Stakeholders gather to support innovation and sustainability

Stakeholders gather to support innovation and sustainability

On 27 January, Glass Futures staged an open design session on materials, melting and refractories, the first in a series of virtual workshop events aimed at explaining how the centre of excellence will benefit industry businesses with carbon saving opportunities, while also showing how up-skilling and training will be delivered within a safe environment.

Together with members, the organisation is co-designing the world's first global centre of excellence and is reaching out to the global glass supply chain for the best knowledge.

During the inaugural interactive workshop, stakeholders gained virtual insight to the initiative’s plans in the fields of raw materials, melting and furnace technology and refractories, as well as being presented with the opportunity to understand the current direction and provide steer to ensure that the world's best, ground-breaking R&D training platform is built to help transform the global glass sector into a modern powerhouse of innovation and sustainability.

With funding now secured for a collaborative 30 tonnes/day R&D platform, once built Glass Futures will be able to test and develop viable alternative low carbon energy sources, enabling net zero in line with the Paris Accord. “Sustainability is an essential element that we all have to be seriously considering. Glass Futures is set up by the glass industry together with substantial government funding to research into the practical uses of alternative energy sources and we are building a 160,000 square foot research and development innovation centre in St Helens” commented Richard Katz, Glass Futures CEO, during a session introduction that encouraged all parties to learn more about becoming closely involved.

Aston Fuller, Glass Futures General Manager, led the session and concluded: “The design process, specification process and understanding of what will occur in this facility in two years’ time is happening now. Its vitally important for people to join Glass Futures and our more detailed design sessions, in particular because those first major projects that will deliver real value to our members are being formed over the course of this year.

Two further 90 minute open design sessions in the series have been organised with digitalisation, forming and quality being the focus on 24 February and people, skills and collaboration on 31 March.

Free tickets are available from: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/glass-futures-open-design-events-tickets-...

 

Published: 
28/01/2021

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