UK glass manufacturer and bottler, Encirc, enjoyed success in four industry award categories at this year’s Glass Focus 2017 event at the Royal Armouries in Leeds.
The Glass Focus Conference and Awards dinner is hosted by industry trade body, British Glass, and showcases the year’s achievements from within the UK’s glass sector.
Encirc impressed the judges with its ongoing commitment to corporate responsibility and staff wellbeing, winning in both the Sustainable Practice and Strengthening the Business through People categories.
The Sustainable Practice category looks at how glass sector organisations are able to minimise their environmental impact, while still remaining competitive.
Encirc’s entry was boosted by its recent £6 million investment in a new onsite railhead at its Elton plant.
The new terminal is enabling around half of its raw materials to be delivered by train, saving millions of road miles each year and reducing annual CO2 emissions by around 800,000 tonnes.
Encirc was recognised in the Strengthening the Business through People award due to a number of initiatives that have resulted in an upskilled workforce.
The company offers easy-to-access development schemes and a new academy programme to support the next generation of glass making experts.
In addition, Colin Beggan – an electrical apprentice at Encirc’s Derrylin facility – received a special commendation for his outstanding work on a technical project that has helped boost efficiency and safety across the premises.
Meanwhile, measurement specialists, Land Ametek, also brought home the Innovative Solution award for its thermal imaging technology within Encirc’s furnaces.
British Glass CEO, Dave Dalton, said: “Glass manufacturing and technology offers fascinating roles. To remain competitive and progressive our industry needs a workforce that’s properly trained for them – with technical, commercial, management and leadership skills.
"It’s great to see companies investing in that talent pipeline – and right that we should recognise that through the Glass Focus Awards. Encirc deserve to be congratulated for the work they are putting into staff development, and the results they are achieving.”
Fiacre O’Donnell, head of strategic development at Encirc, stated: “Sustainability is an integral part of our business strategy. To receive the Sustainable Practice award is certainly a reflection of the hard work carried out by everyone across the business to help us minimise our impact on the environment.
“Having skilled, engaged workers is of course essential to making these types of changes across the business and the second award we took home is a testament to the substance of our employees.
"Colin should also be very proud of himself as he’s made a real impact on everyone he’s worked with, as well as safety procedures at our facility in Northern Ireland.”
