The event organisers, Tamglass Engineering of Finland, recently published full details of International Glass Processing Days, due to be held for the 5th time at Tampere, Finland 13-15 September 1997….
The event organisers, Tamglass Engineering of Finland, recently published full details of International Glass Processing Days, due to be held for the 5th time at Tampere, Finland 13-15 September 1997. Participants will include R & D specialists, industry experts and the professional bodies of the trade. The objective of the conference, say the organisers, is to further the development and applications of safety glass by promoting the use of its products and covering processing technology and handling development from float glass to installation. New methods in glass processing, glazing, trends, applications and legislation are all part of the programme which is supervised by experienced and distinguished Advisory and Programme Committees. The conference aims at broadening cooperation within the glass business by providing a joint international forum for glass manufacturers, processors, universities, research institutions, glaziers, architects, consultants and construction specialists. The 1997 conference will cover the full range of architectural and automotive safety glass processing topics from float glass to the installation and use of finished products. Through the conference, the organisers aim to advance the market position of glass/safety glass in competition with other materials through the development of competitive processes and products for new applications. For the 1997 conference the organisers expect over 500 participants and have planned for a total of 70 speakers on various topics. The programme consists of two major blocks – architectural and automotive – and will deal with all aspects and phases of glass processing from float glass to the installation and use of the final product. Final details of the programme are currently being worked out, and proposals and contributions to the programme can still be made to the programme committee. According to the organisers, the scope and depth of the programme will enable participants to familiarise themselves with the latest know-how in glass/safety glass processing technology very effectively over the three days. The conference is also expected to provide opportunities for the exchange of information between business friends, suppliers and manufacturers and leading international professionals in the sector. The social programme has been planned to facilitate informal meetings. The registration fee for speakers and delegates is FM 4,000, for those who register before 30 June 1997. The fee includes admission to the sessions, the delegates information kit and proceedings book as well as three lunches and three evening programmes with meals. The registration fee for accompanying guests is FM 1,500 which includes excursions and three evening programmes with meals. There is also a special fee for accompanying children. All prices include Finnish VAT of 22% (refundable for non-resident participants). Participants pay for their own flights and hotel accommodation but the organisers will assist in making the hotel bookings. The conference programme will include a large number of so-called short courses. These provide an opportunity to obtain detailed information about glass itself, coating methods, the characteristics and use of coated glass, glass decoration (screen making, printing and ceramic paints), PVB (handling, characteristics and the laminating process), glass product design, different glass processing machines and operator parameters. The 3-5 hour courses will focus on one specific subject. Some courses will include both theoretical and practical components and participants will obtain detailed information, answers to their questions and updates on the latest developments in the field. The short courses will be held just before and/or after the conference. Special applications for these short courses will be needed and the number of participants will be limited to a maximum of 15 people for the practical courses and 30-50 people for the theoretical courses. Details on these courses and applicable fees will be available in the final programme which will be distributed around 15 March 1997. A number of special visits will be arranged just before and after the Glass Processing Days. The organisers of the conference say they will assist in arranging trips to locations such as Lapland, St. Petersburg, Tallinn or Stockholm. More details on the available trips are included in the conference leaflets. The original idea