Last month we had the great opportunity to conduct an in-depth interview with Dave Dalton, Chief Executive of the British Glass Manufacturers’ Confederation on a range of topics from the importance of his organisation to the Glass Industry, market trends, innovation and sustainability through to importance celebrating talent and achievements within the Glass industry, as well as relationships with Government, other organisations, the Glass Sellers and
City of London Livery movement.
We have published the interview in two parts given the depth of insight and opinion Dave shared with us. Within Part 2 of the interview, we explore Innovation, Sustainability, Glass Focus Awards and the continuing association with the City of London and Glass Sellers Livery Company.
Profile
Dave is a research chemist with 44 years of experience in the glass industry. He led research at the British Glass Industries Research Association in Sheffield from the 1980’s before taking the political lead at BGMC 15 years ago. He is a passionate advocate of glass technology and supporter of research & development and most recently has chaired the EIUG, the political body representing energy-intensive industries in front of the government in the UK. He leads on guiding like-minded sectors including steel, chemicals, paper, ceramics and cement, alongside glass in guiding policy development in government to support carbon reduction and innovation investments to help position the UK at the vanguard of future global manufacturing. Dave is also a Liveryman with the Glass Sellers Livery
Company.
British Glass has a rich heritage, going back 70 years, in innovation and supporting members and the Glass Industry to adapt to economic, legislative and political change. When you look back over the past 10-20 years, what innovation or change undertaken by British Glass or your members would you like to highlight?
There have been hundreds of small developments and iterations over the past decades which in summation have massively improved the efficiency, safety, quality and productivity of the sector, from machine-vision is QC to warehousing, packing and distribution under AI control. We’ve seen mechanical swabbing remove the manual intervention improving safety, robotics in processing and testing, AI in training and experience of the production environment. And many many more. I do however feel we are currently in the early stages of the most
significant evolution (or even revolution) in fuel technology and decarbonising. We are in the realms of non-fossil fuel melting with green electricity and hydron technologies which will render the sector carbon neutral and enable glass-making to plot a clean and clear path for the future.
Circularity with respect to Glass Recycling is a subject you are very passionate about, Why is Circularity important to the Glass Sector and consumers in UK? What is your vision for Glass Circularity in the UK and what needs to be done to make in a reality by industry and government?
As the global population grows, profligacy has to be checked and glass is quite simply the ideal solution for this. Infinitely recyclable with no loss or detriment to quality or performance and only inhibited by a lack of foresight in those legislating around its needs.
Glass is without question the circular material for the future. We aim to change government thinking to enable the post-consumer capture of every piece of glass we place on the market. To ban landfill and export save for material so contaminated and finely ground that it is near impossible to viably salvage. We need to raise the treatment of glass out of that for other materials that do not perform so well environmentally and so stop the linking of punitive
legislation aimed at other materials having an impact on our ability to fully close the glass loop.
What are your thoughts on the challenge to create a CO2 neutral glass industry and by what means can this be achieved by British Glass and its members?
I’m not a fan of the terminology ‘net zero’ as it is a phrase I used well over a decade ago in a presentation to the EU commission explaining glass manufacture and its real impact on the environment. Essential I was able to share a fact: The amount of CO2 saved by the product of flat glass manufacture alone, across EU and UK (High performance glazing systems, Solar panels etc) in their useful lifetimes, is more than 10x greater than the total CO2 emissions of the whole of glass manufacture across the same area. In essence, even then glass was 10x better than net zero, and yet despite a 40% reduction in CO2 from glass production in the UK over the previous three decades we still emit 1.2M tonnes.
With all (green) electric melting and 90+ % post-consumer recovery glass will have a tiny carbon footprint as has already been demonstrated possible by trials at full plant level in recent years. We are lacking infrastructure from government to provide the volumes we require to the site we have, our lobby is currently to press hard to achieve this transition as soon as government investment will allow,
What alternative glass melting technologies are your members exploring to reduce the sector’s carbon footprint and what are the preferred alternatives for the future?
All candidates remain in play and are basically subject to future government fuel strategy. As they have failed to make the necessary investment particularly in the electricity distribution network, despite levying £B’s in specific taxation on gas bills from the sector but now the chips are down and we want to use it, we find the investment never happened so we are left waiting. We have quotes of over 10 years before connection may be available to certain sites.
So electricity is the favoured option and the one embedded in our sector roadmap, We will continue to lobby government to raise the bar and reduce this timeframe by further investment but the public purse is very constrained.
We evaluating hydrogen and though there are several advantages, these are considered more than balanced by problem, both technical and economic, as well as the basic laws of physics meaning we can always more efficiently use the primary electricity used to raise hydrogen in the direct heating of glass with better efficiency and economics, storage may be a partial balance to that.
We continue to evaluate biofuels of all persuasion, electricity from small modular reactors close to point of consumption and even CCUS as provision is already underway to utilise UK vast natural storage to deposit capture CO2.
Once we have a coherent future fuel policy and the infrastructure to deliver it, plus sensible policies of cullet recovery, the sector aided by BG will endeavour to deliver it.
How would you summarise British Glass’ relationship with Glass Futures, the global not-for-profit research and technology organisation based in St Helens?
