The Society of Glass Technology is holding a conference on raw materials for glassmaking in Cambridge, UK on 1-4 September 2019. It will feature dedicated sessions on particular glass ingredients, as well as the batch as a whole. There will be keynote speakers on the four main ingredients: Sand, soda ash, limestone/dolomite and cullet, with contributions by major suppliers and glassmakers. Particular focus will be given to sands and the batch, what is required in terms of composition and the merits of dry or wet sand.

Getting the most from cullet supplies means using the smallest sizes, while fines may be used in pelletising. Professor Paul Bingham of Sheffield Hallam University will discuss the latest work in this area.

Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass) has announced the appointment of Ricardo Maiz as President of the company, succeeding Richard Beuke, who has held the post since 2016. Mr Maiz began his career at Vitro SAB de CV in Monterrey, Mexico, the parent company of Vitro Architectural Glass, in 2000 as a strategic planning and business development associate and has been promoted into a number of increasingly responsible positions during the past 18 years. Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer for Vitro Architectural Glass, where he was responsible for operations, quality control, supply chain management and the sales and marketing functions for the company’s joint US and Mexican operations.

British Glass has brought together glass manufacturers, equipment suppliers and industry experts to discuss future energy options for glass melting. Staged in Wakefield on 4 December, the seminar combined a series of short presentations and discussions focused on the future low carbon energy mix in the UK and the current and future melting technology the glass industry will need to adopt in order to meet the 2050 decarbonisation goal.

Dr Nick Kirk, Technical Director at British Glass, outlined the challenges facing the glass manufacturing sector and the work by British Glass to tackle the issues of low carbon technologies, increasing recycling, promoting the benefits of glass and campaigning to raise the standards of building glass regulations.

CelSian Glass & Solar BV is planning three expert training sessions in early 2019, starting with a two day introduction to glass melting, scheduled for 16-17 January at the Wentbridge House Hotel in Wentbridge, West Yorkshire, UK. The target audience for this training session includes employees of glass producing companies and suppliers to the glass industry who require a general overview of the most relevant processes and challenges (emissions and energy reduction, preserving furnace lifetime and batch cost reduction) without the need the have an in-depth understanding of these topics.

When industrial premises became available immediately behind the headquarters of IRIS Inspection machines on the outskirts of Lyon, it was too good an opportunity to miss for business expansion. To accommodate a growing order book and following refurbishment, the extra space has allowed the French inspection solutions specialist to relocate its production/assembly operations and spare parts department into a dedicated building.

Glass for Europe, the trade association of Europe’s flat glass sector, has welcomed the release by the European Commission of the ‘Clean Planet for All’ communication on a European strategic long-term vision for a climate neutral economy, which marks the start of an inclusive debate. Europe’s flat glass sector, which set itself on a path to maximise its contributions to a low-carbon society back in 2012, believes it is well placed to take on the scale of the technological and industrial challenges, the enormous emissions reduction potential at hand in sectors like buildings but also the complex interactions and trade-offs between sectors.

The O-I : EXPRESSIONS service has been named ‘Most Promising Launch’ by The Oscar De L’Emballage (Oscars of Packaging) Awards. This service allows brands to turn their glass packaging into a canvas through digital printing. Unveiled in early September this year, the service responds to growing demand for late-stage differentiation by offering customers the opportunity to create highly personalised and customised glass packaging.

The award was presented at the recent Oscars De L’Emballage Awards ceremony in Paris.

Dr Bernd Metzner is to become Chief Financial Officer of Gerresheimer AG, taking up office at the latest in July 2019. Dr Metzner has been Chief Financial Officer of SDAX-listed Ströer SE & Co KGaA since 2014.

After studying business administration in Siegen, completing his doctorate and starting his career at a law firm, Dr Metzner held various management positions in finance at the Bayer Group between 2002 and 2011. Among other roles, he was responsible for co-ordinating the carve-out and initial public offering of Lanxess, held the position of CFO at Bayer Italy as well as that of global CFO in Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division. Before joining Ströer, he served as CFO of the global, family-owned Döhler Group from mid-2011 to mid-2014.

Glass Futures has been boosted by the news that the University of Cambridge is to join the consortium. An initiative partnered with British Glass, this collaboration between industry and academia looks to increase productivity and sustainability and reduce carbon emissions in the glass industry. Cambridge joins Leeds and Sheffield Hallam universities in Glass Futures, which also includes industry partners such as Pilkington UK, Swarovski, O-I, Siemens, Encirc and Guardian Industries.

“We are delighted to have the expertise of our colleagues at Cambridge on board” commented Dave Dalton, British Glass CEO and Principal Co-ordinator of Glass Futures. “They will bring the best of their knowledge and innovation to aid the drive of Glass Futures.”