to maintain a strong EBITDA margin profile despite the sharp jump in commodity & fuel prices and inflation.”

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International News

NEWS IN BRIEF

Sisecam Eskisehir glass packaging investment

Sisecam is planning a €54 million furnace investment at its Eskisehir, Turkey, glass production facility. The facility currently has four furnaces and production capacity will increase from 378,910 tonnes a year to 745,080. A fifth production line is also scheduled as part of the investment. The new furnace is expected to be operational by early 2023.

Rene Meuleman moves on from CelSian

Glass industry veteran Rene Meuleman is to leave his role at CelSian glass. Mr Meuleman will re-join Schneider Electric effective from June 1. His main task will be to support Schneider Electric’s green glass initiative.

Somobresle becomes Meca Glass Group

Four French glass companies have combined into one entity. Mecavalente, Somobresle, Meca-Moules-Services and Les-Mouleries-de-la-Bresle have united within the MecaGlass Group (MG Group). The company remains at the service of the glass industry; all customer contacts remain unchanged.

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O-I Glass completes Canadian plant sale

A subsidiary of O-I Glass recently completed a sale and leaseback transaction for a plant located in Brampton, Ontario, Canada for CAD $244 million (US$ $191 million). Andres Lopez, O-I Glass CEO, said: “This sale is another milestone in our portfolio optimisation programme and builds upon the Colombian tableware divestiture completed earlier this year. “To date, we have successfully realised approximately $1.3 billion of proceeds toward our target of $1.5 billion, which we anticipate will be achieved in the second half of 2022.”

Pilkington Polish expansion Pilkington IGP has increased the capacity of its plant in Ostroleka, Poland. The insulating glass manufacturer has completed its expansion to double the plant’s production capacity. Investment work started in 2020 and was divided into two stages. Between June and December 2020, a new production hall was built, and two cutting tables and one line to

produce insulating glass were launched. The second phase began in March 2022 and ended a month later. As part of this phase, a glass cutting table and a line to produce insulating glass units were launched. The plant has gained approx. 10,000 m2 of production space as a result. Works related to the expansion did not interfere with the

normal operation of the plant. 80 new jobs have also been created, bringing the total number of factory employees to 165 once all vacancies are filled. The expansion of the Polish factory is not the company’s last investment. It has further planned to expand its plants as well as develop new, specialised types of glasses.

Ametek Land monitoring system reduces refractory failures Ametek Land’s latest monitoring system helps to reduce failures and deterioration in glass furnace refractories. The LWIR-640 system monitors the exterior of the melt tank and identifies any hot areas that may indicate refractory damage. It also gives an early warning of potential glass breakouts. This long-wavelength thermal imager provides a full temperature measurement range of -20 to 1000 °C (-4 to 1832 °F) in three ranges with a choice of different optics and lenses. It combines high-resolution radiometric camera technology with sophisticated

data processing and powerful software support, delivering detailed thermal images. The thermal imaging provided by the LWIR-640 camera allows a continuous view of the entire target at any distance. Thermal data generated by the camera is presented in real-time, making it faster and easier to detect anomalous hot spots, alerting plant staff to take immediate action. Philippe Kerbois, Global Industry Manager of Glass at Ametek Land, said: “Around 70% of container glass production costs come from energy, so preventing cracks and lost heat produces signif-

icant savings. Early detection of glass breakouts enhances plant safety, so using thermal imaging solutions from Ametek Land ensures fast detection of glass breakouts, allowing for early maintenance, increased safety, and longer lifespan of the tank.” In addition to providing a fast-response safety monitoring system, the LWIR-640 solution also supplies the thermal data necessary to detect damage or wear to the refractory lining. This allows corrective maintenance to be scheduled at the least disruptive times.

Forglass at Glassman 2022 Forglass joined industry leaders at Glassman Latin America in Monterrey, Mexico. Forglass attended the recent Glassman Latin America trade show and highlighted the friendly atmosphere of the show in its review, stating that: “Monterrey in May was just as exciting as it sounds!” The company was able to meet glass producers in the western hemisphere, talk

about their most important issues and share innovations in technology aimed at reducing energy consumption and emissions connected with glass production. Piotr Knast, Forglass CEO, said: “We felt the warmth not only in a meteorological sense, but most importantly from the hosts and participants of the trade fair. “The easy-going atmos-

phere did not detract us from serious and productive business meetings, and it was exciting to see so much interest in the technological solutions that we have developed in Poland.” Given the opportunity for fruitful business relationships in the region, Forglass plans to make Glassman Latin America a regular event on its calendar

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Company profile: Leerdam Crisal Glass

Leerdam Crisal Glass (formerly Libbey EMEA) already achieved tremendous sustainability gains when it introduced Optimelt technology to its manufacturing facilities four years ago... but it did not finish there. It has already electrified one of its glass plants and wants to be carbon neutral well ahead of the 2050 climate deadline. Greg Morris spoke to Antoine Jordans* and Marco van Valburg**.

� Crisal Plant.

eerdam Crisal Glass European operations are already well on their way to finding sustainable solutions. While companies in other industries may only be just starting their journey to decarbonisation, the topic of sustainability and carbon neutrality has been a focus at the European tableware glass manufacturer for several years. The company, formerly Libbey EMEA, was recently acquired by Dutch investment fund Anders Invest. It has production facilities in Leerdam, the Netherlands and in Marinha Grande Portugal, and already has one site that relies on 100% green electrical energy to power its plant. Alongside this, its offices are on the way towards being paper and plastic free, as well as using LED lighting; solar panels will also be installed. Now, the company aims to fully decarbonise its production sites ahead of the 2050 deadline set by the Paris agreement. As Marco van Valburg, Strategic Programme Director at Leerdam Crisal Glass, states: “How to get to carbon neutral by 2050 is a big topic for us, for the industry and my own personal agenda. We are part of the heavy industries and we know we have to reduce gas, discuss what to do with CO2 reduction and, related to that, to use electrification as well as hydrogen.”

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Sustainability Mr van Valburg and his colleague Antoine Jordans, General Manager at Leerdam Crisal Glass, have more than 66 years’ of glassmaking experience at the company between them. Both have held a variety of roles with the company on the factory floor, and its corporate offices, and are acutely aware of the glass manufacturing process. Both are proud of the strides the company has already made in its sustainability efforts. Mr Jordans said: “The goal is to produce carbon neutral glass ideally before 2050. We are on the way there and already looking at new furnace technologies and other technologies that can help us decarbonise on the melting side as well as the machine side, such as annealing, which uses a

� Antoine Jordans (top) and Marco van Valburg.

large amount of energy.” While the melting process accounts for about 70% of all the energy used in container glass manufacturing, the statistics are different in tableware. The annealing process and the burning off of the product both use a substantial amount of natural gas. Mr Jordans stated: “When you look in general and ask where can you electrify and use something other than natural gas? These are basic solutions but with some of them the technology has still has to be invented or in other cases we have to see what the affect is if, for example, you burn hydrogen in your refractory. “Secondly, you ask is there enough electric power in the grid to electrify furnaces, because often there is simply not enough power.” The pair acknowledged that the infrastructure in their native Netherlands would have to be updated to meet the capacity requirements if all heavy industries were to decarbonise.

Success While they know it is not an easy journey to carbon neutrality, they point to the company’s recent success with Optimelt technology as

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Company profile: Leerdam Crisal Glass

� Leerdam Optimelt. an indicator of what can be achieved. Mr van Valburg worked on the project and saw first-hand the sustainability benefits the new technology brought to the company. The L1 project saw the installation of an Optimelt Thermochemical regenerator (TCR) system to reduce natural gas consumption and flue gas carbon dioxide emissions by 20%. The L1 project also significantly reduced NOx, Sox and

dust at the site. Mr van Valburg stated: “It was a dream come true for us to see the energy and emissions saved. I’m proud of what we have achieved, we had the guts to go for the L1 and the Optimelt technology as the first in the world in this industry and we are happy with the results so far.” Mr Jordans and Mr van Valburg said the partnership with its supply partner Praxair (now Linde) alongside funding from the EU helped contribute to the success of the project. They are keen to seek a similar collaboration with partners in future in their bid to decarbonise. Mr Jordans said: “We are always looking ahead at new technologies for furnaces. It is a big challenge to create the right roadmap and to make the correct decisions. 2050 is nearly 30 years away but only two furnace lifetimes so any decisions at furnace level have to be the correct ones. “We hope some EU countries will support the industry in general because it is not cheap to transition and there will be demand from other sector such as steel and cement. “An example of this was the recent Furnace Continued>>

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Treading a sustainable path in tableware

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Company profile: Leerdam Crisal Glass

of the Future project which did not receive EU funding because other industrial projects had more CO2 savings. “It is important to have these type of subsidies because it is a huge leap and a new technology. It is a huge investment and you take a huge risk. But if you are willing to take a risk I am 100% sure we will find ways to make improvements,” said Mr Jordans.

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Optimistic Shorlty before our interview, the Netherlands reported that 50% of its total energy was generated by ‘green’ energy such as solar and bio-gas. “It is a trend which will continue, but you have to work with governments and also hopefully with the EU in our case, like we did with L1 in our case, where you get a subsidy and that really helps,” stated Mr Jordans. They are optimistic that solutions will be found by the industry before the year 2050 and, in Leerdam Crisal Glass’s case, believe that in 2040 they will have reached 80-90% of their goal. Both men agree that for furnace technology the answer is likely to be a combination of electricity and possibly hydrogen. Electricity allows for a better efficiency of processes, while the flame would be fired by hydrogen. A tableware furnace typically lasts 15 years and both men are hopeful that, during the cycle of a furnace’s lifetime, solutions will be found for hydrogen. While commercial parties are already offering technology for the burners and skids, what has not been tested so far is the impact on the quality of glass. Finding the right glass quality under different melting conditions, and the impact on refractories and melting, is the subject of several projects by institutions such as Dutch compatriots CelSian. On top of that, planned investment in the national grid is likely to ensure power supply.

“Together, in four to five years, we will know a lot, we will find the solutions,” stated Mr van Valburg.

Covid-19

“Walking through the factory, seeing the furnaces, is like lava from a volcano, and then you get a crystal clear end product which is just a beautiful

”

process,

concludes Mr Jordans.

