Glass Focus 2019 winners revealed
British Glass’ annual showcase of the UK glass industry, the Glass Focus Awards, took place last week, with companies from across the glass supply chain celebrating their achievements over the past year. Saint-Gobain Glass UK was the big winner of the night, taking home three awards, while Encirc claimed two prizes and Knottingley-based Allied Glass was crowned company of the year following judging by a panel of industry experts.
“Each year, the entries we receive for the Glass Focus awards showcase excellent examples of what our industry can do, from serving our customers, investing in our workforce, reducing our environmental impact and beyond” commented British Glass CEO Dave Dalton. “While the last year has been incredibly uncertain for businesses across the UK, it is testament to our industry that it can consistently produce forward thinking innovations, such as swabbing robots and the use of virtual reality, extend its influence into the communities surrounding the factories and produce beautiful designs that wouldn’t be possible in any other material than glass.”
The full list of winners at Glass Focus 2019 were as follows:
Design of the Year – container: The Ardagh Group, with the Glenfiddich whisky bottle.
Design of the Year – flat: Saint-Gobain Glass UK for its work on the Macallan Distillery and visitor centre.
Innovative Solution: Encirc’s state-of-the-art virtual reality training room.
Health and Safety Action: Joint winners - Encirc and Socabelec for their hot end swabbing robots.
Sustainable Practice: Saint-Gobain Glass UK with its ‘Glass Forever’ post-consumer flat glass recovery and recycling initiative.
Strengthening Business Through People: O-I’s ‘Career Ready’ community programme.
Apprentice of the Year: Joe Boyd of Saint-Gobain Glass UK.
Company of the Year: Allied Glass.
Image: Glass Focus 2019 award winners.
