The recently-held British Glass Focus Conference presented a series of important aspects of today’s glass industry and its needs. The day’s presentations began with the need for well-supported apprenticeship schemes, and went on to discuss lightweighting and innovations in the glass industry.
The UK glass manufacturing industry came together on 23 May at the British Glass Focus Conference, held in Manchester, UK.
James Fothergill, Head of Education and Skills, CBI, gave a keynote speech focussing on education and training of young people, highlighting the need for well-supported apprenticeship schemes within manufacturing and in particular, in the glass industry.
This theme was also further discussed during a presentation from Ian Kinder, Executive Director, UK Commission for Employment and Skills.
A Memorandum of Understanding between Siemens and British Glass, aimed at providing a support network for skills training and apprenticeships, with the help of the British Glass members, was also signed.
Group Head of Marketing and Public Affairs, Ardagh Group, Sharon Crayton, spoke about ‘More to glass than lightweighting’, with regards to glass as an interactive material for packaging and in particular the Absolut Unique project, which saw a different pattern produced on each of four million bottles through decoration and coating techniques.
Nick Kirk, Technical Director Glass Technology Services started off the session on innovations, which looked at examples of cutting edge glass-related research currently being undertaken within the fields of biomaterials and photonics: A very different way of looking at glass.
A British Glass members’ committee meeting closed off the day, followed by evening entertainment.