Piramal Glass has deployed Microsoft’s Azure IoT platform to digitally transform its manufacturing operations. An early adopter of the technology, the diversified glass packaging producer has implemented the Real-Time Manufacturing Insights (RTMI) solution on 46 production lines across its four plants at Kosamba and Jambusar in Gujarat, India, in Sri Lanka and in the USA. These plants have an combined capacity of 1375 tons/day, with 12 furnaces and 60 production lines.

CSR Ltd has agreed to sell its Viridian Glass business to Crescent Capital Partners. Viridian operates the only float glass manufacturing line in Australia and New Zealand, as well as downstream glass processing operations. The transaction includes the Viridian site at Dandenong, Victoria, although CSR will retain the property at Ingleburn, NSW, which will be leased by the glassmaker.

Every three years, the ZEIT publishing group honours brands that have managed to become the worldwide standard for an entire industry. Schott Ceran is one of them and has recently been named ‘Brand of the Century 2019’.

“With Ceran glass-ceramic, Schott not only invented the black glass-ceramic cooktop panel but also ushered in a new era of modern cooking” says Jörg Wingefeld, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for the Cooking Division at Schott. “The glass-ceramic material has not only been produced in Germany for almost 50 years but is also constantly being further developed.” For example, a Ceran glass-ceramic cooktop panel no longer has to be black but also comes in other colours and can be printed in colour.

The MMAAZZ division of Masitek Instruments and Vidrala SA have jointly released the Vidrala Impact Index (VII) and corresponding measurement capability using smart in-line sensing technology. The recently developed impact index, which can be measured using MMAAZZ ShockQC sensor technology, allows glass packaging operations to further optimise their lines against breakage and damage from impact during processing.

Before the end of 2019, the Caspian float glass plant will supply $5 million worth of products to Vitech Group’s Uzbek subsidiary Kommet Pro, which is engaged in the production of household appliances under the brand name VITECH. The company decided to purchase clear flat glass in connection with the launch of a glass processing plant for its own production.

Sisecam Group recently hosted leading names from the global glass industry at its 33rd Annual Glass Symposium, attracting 525 glass professionals to discuss the industry’s future and new technologies. Vice Chairman and CEO Professor Ahmet Kırman drew attention to the rapid development of the functions and the use of glass products in his opening speech. “Scientists and industrialists who work continuously to expand the boundaries of the glass industry state that this century will be the age of glass” he said.

Anheuser-Busch InBev will invest $250,000 in Closed Loop Fund projects to improve glass recycling capabilities, in order to make further progress towards the company’s 2025

sustainability goals. The Closed Loop Fund is a social investment fund that supports comprehensive recycling programmes across the USA, with the aim of accelerating the development of circular supply chains.

This investment will help fund three glass recycling projects in Texas, the first of which will be announced in early 2019.

AB InBev says that the projects will help increase the amount of recycled glass used at its Longhorn production facility, helping it achieve its commitment to use 100% majority recycled or returnable packaging by 2025.

Organised by British Glass, this year’s Glass Focus Awards were presented at a ceremony in Sheffield on 22 November. Winners included Nippon Electric Glass Fiber UK (Company of the year), Owens-Illinois (Design of the year), Pilkington UK (Innovative solutions), Ardagh Group (Sustainable practice), O-I’s Gareth Owen (Apprentice of the year) and Saint-Gobain Glass UK (Strengthening business through people).

NSG Group has received a gold rating from EcoVadis, a global organisation for evaluating corporate social responsibility performance. The CSR evaluation criteria by EcoVadis, including environment, labour practices and human rights, fair business practice and sustainable procurement, has also been in use by corporations for weighing sustainability of their business partners.