The Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation and The Glass Manufacturing Industry Council receive a grant from Owens-Illinois and a donation from Air Products
The Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation (CGIF) and The Glass Manufacturing Industry Council (GMIC), both located in Columbus, Ohio, announced receiving two generous offers of aid from Owen-Illinois and Air Products ahead of the 79th Conference on Glass Problems to be held November 5 – 8, 2018, at the Greater Columbus (Ohio) Convention Center.
First, the Owens-Illinois (O-I) Charities Foundation of Perrysburg, Ohio, has offered a 20,000 USD grant to support CGIF outreach programs and provide travel grants to college-age students.
The CGIF will use 10,000 USD of the grant to support the Foundation’s programs which introduce middle school and high school students to ceramic and glass science. The remaining 10,000 USD will fund travel grants that will allow university engineering students to attend the 79th Conference on Glass Problems. The conference is the largest glass manufacturing conference in North America and attracts glass manufacturers and suppliers worldwide to exchange innovations and solutions.
“We are extremely grateful to the O-I Charities Foundation for this generous grant which will enable us to expand our outreach programs,” said Marcus Fish, Director of Development for the CGIF. “Providing travel assistance to students helps further our mission of supporting the next generation of glass scientists and engineers.”
“We are grateful for the foresight and progressive vision of the O-I Charities Foundation in support of their community,” said Bob Lipetz, GMIC’s Executive Director. “This significant support provides students the opportunity to network with industry leaders at the Conference on Glass Problems, as well as providing industry the opportunity to develop the next generation of glass industry professionals.”
Additionally, Air Products of Allentown, Pennsylvania, announced a unique opportunity to receive funding in order to foster innovation by the next generation of ceramic and glass professionals. The Air Products Foundation will donate 100 USD on behalf of each visitor to its hospitality suite at the 79th Conference on Glass Problems (GPC), up to 15,000 USD.
“For more than 50 years, Air Products has been committed to helping glass producers improve their operations with innovative combustion and industrial gas technologies,” said Rick Beuttel, director of Business Development‒Americas at Air Products. “We are excited to share our passion for innovation with the next generation of glass professionals through this donation to the Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation.”
Marcus Fish, expressed his appreciation: “We are extremely grateful to Air Products for this inventive opportunity to support our efforts in student outreach. This gift will support our mission to attract and train the highest quality talent available to work with engineered systems and products that utilize glass and ceramic materials.”
“This forward-thinking support benefits the glass manufacturing industry significantly. We are grateful for the progressive vision of Air Products, who has committed to developing the next generation of glass industry professionals,” said Bob Lipetz. “It will allow us to provide student travel grants to the Conference on Glass Problems, which affords engineering students and industry leaders the valuable opportunity to connect.”
The Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation was created in 2014 by The American Ceramic Society to attract, inspire, and train the next generation of ceramic and glass professionals. In pursuit of its mission, the CGIF developed and manages a number of programs in the areas of K-12 student outreach, university-industry networks, and the Ceramic and Glass Career Center.
Owens-Illinois, Inc. (O-I) is the world’s largest glass container manufacturer and preferred partner for many of the world’s leading food and beverage brands. The company employs approximately 27,000 people at 79 plants in 23 countries. With global headquarters in Perrysburg, Ohio, O-I delivers safe, sustainable, pure, iconic, brand-building glass packaging to a growing global marketplace.
Founded in 1940, Air Products is a world-leading industrial gases company that provides atmospheric and process gases and related equipment to manufacturing markets, including glass, refining and petrochemical, metals, electronics, and food and beverage. Air Products is also the world’s leading supplier of liquefied natural gas process technology and equipment.
The Glass Manufacturing Industry Council, founded in 1998, is a non-profit trade association representing the interests of the glass manufacturing industry. The mission of the GMIC is to facilitate, organize and promote the interests, economic growth, and sustainability of the glass industry through education and cooperation in the areas of technology, productivity, innovation and the environment.
For more information, contact Belinda Raines · braines@ceramics.org · foundation.ceramics.org