Page 28 - GM_2018_6

CONTAINER MANUFACTURING
Container manufacturing
BUCHER As the first step in melting

and shaping glass,
EMHART refractories play a vital

role in the container
GLASS manufacturing

process. In this

the past and article, Refractories

Lab Manager Larry
present Finn looks back over

of refractories the history of BEG’s

refractory operations

and outlines some major
Larry Finn - Refractories Lab Manager
BUCHER EMHART GLASS recent developments.

F ROM STARTING YEARS

TO THE PRESENT
Bucher Emhart Glass’
involvement with refractories
dates back to the company’s
early years. In 1926, Hartford-
Empire, forerunner of BEG,
formed Corhart Refractories with
Corning Glass Works to design
and manufacture refractory sys-
tems. The joint venture ended in
the 1960s, but Hartford-Empire
continued to make refractories at
Bloomfield, Connecticut.
In 1980, Emhart Corporation as part of BEG’s global setup. It risked impurities and quality
(as it was by then) acquired is certified under ISO 9001:2015 problems. Through a partnership
refractory specialists Laclede- by NSAI, the National Standards between R&D and manufactur-
Christy of Owensville, Missouri. Authority of Ireland. ing, we worked to reduce costs
Since the Owensville facility without sacrificing purity, set-
included a research laboratory as BIG CHANGES AT THE ting up new quality tests for raw
well as a manufacturing plant, it OWENSVILLE PLANT materials and the manufacturing
was logical that it should become The last few years have seen process that helped to reduce the
Emhart’s sole refractory plant. some big changes at Owensville. number of rejected parts. We also
Today, Owensville continues to In 2016, the cost of our raw began gathering data to support a
develop expandable compositions materials was rising – but switch- future implementation of statisti-
and parts for glass refractories, ing to cheaper ones would have cal process control (SPC).

glass machinery plants & accessories 6/2018
26