The AGC Group has become a member of Glass Futures with the aim to make flat glass manufacturing more sustainable.
AGC will collaborate with Glass Futures’ membership network across the glass supply chain towards a sustainable future.
The flat glass manufacturer said it was committed to developing new glass products with better environmental performance.
To achieve CO2-neutral glass production by 2050, all parts of the value chain need to be taken into consideration.
Dr Terutaka Maehara, Leader of the Hot Process team at the AGC Innovative Technology Laboratories in Yokohama, Japan said: “AGC’s glass business encompasses a wide range of products, including flat glass, display glass, and specialty glass, with manufacturing sites located around the world.
“Therefore, the requirements for achieving carbon neutrality vary depending on each business segment and each production site, necessitating the development and focus on various technologies. We believe that joining Glass Futures will be meaningful for this purpose."
Glass Futures is a not-for-profit research and technology organisation with a Global Centre of Excellence facility in St Helens, UK.
The facility will allow glass and foundation industries to trial technologies and generate ideas that will support the industry to decarbonise.
Dave Fordham, Global Engagement Lead at Glass Futures said: “We were pleased to welcome members of AGC’s innovation team from Japan and Belgium to our pilot facility.
“Here, we're currently installing an industrial scale 30 tpd pilot furnace to explore the technical foundations for achieving carbon neutral glass melting.
“We’re delighted the global glass giant has joined our growing network of members to help the industry achieve its sustainability goals.”
AGC joins fellow glassmaking members of Glass Futures including Ardagh, O-I (founder member), and Verallia.