Of course Glass Futures was a product of British Glass and its membership desire to be seen to be proactive in the technology demonstration and decarbonisation arena and to this extend that remains the case. We have an extensive set of dialogues at all levels and I remain an active board member at GFL to guide its path to sector needs and support. It’s not always smooth limited financial resource are available from both industry and government and there
is sometimes tension in the allocation and outcomes, but in general we find a commonality of cause and try to support our sector goals in a connected manner.
How influential do you expect initiatives such as Glass Futures to be in creating a long- term future for the glass industry?
Ha! The $100M question – it really depends on several factors not least of which is the degree and consistency of industrial support. Not only in the UK but globally. It is imperative that this support is gained and that it grows and perpetuates, but in tight financial times this is not easy and competition for support is hard-fought, so nothing is a given.
Lighting of the furnace is a critical landmark and will mark a significant marker in what happens next. It is important to have a sufficient order book to vindicate lighting it, but once in place and supported this should see a significant change in the prospects of the sector with the ability to trial ideas at industrial scale with no detriment to plant productivity.
Sustainability in the workforce is a key issue today for the UK Glass Industry especially in attracting and retaining young talent and developing skills, as well as increasing diversity. Why does this matter for the long term future of UK Glass Industry and what initiatives does British Glass currently have underway or is planning to support members and glass industry address this issue?
We live in a rapidly changing and evolving world where communication is rapid, technology is exponentially infiltrating the workplace and boardrooms are waking up to the critical need to change and diversify from the old, traditional way of doing business. They need to be less formal, more savvy to the rate of change and aware how rapidly a failure to react can be business fatal. To this end BG is driving EDI changes from our own practices through our HR
forums into industry and helping guide them through these inevitable changes.
What can you tell us about what excites you about the British Glass’ 2024 Glass Focus Annual Awards to be held on 21st November in Leeds ?
It’s always a great opportunity to meet and discuss issues and opportunities with the wider membership in a more informal environment, to share ideas and support each other, to explore possibilities and shape the future. It’s great to share our successes and concerns and to witness first-hand how the industry can pull together and weather the storm whatever its severity.
It’s great to see the excitement members have in winning awards and passion they put in when trying. It’s a celebration of a great industry I have had the privilege of working with for 45 years and I remain as passionate about it today as I was all those years ago
Why is it important that British Glass and the UK Glass Industry celebrates talent through the Glass Focus Rising Star Award every year, that is sponsored by Worshipful Society of Glass Sellers?
Our youth is our future, unless we can excite and celebrate the talent of the future we are dead in the water. The human condition is to fear change, we are programmed to fear change, but to evolve and succeed we need to embrace change, and future leader are born of that moment. This program drives the very essence of the mechanism we drive this change through: the youth and leadership of tomorrow
The Worshipful Society of Glass Sellers has a proud tradition over the years of having British Glass directors including yourself as Liverymen of the Company. Why are the Lord Mayor of London, City of London Corporation, the Glass Sellers and the Livery movement important to the aims of British Glass and your members?
The whole movement represents a connection to important element of society that traditionally industries like our would have little ability to connect with. The very essence of the Glass Sellers is connecting people and often very capable and influential people that can help in circumventing problems not navigable by normal means. It helps in our lobbying and information gathering and our direct connection to those that matter. It also provides a social context with service and comradery that is shared in a very convivial environment and in very good nature.
Can you tells us about British Glass’ involvement in the Glass Coins which have been part of Lord Mayor Michael Mainelli’s “Connect to Prosper” Campaign for the City of London and presenting as part of the Lord Mayor’s lecture series a lecture on “Glass: the world’s most important material?” with Richard Katz and Mark Holford?
The office of the Lord Mayor of London and all that connects with it provides a global opportunity to expose our cause and the work we do, its importance and more the difference it can make. We supported this venture to embark on that journey and to echo our message to a wider audience. As a passionate advocate for glass I saw this as a great opportunity wave the flag for glass, and through the lecture to share some of my long experience in the sector
and burning desire for it to continue into the future realising some of the dreams I have had along the way.
Looking forward, in your opinion, what more could be done through the City of London, the Glass Seller and the wider Livery movement to progress the aims of British Glass and the UK Glass Industry?
It is always difficult given the demographic of most events being in/around London and the majority of the industry being north of the M62. Mobilising people for ostensibly social events against the backdrop of a busy and stretched sector will always remain so. I think having more events nearer their home territory and focussing the content to things they are more likely to invest time in, may be a way of improve contact time and hence positive outcome. I think ideas of what content might attract them would be a good start.
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Trust you have enjoyed reading both episodes of the interview with Dave Dalton and the insights he has shared as to the purpose of British Glass, his view on industry trends and importance industry and political collaborations on the future of the British Glass Industry, as well as his passion for Glass Innovation, Sustainability, Glass Focus Awards and the continuing association with the City of London and Glass Sellers Livery Company.
Again many thanks to Dave for taking the time to share his opinion and insights with us. The Glass Sellers will be arranging further Clearly Connected Interviews with leading figures in the UK Glass Industry and Artisan community.
Authors: Glass Committee Chair, Liveryman Brian Scott-Picton and Glass Committee Member, Liveryman Dave Fordham
19.11.24
