Şişecam has joined research and technology organisation Glass Futures to enhance its commitment to carbon neutral glass production.
Its membership is expected to drive progress through R&D investment, benefiting the Turkish and UK sectors while supporting the wider glass community in its decarbonisation efforts.
A signing ceremony was held at Şişecam’s headquarters on 13 February.
Attendees included Şişecam CEO Görkem Elverici and Glass Futures CEO Justin Kelly, as well as other senior members of the Şişecam and Glass Futures management teams.
Carl Spychal, Head of Economics and Prosperity at British Consulate General Istanbul, and Pinar Celikcan, Head of Science and Innovation Network at the British Embassy Ankara, were also in attendance.
Mr Elverici said: “We are proud to become a strategic member of Glass Futures.
“The collaborative technologies we will develop together will further enhance our environmentally friendly and sustainable production capabilities.
“These collective efforts will serve as a driving force in achieving our 2050 carbon-neutral commitment.”
Glass Futures is currently developing its Global Centre of Glass Excellence in St Helens, UK.
The glass melting facility has the capacity to produce the equivalent of 60,000 wine bottles and 4km of flat glass daily.
It also features an experimental 30 tpd pilot furnace, which will go live this spring.
Mr Kelly said: “As one of the world’s leading producers of glass packaging, flat glass and glassware, we look forward to welcoming Şişecam to Glass Futures’ industrial scale pilot plant, where key industry stakeholders will experiment with alternative low carbon fuels.
“Şişecam’s strategic membership provides a significant boost to the UK industry by means of overseas R&D investment, as well as advancing the common sustainability and decarbonisation goals of Glass Futures' wider international membership”.
Ahead of the furnace inauguration, Glass Futures has started several research projects and external trials with industrial partners.
These initiatives will explore areas such as biofuels, hydrogen, carbon capture, and alternative raw materials.
