Independent Glass, UK
Reference - Europe
Independent Glass upgrades lamination with Glaston ProL-zone
“Integration is always the biggest risk when combining sections from two different manufacturers,” says Andrew Smith, Group Manufacturing Manager at Independent Glass. Speaking about his company’s recent upgrade, he continues: “The entire upgrade project with Glaston’s ProL-zone went very smoothly. We’ve now been able to increase our laminating capacity, run the line with flexibility and ease – and lower our energy consumption.”
Glaston is no stranger to Independent Glass. For over a quarter of a century, the laminating and glass toughening company has been investing in lines from Glaston for its three sites in Glasgow, Scotland, and the one in Mansfield, England.
In late 2016, the company decided to upgrade the lamination oven at its Mansfield location – which focuses on structural glazing, architectural glass and balustrades – to better serve the growing needs of their market.
“The first question was whether to retrofit the oven or to upgrade,” Andrew explains. “We looked at several options alongside of Glaston, but in the end, we decided to go with the advantages the ProL technology could offer, rather than an infrared retrofit solution.”
Integration of the new machine was a key concern for Andrew and his team, since the existing laminating line was from a different manufacturer. So he went to see another ProL-zone in Denmark with Glaston’s UK representative Steve Brammer. The trip offered exactly what Andrew wanted to see: Glaston’s ProLzone working seamlessly with another manufacturer’s laminating line.
Andrew says that his company has been receiving benefits from the upgraded machine since day one. The machine has been operating in an extremely reliable manner. The new line has achieved increased capacity, greater flexibility and ease of running.
“The ProL now has increased our yield considerably, which means increased efficiency. This was one of our main objectives for the investment. Now we have the competence again to compete successfully in lamination.”
Similar references
Viridian Glass, Australia
#architectural #automation #COMFORT #glass quality #IG unit #insulating glass #reference
As building regulations require more energy-efficient glass, Viridian Glass has stepped up its game. Purchasing Glaston’s COMFORT BOX IG manufacturing line enables its Woodville plant in Adelaide to meet burgeoning demands with visibly better quality and shorter lead times. “High quality insulated glass is the future in Australia,” says, National Operational Excellence Manager, Tarun Bhatia at Viridian Glass.
Read moreAGP, New Zealand
#architectural #architectural glass #automation #autopilot #digitalization #FC Series #flat glass tempering #reference
“We’re now running with the stability, reliability and consistency we aimed to achieve when we invested in Glaston’s Autopilot,” David Bunting, Managing Director of Architectural Glass Products (AGP), says.
Read moreVitropor, Portugal
#appliances #architectural #automation #Automotive #flat glass laminating #flat glass tempering #glass processing #glass tempering #iControL #laminating #ProL #reference #RHC #safety glass #tempered glass #upgrades
“When we buy a new TV or piece of furniture for our home, it gives us good vibes – a nice feeling. In a similar way, we chose to upgrade our tempering furnace to make things easier and better for our team, so their work would be more enjoyable,” says Pedro Aguilar, Managing Director of Vitropor.
Read moreArticles
Key takeaways from glasstec 2024
Held in late October, glasstec 2024 buzzed with energy, robotic solutions and serious discussions. Based on what we saw and heard at the event, we can outline a...
Read moreKey applications of automation in glass processing
What glass processes gain the most from automation? In this blog, we’ll focus on some of the particularly promising application areas. As we discovered in the...
Read moreWhy embrace glass processing automation?
When finding, training and retaining personnel for routine jobs is a challenge, processing automation offers a game-changing solution. But other drivers are also...
Read more