The two have seen and survived many global crisis in their years in the industry. The current energy price crisis hit just as the industry was rebounding from the Covid-19 pandemic. The pair acknowledged that they were certainly worried in the first few weeks of the pandemic, when lockdowns were announced in Spring 2020. But once the Dutch government announced they would support the industry, and as soon as retail opened again, customers began to order more, with sales going up considerably. Mr Jordans said: “Except for the first three months when we were extremely worried, we had enough cash and established a rhythm. Not a single customer of ours did not pay us, some of our larger customers on the retail side even paid us earlier to help us, and that was very gracious.”

Trends Despite today’s extreme inflation on everything from transportation to packaging, as well as high energy prices, the order books are full. Consumer trends for tableware glass remain for differentiation and variety. “People like to see a variety of products rather than more of the same at ever lower prices. “The product capabilities that you have in your factories are more important than the machines just running the largest possible quality at the lowest possible cost. We see differentiation in shapes, in structures and forms, in colours and in applications. Glass is being used for plants, for decoration, for storage of food for example because it is a much safer product than plastic.” The company has staff whose job is to step out of the day to day business of the organisation and

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Company profile: Leerdam Crisal Glass

to ‘read the future’ by spotting future consumer trends. This not only helps the company to stay creative and innovative, but also helps it stay ahead of competitors, many of whom are masters of copying. Attracting and retaining young talent remains a key priority for the company, particularly when there is competition from other industries. It believes its focus on digital glassmaking technology - in combination with other factors - is a potential way of attracting millennials to work for the business.

Digital “We’re moving forward with digital technology,” stated Mr van Valburg. “You have to move forward to improve your processes in the factory when making your products to be more efficient. Digital technology can help you become more smarter and reliable in any process that you have – that can be in production, cost management or in sales. What you need is to have data and to analyse the data. You have to predict the trends you are going to see and act proactively on that. “Where reaction was acceptable 30 years ago, today is proactive and to do so you have to be more digitalised. So you have to bring in the right systems and the right people to analyse and process that data. This is more important and this will drive automation. So for us, it is a development we are working on.” “Data is a way of attracting young talent to the company but it is also producing a product and introducing different ways of working either here or at home to create a life and work balance, we are open to that. “The product we sell is appealing, it sells well in the bars and clubs of Europe. You’ll often see our cocktail glasses on all the Dutch talk shows on TV. This combination of the product we make, data analyses, also the marketing side, makes us very attractive.” For both men, despite all the challenges and crisis they have faced in the past, their passion for glass manufacturing remains undimmed. “Glass has been made for thousands of years so to work for the only local company that makes glass, we have a lot of passion, a lot of people have worked in the site for a long time, sometimes generations, and that is what I like. “Walking through the factory, seeing the furnaces, is like lava from a volcano, and then you get a crystal clear end product which is just a beautiful process,” concludes Mr Jordans. �

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SPECIALISTS IN THE GLASS INDUSTRY

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* Strategic Programme Director, **General Manager, Leerdam Crisal Glass, Leerdam, the Netherlands

+44 (0)20 8940 6691

sales@newport-industries.com

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REVOLUTIONISING GLASS MAKING The NIS from Bucher Emhart Glass The servo electric driven NIS machine outperforms traditional IS machines through enhanced, precise motion, perfect repeatability and a faster setup time. It is significantly reducing noise and energy consumption. The NIS is the most flexible (95 mm QG – 5” TG – 6 1 ⁄4” DG), high-performance future‑proof forming machine, ready for the revolutionary change that automated End to End technology will bring.

emhartglass.com

Decarbonisation

Oxy-Fuel burner testing with Hydrogen and Ethanol Martin Adendorff*, Robert L. Bell** and Shrikar Chakravarti*** discuss Linde’s efforts to optimise its burner portfolio for use with hydrogen and other green fuels in the glassmaking process.

This paper focuses on efforts at Linde’s combustion laboratories to optimise the Optifire burner portfolio for use with green fuels, e.g. H2, H2-NG blends, bioethanol.

H2-based combustion systems

Since 2018, Linde has been investigating the use of hydrogen fired oxyfuel burner systems for multiple industries including steel, glass and non-ferrous metals at their combustion technology centres in Sweden, Germany, and USA. Fig 1 highlights some of the upgrades at the combustion lab in Germany, which

� Fig 1. Upgrading Combustion Lab in Germany for H2 testing

includes: 1. New transportable 500 kW EN 746-2 (similar to NFPA 86) compliant hydrogen oxygen control system with a fail-safe PLC, Land NDIR furnace camera. 2. New flue gas analysers. 3. Trailer based hydrogen supply system, comprising of a high-pressure reduction station, supply piping and end use low pressure reduction stations to two locations at the combustion laboratory. 4. Relining the combustion furnace with a 1600°C fibre refractory material to allow faster heat-up and more comprehensive testing at high furnace temperatures, similar to those in commercial glass furnaces.

Current tests are focused on understanding the impact of using NG, H2 and H2-NG blends with multiple burner types on various physical flame parameters and emissions. Fig 2 is an example of a burner trial (firing rate of 400 kW) for a specific glass customer. The combustion laboratory in the US has also been upgraded to facilitate testing with H2 and H2-NG blends. Fig 3 illustrates open air trials with the Optifire COROX-R burner, which has been especially optimised for speciality glass/ borosilicate furnaces. Linde has designed the Optifire XD burner to mitigate condensate buildup Continued>>

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ue to the increased emphasis on sustainability, glass companies are looking for ways to substantially reduce CO2 emissions from their operations, especially from the melting process. One approach is through use of low carbon fuels, examples of which include renewable hydrogen, biofuels, biogas, biomass-derived syngas, and renewable ammonia. In particular, hydrogen is considered as the fuel of the future to eliminate CO2 emissions from combustion of hydrocarbon fuels. The first large scale demonstration of 100% hydrogen firing in a glass furnace was conducted recently at Pilkington UK’s St Helens facility, as part of the HyNet Industrial Fuel Switching project.1 However, long term adoption of H2 as a fuel in glass melting operation will require: 1. Modification of burner and fuel piping systems. 2. Understanding impact of higher water vapor concentration in furnace atmosphere on glass chemistry and refractory life. 3. Cost-effective generation and supply of clean H2.

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Decarbonisation

of the HYDROUS development project, towards the research and development of oxyfuel burner technologies fired with green hydrogen for high temperature industrial processes.

Other Low Carbon / Renewable Fuels

� Fig 2. Performing burner

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trials for customers.

and refractory port fouling.2 This burner has been successfully commercialised for environments with high levels of volatiles, e.g. insulation fibre glass furnaces, burner ports close to the batch blanket in container glass furnaces. An extensive trial with 100% H2, 100% NG and a range of H2-NG blends with the Optifire XD burner is shown in Fig 4. The hydrogen flame is less luminous vs the NG flame in all open-air burner trials. This can be expected to be the case when the burners are fired within the glass furnace as well. H2 has a wider flammability range and a higher adiabatic flame temperature as compared to methane. No adverse impact on the radiation heat transfer is expected since the water vapor concentration of combustion gases will be close to 100%. This would enhance the gas emissivity of oxy-hydrogen flames and combustion gases. The conversion of the existing natural gas firing system to hydrogen firing will require fuel piping and burner modifications, but no fundamental heat transfer issues are expected with a proper oxy-hydrogen burner design. One of the challenging aspects with oxy-hydrogen firing is high water vapor content in the flue gas, ~90% in relatively airtight furnaces. The long-term impact on refractory and glass chemistry is yet to be characterised. The high propensity of water condensation needs to be accounted for in the design of the flue gas system. It is also important to ensure that the combustion system is operated in an optimal mode – neither too much excess oxidant nor too much unburnt fuel. This can be typically monitored by measuring the flue gas composition. The high water

vapor content of the flue gas also makes the sample drying and preparation using existing Peltier based dryers, prior to analysing the composition of the flue gases, a significant challenge. High performance sample dryers capable of removing around 1 litre of water from a 2 Nm3 flue gas sample, or wet based flue gas analysers are required. Linde is also participating in multiple European based R&D partnerships and development projects. These include: � Hydrogen combustion in industrial heating processes (DNV led TKI project3 with 39 industrial participants from glass, steel, oil, industrial gas and ceramic industries). � CFD modeling of heat transfer from hydrogen-rich flames.4 � Influence of hydrogen rich combustion on foaming.4 Linde has also secured funding from the Bavarian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, as part

Aside from H2, several other low carbon fuels, e.g. biomass, biogas, biomass derived syngas, bio-ethanol, can be considered for use as fuel in glass furnaces5 - 6 . Ethanol has an established supply infrastructure in some geographies. At the request of a glass customer, outdoor burner trials were conducted with ethanol at the US Combustion Lab. The tests were conducted over a range for firing rates 200 – 800 kW with both NG and ethanol. O2, air and NG were tested for use as the atomising gas in the case of ethanol combustion. The side-byside comparison in Fig 5 indicates that flame shapes are comparable in both cases; confirming the readiness of burner technology for use with liquid fuels such as ethanol.

Summary Low carbon fuels such as hydrogen will be critical to glass companies achieving carbon neutrality in the long term. To prepare for this scenario, Linde is investing in multiple areas related to H2 – both supply systems7 and oxy-fuel burners. Recent open air trials for several burners from the Optifire portfolio indicate a high level of readiness for deployment in glass furnaces fired with green fuels like hydrogen and ethanol. �

References 1. HyNet Industrial Fuel Switching project, August 2021, https://hynet.co.uk/ 2. G. Kulkarni, U. Iyoha, S. Chakravarti,

� Fig 3. 800 kW trials with OPTIFIRE COROX-R at the US Combustion Lab.

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� Fig 4. Trials with OPTIFIRE XD burners at the US Combustion Lab.

� Fig 5. Left - Oxy NG (400 kW); Right - Oxy Ethanol atomised with O2 (400 kW).

