Şişecam organized the 36th Şişecam Glass Symposium online, a digital symposium that attracted 608 participants. Among them were students, academics, industry professionals and scientists.
The world’s leading glass industry representatives and scientists discussed the future of the glass industry, sustainability and new technologies.
Şişecam Chairman, Dr. Ahmet Kırman, in his opening speech praised the proposal of the 2022 International Year of Glass, formally approved by the United Nations, and said, “The history of glass-making dates back more than 5000 years. Making glass has been one of the most important and impactful developments throughout recorded human history. Indeed, glass has proven to be one of the key enablers of modern human civilization. Our understanding of glass has grown exceptionally in the last two centuries followed by ground-breaking innovations. Advances in glass science and technology have served as essential ingredients for modern day society, including architecture, transportation, medicine, energy, communication, and display technology.”
Dr. Kırman continued, “Şişecam, the only global company with operations in all core areas of glass manufacturing, quickly transfers its R&D efforts into production with its highly qualified workforce. Şişecam’s culture of innovation, advanced production capabilities and expertise in corporate R&D dates back 50 years. We add value to life by introducing innovative solutions and practices to the market. Şişecam Science, Technology and Design Centre is one of the world’s leading glass R&D centres.”
In his speech, Şişecam CEO Görkem Elverici addressed the effects of the pandemic and the role of glass in terms of R&D and sustainability. “As the COP26 drew our attention to the subject once again, we are facing the clear and present danger of climate crisis. However, with the advances in science and technology along with the emergence and maturation of digitalization, we are better equipped and more ready than ever to tackle the challenges we are facing and maintain sustainable and responsible growth as a global glass industry.”
Stating that the glass is an integral part of renewable energy systems like solar cells or wind turbines, automotive and architectural glass with functional coatings to reduce the heating and cooling needs, resulting in significant energy savings. “As indispensable as it is in its conventional use, glass, embodying unmatched properties of transparency, formability, hardness, inertness, low cost and availability, is presenting itself as the key ingredient in a wide range of new and novel applications like in electronics, medicine, communications and agriculture, and it will continue to do so. Therefore, our message for today is Glass is Future.”
Şişecam Chief R&D and Quality Officer, Dr. Reha Akçakaya, drew attention to the fact that the glass industry, which provides long-term value with constantly developing and expanding usage areas, promises endless potential in creating a sustainable future. Dr. Akçakaya said, “‘2022 International Year of Glass’ will be very important for all of us. Next year we have to work harder for increasing the awareness of glass.”
The President of the International Commission on Glass (ICG), Prof. Alicia Duran, was one of the keynote speakers of the event. She gave a speech about “The United Nations International Year of Glass-2022” at the plenary session of the event. As part of the symposium, 13 papers in 3 sessions were presented.