International Glass Associations meet at Vitrum 2017. Focus on current state of the Industry

The second work day for Vitrum 2017 came to a close with new, key, share and compare opportunities. In the morning - behind closed doors - the highly-anticipated second meeting of the International Glass Associations took place. After the first International Convention held in Murano (Venice) in June, the group is meeting in Milan to concentrate on drafting its first operational guidelines.

“Top of mind - explains Aldo Faccenda, president of Gimav, who presided over the event - are the most current topics facing the industry, which were proposed at the Murano meeting. This morning was a valuable opportunity to take an in-depth look at the items requested by countries and by the Association. Glass is at the center of our world and the keywords for the near future of the industry, today, were identified: technical and production standardization, education and training; historic and cultural elements; and energy and environmental stewardship. Around the table - remarks Faccenda - each of us was able to express our ideas and adjust the needs and requests to our own local specifics, sharing information about prospective goals and those already achieved. We are pleased to be able to say that we have already reached good results in terms of concerted efforts and objectives. The next International Convention meeting is already set for the spring of 2018 and, given the popularity of the last edition, it will again be held in Murano”.

The International Glass Associations split up into working groups, each one committed to taking on a specific area of in-depth analysis. Participants: Abividro, Abravidro, AIHV, ATIV, Finnish Association of Flat Glass, FunGlass, GGF, Gimav, IGC, ICOM Glass, NGA, Slovak Glass Society, Steklosouz.

The afternoon session of Vitrum events also included another highly-anticipated seminar: “What’s hot in glass processing”. Innovation was the common thread among the four speeches.

Each presentation was allowed 30 minutes, during which ADI, Glaston and RCN Solutions introduced the audience to their latest developments in technologies applied to glass processing machinery. Already an innovative formula in its own right in the Italian trade show panorama, the seminar proved to be so attractive that Vitrum plans to offer an even more impactful version of it at the next edition, in 2019.

Summaries of the presentations will be available shortly on the Vitrum website.

Meantime, Italy’s international glass trade show, reported positive attendance numbers today, too: +10.4% of visitors (at 12.30 PM compared to the 2015 edition.

Thursday, October 5th, at 2:30 pm (Gemini Room - Services Center, Stella Polare, Fiera Milano Rho), another Vitrum appointment, this time with "New laws and standards for glass products in building and construction", a seminar organized by Assovetro, CSI Spa, Gimav and the Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro, in partnership with ITA (Italian Trade Agency) and Vitrum. Making presentations at the meeting are: Mario Boschi (Assovetro), Ennio Mognato (Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro), and Marco Scanagatta (CSI Spa).

The Seminar has received accreditation for 3 CFP (certificate of professional education) credits from the Order of Engineers of Milan; the order made an advance evaluation of the professional educational contents and method of implementation.