Linde.indd 3

P. Diggins, A. Francis, and G. J. Panuccio, “Staged Oxy-Fuel Wide Flame Burners to Mitigate Refractory Port Fouling and Foaming in Glass Furnaces”, 79th Conference on Glass Problems, Columbus, OH, October 2018. 3. https://www.dnv.com/news/dnv-gllaunches-hydrogen-industry-consortiumto-reduce-carbon-emissions-frommanufacturing-181919 4. https://www.glasstrend.nl/projects/ 5. H. Kobayashi and S. Chakravarti, “OxyFuel Combustion toward CO2 Neutral Glass Production”, Glass Trend Seminar, April 2018. 6. S. Chakravarti, “Low Carbon Fuels for Glass Furnaces”, Sustainability in Glass Manufacturing, GMIC Symposium, October 2019, Columbus, OH. 7. S. Chakravarti and M. M. Shah, “Preparing for Sustainable Glass Production – Technical and Economic Investigation of Hydrogen Supply for Glass Melting”, Webinar by Glass International, June 2021.

*Senior Technology Expert, **Senior Research Engineer, ***Business Development, Linde Inc, Danbury, CT, USA, www.linde.com

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Decarbonisation

Decarbonising the glass industry: the role of refractory solutions Dr Michel Gaubil* and Mélanie Allen-Larut** discuss how high-quality refractories can help glassmakers achieve the challenge of carbon-neutrality.

n addition to the typical challenges of sustainably producing high-quality glass at optimised costs, the glass industry is facing new paradigm-shifting challenges: carbon-neutrality and circularity. Achieving low carbon glass production is the priority challenge of the glass industry for the years to come. Many governments and companies have announced clear targets to reach carbonneutrality in the coming decades. The glass industry must play its part. Circular economy is the second key challenge for the glass industry. Beyond increased use of cullet, the full lifecycle of the furnace must be considered, including its end of life and refractory recycling. Refractory solutions are essential to glass furnaces and their performance. Therefore, they play a key role to support glassmakers in these new challenges.

Services to support the shift to carbon-neutrality The path to the industrial production of carbon-neutral glass still faces many obstacles. The most significant one being

� Fig 2. ER 1195 RT Tuckpro.

� Fiig 3. ER 1851 Lowex fused cast AZS crown.

the switch to renewable energy sources. Two main contenders - electricity and hydrogen – are being tested and developed by many players in the industry. Other options such as biogas and biofuels are also under investigation. Despite this uncertainty, we know there will be an impact of switching fuels on glass furnace refractories and that more flexibility will be needed in the energy mix, especially during the transition period. To mitigate risks on furnace safety and lifetime, numerical simulation services based on an expert knowledge of refractories will be key to anticipate and make the best refractory choices. Corrosion models analyse the impact of parameters such as glass temperature profile, glass velocity profile, refractory composition and cooling efficiency on refractory lifetime. These numerical simulation services help choose the best refractory solutions for glass furnace specific conditions. The changes in operating conditions – which have never been seen at this

scale before - will also reinforce the need for real-time monitoring of furnaces. Instrumenting refractories with sensors to follow in real time the evolution of furnace wear will secure furnace operations, trigger necessary adjustments to operating conditions or if necessary, prompt maintenance or repair operations before a critical incident.

Higher performance refractory solutions Technologies and measures enabling the shift to carbon neutrality – such as electrical boosting, greater insulation at both glass contact and superstructure and hydrogen combustion technology - are demanding higher refractory performance. In superstructure application, the use of oxy-combustion technology and higher thermal insulation results in increased exudation and corrosion.

Continued>>

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� Fig 1. Superstructure using ER 1851 Lowex.

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Decarbonisation

There are several high quality products in the refractory portfolio that meet these requirements. The use of low exudation fused cast AZS in combination with high alumina and/or high zirconia fused cast materials has proven to be highly suitable to cope with more soliciting furnace conditions (Fig 1).

Melting End

ER 2010 RIC TJ XiLEC 9 RT

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Use of high zirconia for tuckstone application

Superstructures and tuckstones in particular will undergo more corrosive atmospheres. High zirconia tuckstones will ensure the required higher resistance to corrosion but will typically be more susceptible to thermo-mechanical stress. Associating a composite ceramic shield - with high compression resistance and low thermal conductivity - to a high zirconia tuckstone will protect it from the risk of cracks due to these stresses. As such, the insulated tuckstone will be able to play its role in avoiding thermal losses. The stability of the superstructure as well as the thermal protection of the below located soldier blocks increase and contribute to a longer furnace lifetime (Fig 2). Oxyfuel combustion, though not a new technology, is coming back into relevance for hybrid and hydrogen furnaces. This technology induces comparably high running temperatures combined with high water vapors and alkaline concentration in the fumes. Refractories must withstand these new conditions, particularly in the crown. The first choice for crowns in oxyfuel combustion are fused cast refractory solutions such as low exudation-AZS materials or fused cast high alumina. An assembly with very tight specifications ensures the required corrosion and creep resistance properties of the furnace crown (Fig 3). Electrical boosting directly results in higher temperature at the bottom of a glass furnace, in parallel with an increased convection flow rate of the melt. Using fused cast tiles is the well-known answer to those challenges. However, this may no longer be enough: a complete refractory solution for the furnace bottom should be considered. Void free fused cast tiles are the first element of this solution. Beyond higher corrosion resistance, they must ensure joint closure after heat-up to guarantee the safety of the furnace bottom (Fig 4). Performance of mortars should not be overlooked. Harmonised dilatation

Insulation

ERMOLD ERSOL 06 Cement ERSOL SL

� Fig 4. Bottom paving solutions: Yttrium doped AZS paving ER 2010 RIC tiles with ERSOL SL safety layer.

� Fig 5. XILEC 9 Electrode block.

of the various layers of tiles and mortars is essential to avoid unexpected glass infiltration. For furnaces with high electrical power, the use of extra high electrical resistivity fused cast refractory solutions particularly designed for those extreme conditions – such as Xilec 9 - must be considered. These materials are the premium choice and safest option for harsher operating conditions due to high current density (Fig 5). Beyond the impact on the furnace paving, higher temperatures at the bottom of the glass furnace also impact the lower section of soldier blocks. Reinforced filling is required in this area where end cast used to be enough with a move to soldier blocks with further reduced and tightly controlled casting cavity.

Circularity A first step towards circular economy is reducing the quantity of materials needed to achieve a similar performance. Extending furnace lifetime and maximising the use of the refractory asset through the use of high quality refractories and targeted repair service

operations can support this objective. At the end of the production lifecycle, all glass furnaces face the same issue: a high quality product becomes waste, and in some cases even hazardous waste. Several established providers in the market are offering demolishing and waste-evacuation services. Some of them offer the revalorization of waste materials, that are transformed and recycled into new raw materials. The responsibility of the glass industry for the ‘after-life’ of their process materials becomes even more evident when refractories may be classified as hazardous waste at the time the furnace is shutdown, such as for materials containing chrome oxides. The conscientious exposure with the question of what happens to those materials does not stop after they are evacuated and removed from the site. Many sustainability charters include the treatment of waste material and drive the glassmakers’ responsibility further forward. Those questions become particularly sensitive in countries where legislation holds the furnace owner responsible even beyond the evacuation of the waste materials. In those areas it becomes crucial to find a service provider that grants an approved utilisation. Refractory suppliers are part of glassmakers’ Scope 3. Selecting refractory providers that can ensure a high use of secondary raw materials and a low carbon energy mix will become a key competitiveness factor for glassmakers in the years to come.

Conclusion The glass industry faces the paradigmshifting challenges of carbon-neutrality and circularity. This journey will mobilise all industry partners working together to achieve ambitious targets. As a part of the glass industry, dedicated refractory and refractory services suppliers have a key role to play and can support glassmakers in the transition by relying on their refractory expertise, innovation capabilities and customer-centric approach. �

*Director for Applied Refractory Solutions, **Strategic Marketing Manager, SEFPRO, France www.sefpro.com

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Batch plant

� Fig 1. EME Batch Charger.

Sebastian Woltz* discusses how a well-mixed, homogenous batch can help achieve high quality final glass products.

s part of the Sorg Group, EME is committed to delivering a perfect batch. It includes providing glass manufacturers with raw material intake and storage, equipment for dosing, batch weighing and mixing, and technologies for delivering the mixed batch to the furnace. The synergy between EME and Nikolaus

Sorg reaches its peak in the batch charging process. EME has one of the widest varieties of batch charging systems worldwide, thanks to Sorg’s combination of a batch plant expert and a furnace specialist in one single group. Our batch charging solutions and technologies result from the combination of the know-how of both companies.

This combined knowledge focuses on batch charging technologies and batch and cullet preheating systems. The two companies work together to offer and sell systems for glass manufacturers all over the world.

Continued>>

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Batch handling possibilities to minimise segregation

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Batch plant

De-mixing and segregation Charging the furnace with a well-mixed, homogenous batch to achieve highquality final glass products is essential. The main goal is to minimise the demixing and segregation of free-flowing particles. The characteristics that influence segregation are nominal grain size, grain size distribution, particle shape and specific gravity. The forces from demixing in streams of flowing solids result from the free-flowing action of individual particles during mechanical movements. Segregation mainly occurs during shipment, storage and transport, but it can be avoided using, for example, a mass flow silo design. The most critical step regarding demixing starts when the ready mixed batch is transported to the furnaces. The batch quality mainly depends on handling the batch during transport and storage. There is always a balance between flow behaviour, homogeneity and consistency, since batch consistency and flow behaviour are always in conflict (Fig. 1).

