Glass industry meets in Cleveland

Glass professionals met to discuss the latest trends in the industry at a trade show and conference last week.

The Glassman USA event took place in Cleveland, OH, USA and included a combined trade show and conference.

Exhibitors were those who supply technology and know how to the glass manufacturing process, from raw materials to the hot and cold ends of a glass production plant.

Visitors were generally their customers -those companies which make glass – and included companies such as Anchor Glass, O-I, Ardagh, Nipro Pharma Packaging, Libbey, Saverglass and Industria Vidriera de Coahuila (IVC) among others.

Reaction from the event is available in the video below via Peter Firth of the Glass Container Manufacturing Consulting group, who interviewed attendees.

A total of 650 people attended the event which included a conference featuring 11 papers focused on all aspects of glassmaking.

A paper from the Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) examined current trends in US glass as well as the drive towards more recycling of glass.

Sustainability was the theme of the next few papers with Novohydrogen investigating the use of hydrogen in glassmaking, followed by Linde discussing its Optimelt process.

Italian companies Pneumofore and BDF concluded the day’s presentations.

Day two saw updates from furnace providers Fives and Horn, which was followed by a paper from Glass Futures about a new concept IS machine installed at the new UK R&D site, which was provided by from FAMA and T&T Turnov.

Convergent Energy discussed how battery storage had helped an NSG Pilkington site in the US before Rath Group and Fuchs conclude the conference.

Conference papers will be available via the Glassman USA website shortly and will be announced via the Glass International website.

Networking events included a trip to the Cleveland Guardians versus Boston Red Sox baseball match.