Şişecam Glass Conference Convenes Global Glass Industry Representatives

Şişecam Glass Conference, a platform to foster the development of the glass sector's exceptional talent with the contribution and cooperation of all stakeholders of the global industry, was centered this year around the main theme of "Collaborate to Innovate: For a Sustainable Future". Held on November 2-3, 2023, the conference brought together representatives from academia, scientific institutions, glass manufacturers, and suppliers in the field of glass science and technology from across the world. Conference attendees discussed glass and innovative products that add value to glass, technological developments in the industry, and sustainable solutions.

A comprehensive plan is needed for a fair and sustainable world

Şişecam Chairman and Executive Member of the Board Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kırman repeated his call to the industry for cooperation in addressing the world's common problems at the conference. In particular, he highlighted his statement at the 'Glass Person of the Year' award ceremony in October that the glass industry could play an active role in solving the world's fundamental problems. Prof. Dr. Kırman said: “Income inequality is one of the main problem areas where the glass industry can make a difference. Another major issue is that serious steps have not yet been taken to ensure a sustainable world, though the topic is widely discussed.  Finally, equal conditions are not provided for women, who make up more than half of the global population. A comprehensive plan is needed for a fair and sustainable world. The glass industry should also do its part.”

Reducing energy consumption tops our agenda

Şişecam CEO Görkem Elverici, in his turn, stated at the conference: “Glass production is an energy-intensive process. As a result, reducing energy consumption across our production operations is at the top of our agenda. At Şişecam, we are carrying out renewable energy projects and initiatives for glass production. We see this area as a key opportunity to foster sustainability.

Şişecam is boosting its frosted and solar glass investments for solar panels to encourage solar energy use. In addition, we are lowering our carbon emissions and conserving energy through our ongoing renewable energy efforts. Şişecam aims to expand the use of renewable energy at its plants by eight times by 2030. We are also undertaking efforts related to and investing in recyclable energy resources.”

The conference started with three keynote speeches on “Truly Transparent Solar for Electricity Generating Facades”, “Decarbonization Pathway of the Glass Industry, Challenges, Opportunities for Different Segments and Possible Solutions Regarding Different Energy Inputs”, “A Phosphate-Based Approach to Carbon-Neutral Glass Manufacturing”. This was followed by 10 parallel sessions covering key topics such as “Glass Melting and Forming Process”, “Glass Surface Interfaces and Coatings”, “Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization Strategy”, “Advanced Materials and Devices, Digitalization”, “Fundamentals of Glass Science” and “Product Design”. A total of 72 papers were presented during the conference, including 51 oral presentations and 21 posters.