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Wetting of batch in the mixer De-mixing and segregation must be reduced. It can be done by suppressing the free-flowing characteristics of the raw material particles. A common form of suppression, broadly used in the industry, is creating a thin film covering the raw material particle. The process must use sufficient water to allow a soda ash chemical reaction, resulting in hydrate formations such as deca-, hepta- or monohydrates. The batch’s temperature determines which hydrate will form. The soda ash particles need to be fully hydrated before the wetting of all particles occurs. Alternatively, batch wetting with caustic soda solution results in a simplified wetting system. In this case, the soda ash will not hydrate, staying in anhydrous form. However, this might not be the best cost-effective answer since caustic solutions usually are more expensive than sodium. Therefore, this technique is dependent on ideal marketing conditions. Wetting makes the batch tacky to impede its typical free-flowing properties. But these conditions complicate the handling of the batch during subsequent conveying and storage. Agglomeration of wetted batch may occur, making it more difficult to avoid and minimise spillage at, e.g., the scraper devices of the belt conveyors. It also makes it harder for the

� Fig 2. EME Wetting screw.

batch to flow uniformly out of the furnace silos. The critical parameters to minimise the clogging of batch are storage time (the batch components must have enough time to interact with each other), temperature, moisture content and lack of movement in the silo. In case of problems, operators can resort to reasonable filling strategies, excellent silo geometry, and discharge aids like vibrating bottom discharge or knockers. Additionally, a high cullet proportion minimises the agglomeration tendency. Agglomeration in the silo can, in principle, be avoided by making sure that the batch temperature will never drop below 35,4°C, preventing the absorption of large quantities of water by the formation of compounds Na2CO3-7H2O and Na2CO2-10H2O. Nevertheless, wetting the batch does not eliminate size segregation in raw material handling and storage. Even a chemically uniform batch may vary considerably in size sometimes. Besides segregation reduction, wetting the batch also reduces dusting emissions during transport and in the furnace. A decrease in the rate of regenerator plugging and particulate stack emissions is also achievable but requires a limitation on the amount of water used. The evaporation of batch water in the glass furnace requires additional energy and should be minimised.

Wetting screw Especially in countries with high temperatures or long batch transport routes, additional wetting by wetting screws are in practice. Thus, before introducing the batch into the furnace, additional mixing and adjusting of the required moisture content, adaptable to the current outside conditions, must be

completed. The wetting screw system is installed between the batch furnace silo and the batch charger, exactly where the synergy between EME and Sorg is at its best. The transfer and dosing of the right amount of batch into the wetting screw can be done directly by controlling the vibratory bottom of the batch silo or by an additional screw feeder or vibratory chute that doses the right amount of material in the wetting screw. The wetting screw conveys the batch to the batch charger by mixing and moistening the batch. Water is introduced into the screw through several spraying nozzles where water is put in, and the batch is moistened uniformly (Fig. 2).

Summary The glass industry’s batch de-mixing and segregation problems are well-known and extensively studied. Nevertheless, customers must have a plan of action that considers the need for dust and spillage reduction in the batch house and the increasing demand for batch quality. These measures require an exceptional experience and should be agreed upon during the planning and execution of new systems. EME has the technical knowledge and expertise that a successful glassmaking plant needs, from batch wetting after the mixing process to the input of the batch in the furnace. The partnership with Sorg enhances its natural capability. Together, the companies deliver the best solutions for batch plants combined with Sorg’s renowned furnaces.

*Sales Director, EME, Germany www.eme.de

References Engineered Materials Handbook Volume 4: Ceramics and Glasses

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PERFECT GLASS STARTS WITH EME EME is the world’s leading supplier of batch and cullet handling technology. Technology that we have been developing and improving for over 100 years. We continuously invest in research and development to create equipment that pushes the glassmaking industry forward, creating a more sustainable and efficient world. To find out more, visit eme.de

Furnace Solutions review

Decarbonisation the focus at Furnace Solutions

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More than 100 glass industry professionals attended Furnace Solutions earlier this month. It was the first time the event had been held in person in three years and for many it was a chance to catch up at long last. Greg Morris was in attendance.

lass industry solutions to tackle the climate crisis were among the main topics at the Furnace Solutions conference this month. More than 100 people were in attendance as the annual glass manufacturing conference organised by the Society of Glass Technology (SGT) took place in person for the first time in three years.

It was held at a new venue, the Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens, UK, next door to the Glass Futures research and development construction site (pictured top). Attendees among the 107 audience included glass manufacturers, technology suppliers as well as academia. Among the attendees were O-I, Saint-Gobain, Guardian and Ardagh and as well as

suppliers such as Fives, Land Ametek, PSR, Sefpro, Zippe and Hotwork International. Visitors came from USA, Italy, France, Germany and Poland as well as the UK. The two-day conference included 14 presentations from companies such as NSG group, Glass Technology Services, Simpson Combustion, CelSian, DSF and Emisshield.

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Furnace Solutions review

� Above Martyn Marshall of Glass Technology Services (GTS) discussed Alternative Raw Materials from Waste and Decarbonisation. � Wayne Bridger of BOC.

� FIC’s Christoph Jatwauk, Chris Windle of DSF Refractories who discussed Hy-ghly durable refractories for hybrid glass melters and Kelvin McAlister of Emisshield.

Every year, the Michael Garvey award is given for best conference paper and this year Encirc’s Batch and Furnace Supervisor, Lara Edison won for a paper discussing recent biofuel firing trials at Encirc (pictured first page and right). Ms Edison provided a presentation which discussed a successful threeweek trial at the company’s Derrylin, Northern Ireland site. Gas was switched with biofuels made from animal fat in a project organised in conjunction with UK research and development group Glass Futures. The trial helped reduce the CO2 emission of each glass container by 89% compared to the average container

produced at the Derrylin plant in 2020. SGT president Stuart Hakes said Ms Edison’s paper just edged the other presentations. “She a confident young woman, who knows her stuff and who delivered her paper very well. We had some strong papers from Andy Keeley at NSG and Wayne Bridger at BOC who ran her close but she just pipped them. “There is an older generation of glass industry professionals who are in the process of handing over the baton and when you see people like Lara you realise that the future looks good for the industry.” The Michael Garvey Award is

presented each year to the winner of the best paper and is sponsored by Guardian Industries. Recent winners have included Glass Futures Rob Ireson in 2021, Sisecam’s Burcin Gul in 2019 and Giorgio Minestrini of Stara Glass in 2018. Continued>>

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BEST PAPER

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Furnace Solutions review

DAY TWO FOCUSES ON ELECTRIC

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� The SGT’s Nigel Longshaw with Grahame Stuart and Richard Stormont of Electroglass. Earlier on day two, delegates had heard from Electroglass, Encirc, DSF, CelSian, British Glass and FIC UK. In the presentation titled: ‘Are we nearly there yet?’ Electroglass’ Richard Stormont focused on electric furnaces, while later in the presentation colleague and Grahame Stuart discussed forehearths. Mr Stormont said approximately 85% of global glass production is still reliant on fuel-fired furnaces. There is a high degree of losses from these type of furnaces - the losses are typically greater than the net melting energy. Inroads had been made to improve furnace performance, with oxy fuel firing but these are hot top furnaces. Hydrogen is a recent focus but will require investment. In Mr Stormont’s words if a glass manufacturer is to be totally renewable, the way forward is to use electric melting. He felt though there was no single path for the industry to take – option one was to continue in the current direction with improved energy efficiency measures to reduce emissions and increase furnace life. This direction is still reliant on fossil fuels though. Option two is to focus on renewable sources such as high efficiency electric melting. The technology already exists and eliminates combustion gases completely. One established option is the use of electric boosting using electrodes which can boost output by up to 50%. A 50% increase in output by boosting means 33% of furnace output is produced electrically. In the second half of the presentation,

Mr Stuart said not to forget about forehearths. They can bring typical operating energy cost savings of between 60-90% and their homogeneity index is higher than a gas fired equivalent. The company does a lot of work converting gas heated to all electric forehearths. He provided examples of three projects of various-sized forehearths, one of which lead to an 88% reduction in losses – the equivalent of £744, 000 saving a year. “This was just one forehearth, imagine what you could do if you had five,” he said. With the price of gas becoming more expensive, he said the future of electricity is looking bright. In a presentation titled Hy-ghly durable refractories for hybrid glass melters, DSF’s Chris Windle, said despite three decades of global climate initiatives there are still plans to build more coal-fired power stations. This was marked in the recent COP26 meeting where, after tense negotiations, China and India agreed to phase down rather than phase out, their use of coal. Approximately a third of global electricity is generated from coal-fired power stations, contributing about 30% of CO2 emissions. There are currently 8200 coal fired power stations in the world - the majority in China and India. Surprisingly Germany has 63 such stations, while 34 countries are planning to build more coal fired plants. If no policies were implemented to limit emissions and emissions carry on at their current rate then global temperatures will rise by 4.1C by the

year 2100. Most of the earth would be an arid desert, marked with huge thunderstorms in the tropical regions. “It is an uncomfortable imperative – we need to decarbonise,” said Mr Windle. In the glass industry there is light at the end of the tunnel, with the increased use of electric melting, use of biofuels and the increased number of hydrogen-focused projects taking place. In its bid to decarbonise Mr Windle forecast the industry to adopt the use of biofuels as an immediate step, with hybrid furnaces in the interim, with the final step all-electric melting – provided the electricity comes from renewable sources. He then discussed the various refractories which are available to use with hybrid melters. Concluding his presentation he said: “I think the industry will get there, we will decarbonise. It’s a big challenge but if we get behind it, we will achieve it. I’d like to think that delegates at Furnace Solutions in the year 2100 will look back and recognise the huge challenge we faced, but that we overcame the challenge and became a decarbonised industry.” In the final presentation of the conference, Stuart Hakes of FIC UK discussed critical points in how to maintain an electric furnace. “Know your furnace!” He said. It is the most important asset in a glass company and is the most worthwhile item of equipment in a glass plant. “People may be sitting in the control room but they have not got a blind idea of what is going on. There may be cameras inside the furnace but what about regenerators bottoms and top, and flames from the port?” He suggested furnace controllers should visit the plant at night in order to walk around the furnace in the dark to see the regenerator bottoms and spot any inconsistencies. Health and safety reasons mean it is rare for operators to look underneath the furnace today. “That is a massive potential problem by not going underneath the furnace to look for wear.”

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Furnace Solutions review

HYDROGEN THE FOCUS ON THE OPENING DAY ingenious concept into a team of more than 30 staff, soon to be based at a new 30 tonne/day glass manufacturing pilot facility in St Helens, working alongside a global membership from across the glass industry and academia. Ernesto Cattaneo, of Stara Glass, discussed the LIFE SUGAR Project and the architecture of a furnace heat recovery system including a steam reformer. The companies involved in the project are: Stara Glass; Johnson Matthey of Reading, England; KT Kinetics Technology of Rome, Italy; Italian research organisation Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro (SSV) of Venice, Italy; and the University of Genoa. Regenerative glass furnaces are some of the most efficient devices invented. Yet, they still waste about 30% of the fuel energy by expelling hot waste gas.