for the staging of the conference, which was named The Glass Processing Days, emanated from field experience and discussions between suppliers and customers in different parts of the world. Customers had the wish to stay on top of the developing technology and the complete safety glass process in its many applications. There was no suitable open forum in existence which would have met the needs of glass processors and the scene was thus set for the first conference which took place at Tampere, Finland in 1992. At that time the number of participants and lecturers was 30. The organisers considered it very important to minimise the commercial aspects of the conference and to focus on useful and versatile up-to-date information on processing and the applicable technologies. Glass manufacturers saw the usefulness of the occasion from the very beginning and they contributed actively to the conference programme. The first conference focused on operational aspects and on the technologies used in tempering. Some of the early pioneers among the glass manufacturers included Tahvo Sutela of Pilkington, Finland and representatives of the Cookson Matthey company. Jorma Vitkala, Customer Service manager at Tamglass Engineering, assumed a role as a coordinating and driving force from the very first conference. The success of the event grew steadily. In 1993 the number of participants doubled to 80, representing 24 countries. In 1994 the conference was held in the People’s Republic of China. The number of participants exceeded 100. The 1995 conference became the biggest so far with 400 participants and lecturers from 40 countries. Organising committees: The conference advisory committee, to be updated, includes: Mr. Michael Andreasen, Guardian Industries, Inc. Mr. Paul M. Andrews, PSV Glass Mr. Peter S. Bain, Automotive Glazing Europe Mr. Chris Barry, Pilkington, LOF Mr. Richard Bodette, AFG Mr. Manfred Dittmar, Interpane Glas Industrie AG Mr. Marshall G. Decker, PPG Industries, Inc. Mr. Jean-Pierre Donnay, St. Gobain Exprover Dr. Suresh T. Gulati, Corning, Inc. Mr. Y. Ichinomiya, Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Ltd Mr. Philip J. James, National Glass Association Dr. Steffen Jager, Fraunhofer Institut fur Schicht- und Oberflachentechnik Dr. T. Ates Kut, SISECAM Prof. Dr Akio Makishima, University of Tokyo Prof. Markku Mattila, Tampere University of Technology Mr. Wenyi Mo, Chinese Ceramic Society Mr. Fabiano Nicoletti, Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro Mr. Jaap de Nijs, Guardian/C.R.V.C. Dr. Gunter Ortmanns Mr. Pim de Ridder, UEMV Prof. Dr Helmut A. Schaeffer, Deutsche Glastechnische Gesellschaft Prof. Dr Helmut K. Schmidt, Institut fur Neue Materialen Dr. Koichi Suzuki, Asahi Glass Co. Ltd Dr. Bernhard Suder, Arcon Mr. Bao Seng Tang, China National Building Material Equipment Corp. Mr. Fritz Otto Thielmann, Dusseldorfer Messegesellschaft GmbH Prof. Dr James R. Varner, Alfred University Mr. Gerenimo Velasco, Republic-Asahi Glass Corp. Mr. J.B.Waldron, Pilkington United Kingdom Ltd. The programme committee for Architectural Glass will be made up of: Mr. Jorma Vitkala, Chairman Mr. Pim de Ridder, UEMV, Chairman of Session 1 Mr. Ulf Haga, Monsanto, Chairman of Session 2 Mr. Matti Vatilo, SAFA, Chairman of Session 3 Mr. Tapio Nissinen, Glastech Oy, Chairman of Session 4 Dr. Hans-Henning Nolte, Pilkington Flachglas AG, Chairman of Session 5 Dr. Douglas Keir, DuPont Mr. Tahvo Sutela, Pilkington, FIN Mr. Markku Virtanen, Finnverre Oy (St. Gobain) Mr. John de Baere, Saint Roch Mr. Seppo Lautamaki, Tamglass Engineering Oy Mr. Lars Karlsson, UEMV Mr. Mauri Leponen, Tamglass Engineering Oy Mr. Pentti Salin, Tamglass, Inc. The programme committee for Automotive Glass will be made up of: Mr. Jorma Vitkala, Chairman Mr. Vincent I. Henry, Ford Glass Technical Center, Chairman of Session 6 Mr. Jan Enberg, Svecia Screen Printing Systems AB, Chairman of Session 7 Mr. Raimo Eronen, Scan-Gobain Glass A/S, Chairman of Session 8 Mr. Douglas Keir, Du Pont, Chairman of Session 9 Dr. Jorma Jarvi, HM & V Res., Chairman of Session 10 Mr. Claus Carlsen, Tanglass Engineering Oy, Chairman of Session 11 Dr. Giovanni Manfr, MG Consult Mr. Ulf Haga, Monsanto Mr. Jean-Jaques Cattin, Cattin Machines S.A. Mr. Tommi Salenius, Tamglass Engineering Oy Mr. Matti Sippola, Tamglass Engineering Oy Mr. Peter S. Bain, AGE Additional information can be obtained from the official organiser Tamglass Engineering Oy at the following address: Mr. Jorma Vitkala, Chairman of the Conference, Tamglass Engineering Oy, PO Box 25, FIN-33731 Tampere, Finland. Phone: +358 3 372 3111; fax: +358 3 372 3190