The LIFE SUGAR Project aims to save such residual heat by utilising it to power a steam reforming reaction and converting a part of the natural gas into hydrogen, to be burned in the furnace. The reforming unit will be integrated in the particular heat exchange configuration of the Stara Glass Centauro system. The final goal is to design a furnace with an about 15% lower consumption than a modern regenerative furnace. The project includes the realisation and testing of a lab section (mock-up), the realisation and testing of an industrial section (pilot), 1:5 scaled compared to the final technology, and the final design and commercialisation of the full scaled technology. Continued>>

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Speakers in the opening morning session highlighted the potential benefits of both hydrogen and biofuels as a solution for the industry to reduce its CO2 emissions. Andy Keeley, of NSG Group, discussed the recent hydrogen trials which had taken place at the company’s Greengate, St Helens facility while Wayne Bridger, of BOC, highlighted the group’s involvement in the trials. Mr Bridger discussed the use of hydrogen in the glass process and suggested that, while it has tremendous potential, it may be more than 10 years before adequate infrastructure is in place for it to be used on an industrial scale. “There is a weight of expectation on hydrogen in the future, there is almost a utopian vision of it. But there is nothing built yet, it is a long horizon and we have problems today.” He suggested a bridging period in the intervening years where glass industry fuel efficiency could be derived from oxy fuel combustion. His talk was followed by Rob Ireson of Glass Futures who highlighted the potential and challenges of biofuels in the glass production process. While Glass Futures and container glass manufacturer Encirc have held successful trials using biofuel in the industrial process, there remain concerns over the seasonal availability of some bio-fuels as well competition with other sectors for their availability. His presentation also outlined how Glass Futures has evolved from an

� Ernesto Cattaneo of Stara Glass spoke about the LIFE SUGAR project.

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Furnace Solutions review

� British Glass’ Mark Pudner, Rob Ireson of Glass Futures and Andy Keeley of NSG. Mr Keeley opened the conference with a paper about hydrogen trials at NSG.

www.glass-international.com

Neil Simpson, of Simpson combustion, gave a presentation titled: ‘How many m3/hr of gas to produce a Tonne of CO2 - how do you justify the investment to reduce both?’ Starting with gas laws and the basics of combustion, he looked at techniques available today and simple financial models to justify investment in energy reduction and resulting emissions. From gas supply to stack, it will show how analysers, burners, control logic, training, and everything in between can be justified through CO2 and energy savings in a simple spreadsheet. For simplicity, assuming natural gas is methane, if you save 1Nm3, you save 2kgCO2. Assuming CO2 is €100/Tonne, if you save 1Nm3/h, it saves close to £1500 of CO2 credits a year plus the gas savings. Afterwards Stuart Hakes, SGT president, thanked Glass Futures and St Helens Council and said the venue was extremely appropriate. He added that

� CelSian’s Oscar Verheijen highlighted Hydrogen Combustion for the Glass Industry in his paper. Glass Futures will feature strongly in our lives going forward. “This was the first time we have been together in three years and it gave the opportunity to see old friends and new ones. More importantly it gave us the

chance to learn what we need to do for the future. Of all the heavy industries, the glass industry is doing more than anybody else in its decarbonisation efforts.” Mr Hakes added: “I felt that this year’s event was the best yet. We had a fantastic array of speakers, everybody has commented on the range of subjects covered, and it was held in a wonderful venue. “It was more of a knowledge conference rather than a commercial one and that is something that the committee has always strived for.” He thanked the SGT’s Nigel Longshaw, Christine Brown and Lisa Tyers for their tireless work in securing the speakers and for the organisation of the event. �

Society of Glass Technology, Sheffield, UK www.sgt.org

� Neil Simpson (right) of Simpson Combustion.

With thanks to the SGT for their assistance in providing images.

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Decarbonisation

Decarbonisation in the float glass industry

� Production of glass bottles from BV Glas.

Germany needs to reach carbon neutrality by 2045. Marc Everling* discusses how alternative energy systems for melting and glass furnace operations could help achieve this goal for the float glass industry. additional process-related million tons of CO2 are generated by the thermal decomposition of the carbonate raw materials. The energy efficiency thus achieved is remarkable nonetheless: while some 100 years ago the production of one ton of glass still required 6,000 kWh, today less than 1,000 kWh suffice. While in former times approximately three tons of CO2 were emitted per ton of glass, it is less than 500 kg today. There is not a lot more to be saved here, which is why carbon neutrality requires a consistent shift to new technologies and renewable energy. According to BV Glas, the glass industry currently covers some 75% of its total energy demand by natural gas. In Europe float glass, for instance, is mostly produced in cross-fired regenerative furnaces where the batch is molten at constant process temperatures of around 1,650°C over the complete life of the furnace, ideally at least 15–20 years.

Hydrogen projects Many of the major glass producers and associations are already conducting in-depth studies into sustainable transformation options, such as SaintGobain (Fig. 1). The company is currently examining, until 2025, how its production at the Herzogenrath site might become carbon neutral. It sees the highest potential in using regeneratively produced, green hydrogen for glass manufacturing. Energy savings could be further achieved in processing as well as by energetically optimised energy use and supply at the site. The project is being modelled in cooperation with the city of Herzogenrath, neighbouring communities and numerous institutes including the Gas and Heat Institute, Institute for Technical Thermodynamics, Department Continued>>

www.glass-international.com

ur current dependency on fossil fuel imports makes it clear that there is no alternative to switching to renewable energies and new technologies. How can the energy-intensive float glass industry, heavily dependent on natural gas, become carbon neutral by 2045? The energy efficiency of glass production is already close to what is physically and technically feasible today. According to current surveys by the Federal Association of the German Glass Industry (BV Glas), up to 7.4 million tons of glass are produced annually in Germany. The final energy consumption required for this stood at 19.1 TWh in 2020; 15.1 TWh were generated by means of fossil fuels, especially natural gas, and the remaining 4 TWh by electricity. Every year, 3.9 million tons of CO2 are emitted by systems subject to Emissions Trading, such as by glass melting and downstream combustion processes. An

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Decarbonisation ROADMAP Which technology is expected when: By 2025 100% operation of conventional melting furnaces Late 2020s Installation of first hybrid furnaces with hydrogen firing From 2030 - Shift to hybrid furnaces with hydrogen firing - Use to fully electric meleting furnaces By 2045 Complete replacement of natural gas-fired melting furnaces Source: BV Glas

� Fig. 2 Technology roadmap from BV Glas. � Fig 1. Float glass production at Saint-Gobain, furnace control.

www.glass-international.com

for Industrial Furnaces and Heat Engineering, as well as the Institute for Power Generation and Storage of RWTH Aachen. If the model test is successful, the site could be climate-neutral by 2030. NSG Pilkington’s successful trial with hydrogen at its St Helens furnace also gives hope to the industry. In the first stage of the trials, one part of the furnace was fired with 100% hydrogen, replacing 20% of the natural gas volume in total. In the second stage, hydrogen was admixed to the natural gas in all burners of the furnace. Due to the limited hydrogen supply, its total share was limited to 15% in this stage of the trial. A permanent shift could only be realised based on a comprehensive network of hydrogen pipelines – otherwise the road transport would counteract the desired climate neutrality. Pilkington’s initiative forms part of the HyNet Industrial Fuel Switching-Project to decarbonise

industrial processes in the North-West of Great Britain.

Research Existing manufacturing processes in the glass industry are already highly optimised to manufacture glass in a consistent quality and with low pollutant emissions. In view of the targets agreed in the Paris Climate Agreement and growing social pressure, the glass industry is doing in-depth research across its entire process chain. The most obvious option would be the 100% use of green power, which would also avoid conversion losses. However, for physical reasons, not all types of glass can be molten electrically and electric furnaces are still limited in size. The furnaces usually operated in the float glass industry cannot be fully electrified at present. BV Glas estimates that it is more probable for furnaces of this size to focus

on hybrid technologies that additionally rely on green hydrogen as a fuel. There are two key technologies on the horizon that might replace the existing base by 2045: � Fully electric melting furnaces. These would melt the batch by introducing electric energy via electrodes. The use of regenerative power alone does currently not suffice to fire bigger melting units. � Hybrid furnaces. Using hydrogen could get up to 80% of the energy required for melting electrically via electrodes and the remaining energy could be gained by burning hydrogen. Although questions regarding the supply, availability and economic viability of green hydrogen are still unanswered. Despite all roadmaps (Fig. 2), the above technologies are still under research. Continued>>

� Fig 3. Flames with varying admixture degrees of hydrogen from the HyGlass Project.

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Air Products is blazing a new trail for oxy-fuel burner technology . . . Boost your performance and productivity for better glass with the Cleanfire® HRx™ burner! Upgrading your oxy-fuel burners, adding burners to boost production, or converting your air-fuel furnace to oxy-fuel? The patent pending Cleanfire HRx burner offers you expanded functionality and flexibility with unmatched performance. It can deliver: • Increased flame radiation for high fuel efficiency • Ultra-low NOx emissions • Foam reduction capability for higher-quality glass • Enhanced productivity • Optional remote performance monitoring feature • Integrated high efficiency oxygen supply system This burner is the latest innovation in the long line of industry-leading Cleanfire® burners for the glass industry, which are now able to utilize hydrogen as a fuel, for a lower carbon footprint. To learn more or to schedule a demonstration in our state-of-the-art lab, call 800-654-4567 (code 10868) or visit airproducts.com/HRx.

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Glass experts Furnace support Process optimization Training and R&D Celsian’s aim is to minimize the cost of making glass for end users and the environment. We have an agile team of glass experts using proven methods like furnace modelling, laboratory measurements and practical furnace health checks to optimize glass melting processes. We also train operators and glass technologists through our standard course, dedicated programs and various e-learning modules. We strive to be the best partner for optimization of glass production worldwide.

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Decarbonisation

� Fig 4. Industrial glass production process.

However, according to BV Glas, the possible effects in case of a successful shift can already be calculated for the float glass industry as follows: � Decline in absolute CO2 emissions by 75%. � The share of process-related emissions from the thermal CO2 decomposition of non-CO2 -neutral raw materials would remain unchanged. The possible use of CO2 -neutral raw materials must therefore become the subject of research.1 � The specific energy consumption decreases slightly but with an altered mix of regeneratively produced power and green hydrogen. � Manufacturing costs will rise by 70% because energy costs are expected to triple compared to 2020 – the effects of the Ukraine crisis have not been factored into this estimate yet. � Long term the successful installation of a circular material economy that functions cradle to cradle would offer savings potentials – the buzzword here being buildings as “material banks”.

www.glass-international.com

Production processes and quality As part of the HyGlass project, BV Glas and the Gas and Heat Institute are studying the impact of using hydrogen as a fuel on the extremely sensitive process of glass production, product quality and pollutant emissions. This study includes an insight into what happens when increasing amounts of hydrogen are admixed to natural gas (Fig. 3), as well as the 100% use of green hydrogen along the entire glass production chain (Fig.4). The HyGlass Project here focuses on

studying the impact of hydrogen on regenerative melting furnaces and the downstream combustion processes, for instance in the feeders used in the container glass industry. The European gas industry plans to directly feed a rising percentage of hydrogen into the natural gas grid in addition to building dedicated hydrogen infrastructures in future. Then the production plants in the glass industry will also be supplied with a mix containing significant amounts of hydrogen and therefore featuring combustion properties different to natural gas – producing an impact on product quality, pollutant emissions and possibly on the plant lifecycle. The overall impact is specifically studied by HyGlass – especially in terms of combustion, which plays an important role in many process steps. For example, in melting and in the feeders that transport the molten glass and homogenise it for moulding. The melting process is the most energy-intensive part of glass production and the feeder is often decisive for high product quality. One anticipated difficulty is that melting furnaces and feeders will differ substantially in technical terms, as well as size and energy needs. While in the melting furnace burner systems with non-premixed flames and high air preheat temperatures or oxy-fuel burners are used, feeders use numerous small burners with premixed flames mounted to the side walls. Accordingly, the effects of higher hydrogen contents in natural gas need to be assessed differently. While with feeders, process control and possible flame flashbacks are especially relevant questions, the priority aspects

for melting furnaces are efficiency, heat transmission and NOx emissions. The necessary product quality is influenced both in the feeder and in the melting furnace. Initial results of the studies indicate that the effects of hydrogen on combustion are manageable, but that previously fine-adjusted measuring and control technologies are required. The thermal NOx emissions can rise with a higher hydrogen content, but the proven measures for NOx reduction should continue working once adapted.

Global challenge In the light of these studies, it would make sense to bring fully electric and hybrid melting furnaces (with hydrogen) to market maturity as soon as possible – in co-operation with the plant and component manufacturers already operating in Germany and Europe whose expertise should be incorporated into a national strategy. A global challenge is our consistent departure from fossil energies and the speedy installation of infrastructure for regenerative power. Alongside the connection of glass industry sites to a hydrogen infrastructure yet to be created. Here political foresight and planning are also an imperative – also in view of the long investment cycles. To achieve full carbon neutrality, plenty of research in sustainable raw materials is still needed and the creation of a reliable circular economy. �

*Piece written in association with glasstec, https://www.glasstec-online.com/

1 - The potential savings achieved by using more cullet is very limited in the float glass industry in Germany. Contrary to widespread opinion, float glass cullet in Germany is almost completely recycled, but only 11% is used in float glass production. The greater part is reused in the container glass and glass wool industry. BV Glas is currently preparing a publication on this topic.

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Laser technology

� The laser beam edge of Corning’s 3D laser. Image: Corning.

Lasers add value in the glass industry At its recent online conference, VDMA* discussed how laser technologies create added value in glass production. Companies such as Schott and Saint-Gobain presented their applications.

www.glass-international.com

oday, mechanical processes are reaching their limits when it comes to many glass products. Precision cutting, drilling, coating, melting and texturing advanced specialist glass are now all performed by lasers. Having previously taken a critical view, today the glass industry simply could not function without lasers in modern production. Being low-maintenance and cost-efficient, laser technology is also economically attractive. One example is when processing ultrathin glass for displays: this glass often has tiny cut-outs that cannot be cut using mechanical means. To allow noticeable improvement in mobile reception inside buildings, lasers help to break up coated insulating glass units with finely drawn patterns, without any significant change to how the glass looks. Lasers even enable thermal processes: glass coatings can be heated to hundreds of degrees and thus changed, without subjecting the glass itself to these temperatures. This technology offers

enormous benefits when it comes to processing thermally tempered glass in particular. Using laser technology allows processors to save CO2 or even, where alternative energies are used, eliminate its use altogether. This is because there is no need for energy-intensive treatment of process water following additional grinding, nor for producing cutting and separation equipment with high levels of material wear. VDMA’s industrial working group Research & Technology dedicated its most recent meeting to the topic, with various companies presenting their applications.

Automotive Flabeg Automotive Germany from Furth im Wald offers solutions for glass and mirror applications in glass finishing, using lasers for cutting and drilling. Laser cutting has two stages. First, the line to be cut is perforated. Then a crack is drawn along the perforation so that the glass can be split off. Stacking the filaments on top

of each other makes this process possible up to a glass thickness of 12 millimetres and a speed of up to 500 mm/s, although only for flat glass. Laser drilling, on the other hand, has just a single stage in which the laser focus is guided through the glass thickness. This process offers more design options for the glass, such as where it is slightly curved. In both processes, the energy input comes from non-linear processes. This causes structural changes to the glass, highly localised in terms of both space and time, so that the glass is not impaired outside the focus.

Saint-Gobain The Saint-Gobain Group uses various processes in its production, especially in the automotive glass and building glass segments. The glass products made there have to offer special functions, such as guaranteeing heat protection and high light transmission at the same time (Fig. 1). Some of the layers applied also have different tasks. If they are electrical

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Laser technology

� Fig 1: The additional functional and passive layers give the roof optimised thermal comfort without the need for a power supply. Image copyright Saint-Gobain.

conductors, for instance, they can be heated and thus used as windscreens. Coating is usually done using a CVD or PVD process. A silver-based low-E coating, for example, is amorphous in its untreated state. When heated, it crystallises, and its heat protection and light transmission properties increase. The challenge is to only apply the heat treatment to the low-E layer. Classic processes that heat the entire pane of glass cannot achieve this. The coated pane now passes under a laser line that is just 100 µm wide. This heats the layer to temperatures of up to 500°C, while the glass temperature rises no higher than 150°C.

result, the surrounding material is not damaged and, when different materials are welded with the glass, their different thermal expansion coefficients are not a problem.

ISE

using a laser to remove the coating in fine lines. The size of the segments plays a role in improving radio wave reception in the various frequency bands. The GSM standard with a frequency of 900 MHz, for example, needs segments that are significantly smaller than the wavelength

� Fig 2: Schott’s wafer glass offers lightweight and miniaturised components for MEMS (microelectromechanical system) packaging. Image: Schott.

Schott from Mainz has also gained experience with laser processes over the last few years, especially for processing ultra-thin glass. Ultrashort pulse lasers, for example, allow the glass to be hardened, printed and coated in a larger geometry first, before being separated into numerous small items in the final step. This puts demands on the separation process: clean cuts with no particle contamination and an edge quality that allows the cut items to be used immediately in the end product are essential. These products are used in areas including medical diagnostics, as decorative elements or for markings used in product tracing. Schott’s production also uses laser micro bonding – a technology used to weld different materials together, which is especially useful for miniature applications in medical and technical fields (Fig. 2). The heat formed in the laser focus area is limited to a small space. As a

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) conducts research into radio-transparent insulating glass. Coated glass is an integral part of modern buildings, providing light while also having a positive effect on the building’s energy budget. Unfortunately, one disadvantage of coatings across the entire glass surface is that they reflect not only heat radiation, but also the electromagnetic radiation used for mobile communications and data services – even more than reinforced concrete. In the ISE’s view, one solution would be to structure the layer in segments by

of around 33 cm (l/4 = 8.3 cm). On the other hand, 5G applications at around 3.4 GHz need segments that are much smaller than 8.8 cm (l/4 = 2.2 cm). (Fig. 3) But heat protection also needs to be retained at the same time. Different segment geometries demonstrated a significant improvement in the frequency ranges relevant today. Nevertheless, radio wave transmission cannot be increased equally across all frequency ranges, as one grid size is always fixed. Continued>>

www.glass-international.com

Schott

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Laser technology

� Fig 3: The graph represents the relevant frequency range of Fraunhofer’s radio-transparent insulating glass. Image: Fraunhofer ISE.

Corning Corning Laser Technologies uses laser systems in the development of fully automated production systems, conducting process steps. As well as ablative processes for glass and coatings, such as in drilling and chamfering applications, the company uses lasers to conduct cutting and separation steps in particular. This production technique not only impresses with high edge quality – in terms of both edge strength and surface roughness – but also enables a high

absolute accuracy of the separated parts thanks to precise beam guidance. Lasers thus enhance quality in the production of glass products very effectively. More importantly, however, is the potential to unlock completely new market segments that are not possible – or take a great deal more effort – with conventional methods. Examples include processing ultra-thin glass (t < 50 µm), chemically hardened glass and glass with decorative or technical finishing and coating. Consumer electronics, augmented reality, architecture and the

automotive industry are the key fields in which this is used. To use a laser system economically in production, however, the production machines need to be custom-built for the product in question. As well as a fundamental understanding of lasermaterial interaction, this also demands enormous expertise in the technical implementation of process control. To this end, systems suited for industrial applications and 24/7 use with a high level of automation and options for deep integration are needed, which achieve utilisation of the laser systems and thus the shortest possible cycle times. For maximum efficiency, components for beam shaping and transportation need to be adapted to both the product and the respective laser system. Thanks to Corning’s further development of the laser processing technology, it is now possible to process even threedimensional glass workpieces reliably and to achieve further options in design and functionality. �

*VDMA, Frankfurt, Germany https://www.vdma.org/en/

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New HQ

Tiama reveals new headquarters G lass inspection group Tiama has moved into its new 8800m2 headquarters. The Core is based in Saint-Genis-Laval, located about 10km from Lyon, and has brought together its two French facilities that were situated in Vourles. The building was designed by Z Architecture and built by Groupe Cardinal. It gathers all the new environmental and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) criteria through the BREEAM ‘very good’ level of certiﬁcation. The premises are also meant to improve the customer experience through: � A bigger Tiama Training Academy showroom � The availability of all its machine range and an interactive room for customers’ training � Comfortable rooms and equipment exclusively dedicated to customers The whole The Core project was conceived to place collaboration and exchange at the heart of Tiama’s way of

working. The current demands of the labour market are now taken into account in the new ofﬁces with a modular, reversible, environmentally friendly building. All together it strengthens teamwork and employee’s well-being. Tiama said the headquarters will support its steady growth and conﬁrms

the European hub position for all its entities. It is fully in line with Tiama’s overall strategy to continue to develop innovation through data exploitation, agile method and a creativity boosting approach. �

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glasstec preview

� Overview of the 2018 show.

All set for glasstec Preparations are well under way for the glasstec 2022 trade fair. The industry will celebrate the long-awaited reunion in Düsseldorf, Germany from 20 to 23 September 2022. Jess Mills provides an overview of what’s to come.

Exhibitors After the 2020 event was postponed due to rising Covid cases, the rescheduled June

2021 event also had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. This meant the glasstec team had to start from scratch, finding new applicants to take on exhibitor stands for the 2022 event. However, Anke Seltmann, Senior Project Manager of glasstec, reported that there were no issues gaining new exhibitors. At the time of publication, the number of exhibitors stands at 810. In fact, Ms Seltmann said the number of UK exhibitors increased from 51 in 2018 to 61 this year. The full exhibitor list is available via the glasstec website (see below). Although these figures may not match the 1,280 exhibitors from glasstec 2018, Ms Seltmann anticipated that this year’s glasstec will still be the “biggest event in the glass industry”. She said that glasstec had received excellent feedback from 2022 exhibitors as well as the industry, with overall feeling being that everyone was eager to meet in-person again. Hence beginning of year registration figures being comparable with 2018 levels.

Trends The overall focus of the event will be the following five ‘mega-trends’: climate, urbanisation, value, resources and wellbeing. The trends will be the focus of the conference rooms, at the special show areas and the exhibitors’ stands. The global trends were chosen from indepth conversations with experts from all stages of the value chain. Teams from universities in Darmstadt, Dortmund, Delft and Dresden decided upon the trends with Professor Ulrich Knaack from TU Darmstadt, chair of the university network organising the GTL show. The themes were considered essential for the future development of the glass industry as well as society. The trends will focus on the following: � Climate - emission reduction and renewable energies, in view of current energy price development and impending supply shortages.

Continued>>

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fter being postponed twice due to the pandemic, the glasstec 2022 trade fair is anticipated to be this year’s biggest event in the glass industry. The sector has waited four years to experience the wide range of exhibits once again at the Convention Centre in Düsseldorf (CCD). Solutions from all areas of the value chain will be presented, from the production, processing and finishing of glass to the final application. These areas will also be reflected in the extensive supporting programme from the industry and scientific organisations. The Glass Technology Live (GLT) show will present current developments and research work (Fig. 1), while the glasstec conference will invite experts from all over the world to discuss key topics from within the industry. Specialist areas such as the crafts centre, architecture congress and start-up zone will also be available.

43 Glass International June 2022

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glasstec preview

� Fig 1. Glass Technology Live [Hall 11]: for years,

� Fig 2. Additional exhibits from glass technology

� Fig 3. glasstec conference [Hall 11]: the confer-

the show has been a magnet for visitors when it

live 2018.

ence will bring together theory and practice with

comes to future-oriented technologies and innova-

top-class presentations by leading experts. This

tive exhibits.

image features Rob Nijsse, a Professor of Building Technology at TU Delft, from the 2018 conference.

� Urbanisation - future-proof architecture with glass. � Value - sustainable value chain. � Resources - efficient and sustainable use of resources. � Wellbeing - improved quality of life through glass. The Architecture Congress will also focus on what contribution glass can make to urbanisation. For example, how glass can make city centres more attractive and adapt cities to balance work and home life. Professor Knaack said: “We’re talking about an issue with incredible dimensions, when you consider that in 2050, half of all people will live in cities. That means that we would need a huge infrastructure. An enormous number of buildings and facades and therefore also an enormous potential for the use of glass.”

www.glass-international.com

Programme The supporting programme to the trade show can be split into high interest and special interest events. In the former, the GTL show acts as the central hub of the show, while the glass conference ‘think tank’ is a new concept for 2022. The focus of the glasstec conference will be on decarbonisation, as it influences all five megatrends (Fig. 2). Industry knowhow will be put in context of the five trends. Day one (Tuesday 20th) will focus on glass processing and finishing, day two glass production, day three and four glass products and applications. Also new this year is VDMA’s From Production to Application: #P2X Conference, which will take place before the show on September 19 and 20, 2022

in Düsseldorf at the CCD. Central topics of the conference are electrolysis and other production processes for hydrogen, among other fuel types and transport logistics. Professor Michael Sterner, Scientific Director of #P2X, said: “The focus will remain on industry, because only with Power-to-X and hydrogen we will achieve climate neutrality, which is why these topics are of elementary importance for our future.” GTL will be organised by the university network of the four technical universities mentioned previously and held in Hall 11 alongside the glasstec conference (Fig. 3). Students from a wide range of disciplines and the industry will showcase their mock-ups and innovative glass structures. An interview with the creators of GTL detailing plans for the show can be found via the glasstec website (see below). Meanwhile, special interest events include the crafts centre, expert know-how, start-up zone and glassart exhibition. The start-up zone in Hall 10 provides innovative, young companies with a platform for making new contacts and networking. The opportunity targets companies that have been on the market for less than 5 years, have less than €10 million in annual sales or total assets and have fewer than 20 employees. More information can be found via the glasstec website (see below). For the third consecutive time, the special Crafts Live show will present the top innovations for the glass processing trade in practical application. This year, the theme is the World Cup of Trades. At the ‘WorldSkills Germany @ glasstec’ in Hall 10, young glaziers from all over Germany will compete in this qualifying

competition to secure their starting place for EuroSkills 2023. Held every two years, EuroSkills brings together hundreds of young people from 30 countries across Europe to compete for the chance to become the Best in Europe in their chosen skill or profession. There are also several events scheduled for the International Year of Glass, such as the Awards Ceremony on day three (Thursday 22nd). See the conference programme for more information. � All images copyright ©Messe Düsseldorf/ ctillmann LINKS Full exhibitor list: https://www.glasstec-online.com/vis/v1/en/ search?oid=18262&lang=2&_query= Interactive map: https://www.glasstec-online.com/en/ Interactive_hall_plan glasstec conference programme: https://www.glasstec-online.com/en/ Program/glasstec_conference/Conference_ programme GTL interview: h t t p s : / / w w w. g l a s s t e c - o n l i n e . c o m / en/P rogram/glass_technology_live/ Preview_2022 Start-up zone: https://www.glasstec.de/de/Aussteller/ Aussteller_werden/Start-Up-Zone Main website: https://www.glasstec-online.com/

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glasstec proﬁles

MOTIM

Some solutions are clearer than others.

FUSED CAST REFRACTORIES Ltd. HALL 13/F96 H-9200 Mosonmagyaróvár, Timföldgyári u. 9-13. phone: +36 96 574 100 fusedcast@motim.hu www.motim.hu

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Booth C48-1 / Hall 13

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Nikolaus SORG GmbH & Co. KG Stoltestraße 23 97816 Lohr am Main, Germany

F.I.C. (UK) Limited

HALL 15/B38 EME GmbH Wockerather Weg 45 41812 Erkelenz, Germany

eme.de

sorg.de

STAND: HALL 12 F72

Long Rock Industrial Estate Penzance, Cornwall, TR20 8HX, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1736 366962 general@ﬁc-uk.com www.ﬁc-uk.com

HALL 15/B38 SORG Keramik Service GmbH Stoltestraße 23 97816 Lohr am Main, Germany

sks.net

SEE US AT

GLASSTEC

13B92

20-23 September, 2022 - Düsseldorf

www.fivesgroup.com The eventThe format is format a niche exhibiti wheretrade people can arrange ngsmeeti witharrange angs with event The event istrade a niche format trade ison aexhibiti niche on where exhibiti people on where canmeeti arrange people can meeti a ngs with a number of suppliers and industry experts one place. Visitors exhibitors can attend number of suppliers number and of suppliers industryinand experts industry in one experts place.and in Visitors one place. and exhibitors Visitors and can exhibitors attend can attend the free conference sessions hear from industry the free conference the freeto sessions conference to hear sessions from experts. to industry hear from experts. industry experts.

HALL 13/C34 HORN Glass Industries AG Bergstrasse 2 95703 Ploessberg, Germany www.hornglass.com info@hornglas.de

These exhibiti ons bring together internati onal experts, hollow and container manufacturers These exhibiti These ons bring exhibiti together ons bring internati together onalinternati experts, onal hollow experts, and container hollow and manufacturers container manufacturers

Glass International For you itand ’s businesses time get that use glass containers, to discover the latest innovati which include and to businesses and that businesses use glassthat containers, use glasstocontainers, discover to discover latestons innovati the latest ons which innovati include ons which include glasstec stand No: the Hall13/A81 energy effi ciency,effi quality control, packaging, logisti cs and decorati possibiliti es. energy ciency, energy quality efficiency, control, quality packaging, control, logisti packaging, cs andve logisti decorati cs ve andpossibiliti decoraties. ve possibilities. greener

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To honour the International Year of Glass, we are proud to announce that we have released a commemorative yearbook glassmanevents.com/europe glassmanevents.com/latin-america glassmanevents.com/europe glassmanevents.com/europe glassmanevents.com/asia glassmanevents.com/latin-america glassmanevents.com/latin-america that will celebrate the crucial glassmanevents.com/asia glassmanevents.com/asia role that glass plays in the Martin Quereda Ken Clark Marti Manuel n Quereda Martin Quereda 21st century and beyond. Ken Clark Ken Clark Manuel Manuel

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online to outto more at Go online Gofind online to find out find more out at more at InternatiInternati onal Sales Manager Sales Director onal Internati Sales Manager onal SalesGo Manager Sales Director Sales Director (0)1737 855023 +44 (0)1737 855117 +44 (0)1737 +44 855023 (0)1737 855023 +44 (0)1737 +44 855117 (0)1737+44 855117 WWW.GLASSMANEVENTS.COM WWW.GLASSMANEVENTS.COM WWW.GLASSMANEVENTS.COM manuelm@quartzltd.com kenclark@quartzltd.com manuelm@quartzltd.com manuelm@quartzltd.com kenclark@quartzltd.com kenclark@quartzltd.com

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For more information or to order your copy visit www.glass-international.com/gl-commemorative-yearbook-2022 Glass ad.indd 1

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Glass International June 2022

profile page june 2022.indd 1

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Recycling

Closing the Glass Loop around the world Close the Glass Loop, a platform aiming to reach 90% glass collection for recycling in Europe by 2030, is turning 2 this June. The platform is organising its online Annual Event on 30 June, with the focus on glass collection and recycling practices. The event will showcase companies pioneering glass collection and recycling in Kenya, Kosovo and Central America. We asked the speakers to share some thoughts before the event. LOUISA GATHECHA - KENYA Can you tell us about your background and since when you have been involved with glass recycling? Prior to founding Bottle Logistics in 2019, I worked for Diageo and Pernod Ricard, the leading manufacturers and importers of alcoholic drinks beverages in East Africa. During my 10 year stint in the industry as a business development manager, I

became increasingly conscious of the amount of post-consumer glass waste being generated and with no Extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations in Kenya, there were no glass collection and recovery initiatives and all glass bottles would end up in the landfills. This led to the birth of Bottle Logistics East Africa Limited, a glass recycling company.

www.glass-international.com

What would you say is your greatest challenge when it comes to glass collection and recycling? There are poor regulations in Kenya governing collection, segregation and disposal of waste. As such, with no separation of waste at source, glass ends up in the landfills as mixed waste, making it hard to recover the glass in the right form and quality. There are also no recycling bins where consumers can conveniently drop off their glass bottles and jars for recycling. What are your expectations for the Close the Glass Loop Annual Event on the 30th of June 2022? It’s an excellent forum to understand global challenges surrounding glass collection and recycling and brainstorm solutions to address these challenges to increase glass recycling rate.

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Recycling

MARTIN BERISHA - KOSOVO

EDUARDO ORDÓÑEZ - GUATEMALA Can you tell us about your background and since when you have been involved with glass recycling? Grupo Vical is the first and only glass manufacturing company in Central America. We have been active in the field of glass production for more than 58 years, serving in our geographically natural market and abroad over 200 clients in more than 20 countries. We started recycling glass from the very

entrepreneur by profession, but switched to an environmentalist by time. He is my living inspiration to take care of the environment. What would you say is your greatest challenge when it comes to glass collection and recycling? At the time we are talking, transportation costs are the most difficult challenge

beginning of the company, however said activity was reorganised in such a way that its true growth began in the mid-nineties and got exponentially accelerated the last 10 years. What would you say is your greatest challenge when it comes to glass collection and recycling? I think there are 3 big challenges when it comes to glass collection, the first one is to make people understand that glass is not trash but a valuable material, the

second is the cost of transportation which is also an obstacle and the third one is that there is a very weak legal frame that supports or stimulates this kind of activity. What are your expectations for the Close the Glass Loop Annual Event on the 30th of June 2022? I think Close the Glass Loop Annual Event is a very important way, perhaps the only one of its kind, in which you can learn that much about the best practices in the field.

Close the Glass Loop webinar takes place on June 30 between 13.30 and 16:00 CET. To register for the event visit https://hopin.com/events/cgl-annual-event/registration

www.glass-international.com

Can you tell us about your background and since when you have been involved with glass recycling? Kosovo Glass recycling has been active since 2019. The pandemic happened right after we started operating so it has been difficult to say we are in the market for three years in total. However, the increase of consumption helped us stay on track, and be able to collect more glass than we had imagined. I am a marketer by profession and entrepreneur. However, I always felt that I need to balance my life between social issues and business life. Since a young age I have been part of different local and international NGOs and since that time I have been worried about climate change and other environmental issues. Having lived and studied abroad, I had always thought of bringing the best practices to my own country. However, it did not come to light until my father Dugagjin founded KGR, he is a construction

to tackle. Also, for us right now it is impossible to turn glass into glass. In order to be self-sustainable we are using glass to make other products like Glass Media for pool filtration, Glass Media for sandblasting, interior and exterior elements in combination with other materials. It should be important to mention that we are a family owned business and financing is limited.

47 Glass International June 2022

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The event format is a niche trade exhibition where people can arrange meetings with a number of suppliers and industry experts in one place. Visitors and exhibitors can attend the free conference sessions to hear from industry experts. These exhibitions bring together international experts, hollow and container manufacturers and businesses that use glass containers, to discover the latest innovations which include energy eﬃciency, quality control, packaging, logistics and decorative possibilities.

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BOOK YOUR STAND TODAY Ken Clark Sales Director +44 (0)1737 855117 kenclark@quartzltd.com

Manuel Martin Quereda International Sales Manager +44 (0)1737 855023 manuelm@quartzltd.com

Go online to find out more at WWW.GLASSMANEVENTS.COM

GlassmanEvents_2022_Half_Page_Ad.indd 2

23/05/2022 14:29

Case Study: Siam Glass and Tiama

Viwat Supatham is the Head of Glass Operations at Siam Glass Industry*, and is also responsible for Myanmar Golden Eagle (MGE) in Myanmar. With 25 years of experience in the glass industry, he has been working with Siam Glass for 12 years. He discusses Siam Glass and its relationship with its long-term partner, Tiama.

iam Glass is an affiliate company under the Osotspa Public Company, a Thai-based beverages specialist. Osotspa focuses on functional drinks and personal care products. It has existed for more than 130

years, which makes it one of the oldest companies in Thailand. Siam Glass has three main sites: Siam Glass Osotspa, Siam Glass Ayutthaya (pictured above, Furnace 1, 2 and 3) and Siam Glass Samutprakarn.

It is currently listed on the Stock Exchange Thailand (SET). The main challenges it faces are raw material costs, production flexibility Continued>>

www.glass-international.com

Siam Glass gives its feedback on working with Tiama

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Case Study: Siam Glass and Tiama

�The Tiama Smart Factory.

(job changes) and product developments brought by a larger variety of demands and customers. It faces the disrupted market and the logistics challenges around the world by adjusting its production in all the plants; the key is achieving faster job changes, lighter bottles, higher productivity costs reduction and lower energy consumption.

www.glass-international.com

Siam Glass and Tiama in 2022 Mr Viwat Supatham (pictured overleaf, inset) did not hesitate to place Tiama at the top of his supplier list. ‘’Tiama makes up 95% of the inspection equipment present in our production plants’’. With eight furnaces and 25 production lines in total, Siam Glass has used Tiama (and previously SGCC) for more than 30 years, even before he joined the company. Some of Tiama’s oldest machines were overhauled and/or upgraded and are still being used today. The more recent plants use Tiama’s latest technology e.g., MULTI4, MCAL4, ATLAS, TIAMA IQ scan (MES). Mr Supatham likes the machines because they are “user friendly, very efficient, and adapted to modern industry with low maintenance”. He also highlighted the reliability and the skills of Tiama’s local service team. Most Siam Glass’ furnaces started up in the last two to three years are equipped with the latest Tiama solutions at the cold end with no presence of manual inspection. All inspections are done with automatic equipment and Tiama’s own HD camera systems. Mr Supatham explained that the quality

of the Tiama equipment and services has been improving for the last 20 years. Thanks to a strong partnership with the French company, Siam Glass can “continuously gain experience while saving costs on all the spare parts which are centralised and exchanged among the plants.” Tiama is not only a cold end solutions provider with vision and carousel machines, but also supplies hot end inspection systems, laboratory equipment, traceability systems (engraving solution and readers), data solutions and many services. This diversity is a strength that “none of the other suppliers can match”. Mr Supatham also insisted that Tiama keeps developing new equipment and services that responds to Siam Glass’s needs.

Data Mr Supatham considers data as essential in the glass industry. The production lines need to be flexible and respond to customer demands quickly. Data needs to be easy and ready to be used at all times. Siam Glass uses Power BI in addition to Tiama MES to collect and process data. This naturally helps improve its pack to melt every day. Tiama solutions automate the production as much as possible, which is why Tiama became vital to its Industry 4.0 strategy. In 2022, Mr Supatham plans on having the Tiama IQ scan in all the glass manufacturing lines. Tiama also wanted to have his opinion on other solutions that are penetrating the glass world, such as the Tiama HOT

systems and he explained from the time they started using hot end inspection systems at Siam Glass, the equipment has proven to be very beneficial, not only to their quality, but also to their efficiency at the hot end, which has contributed to improving the plants’ performances. When questioned about the gap between the quality standards in Europe and Asia, he said: “There is no difference between them. I would say the control is even tighter in our plants.” He also specified that Siam Glass exports its bottles to the USA where high standards are expected, and it also uses Tiama systems to inspect those products and to ensure the best quality. When asked what he believes is missing from the glass inspection market, Mr Supatham answered by explaining that the Thai market needs a closed loop information system feedback on the hot end, which is the missing step to achieve the full automation of the entire production line. This is where Tiama’s latest collaboration comes in, the recently launched Glassform AI platform, available via https://www.glassform.ai/ �

Tiama, Vourles, France www.tiama.com *Siam Glass, Bang Kapi, Bangkok, Thailand http://www.siamglass.com/ Glassform.AI, Rovereto, Italy www.glassform.ai

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CONNECTING THE GLASS MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

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Vol.42 No.3

March 2019— TIONAL.COM

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24/06/2019 09:53

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Prepare for the future it’s less expensive than you think.

Monitoring

Smart Factory is approaching and, thanks to the YOUniverse, it has become far easier to prepare for. It’s also cost effective because the Tiama Hot-End Monitoring System is modular: you choose what you need and when you need it, building the YOUniverse that suits you.

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… and they can take action autonimously – now that’s Smart! So, whatever your choice, it will improve your knowledge of the process and it is backed by our service, support and training, along with constant research. For more information visit youniverse.tiama.com.

Data – the deciding factor

Glass International June 2022

Articles inside

Case Study: Siam Glass and Tiama

Glasstec preview

Batch plant: EME

Editor’s Comment International news

Decarbonisation: Linde

Furnace Solutions review

Decarbonisation: Sefpro

New HQ: Tiama

Laser technology: VDMA

Decarbonisation