Şişecam Group Vice President and CEO Prof. Ahmet Kırman has been awarded by the International Commission on Glass (ICG), the most reputable not-for-profit Glass Society comprising 33 national organizations in glass science and technology. Prof. Kırman is honoured with the ICG’s “President’s Award” in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the development of the world glass industry. The award ceremony was held during the 25th International Glass Conference in Boston, USA between June 9 and 14, 2019.
At her speech during the award ceremony, Prof. Alicia Duran Carrera noted: “Under Prof. Kırman’s management, through strategic investment initiatives, the number of countries where Şişecam Group is carrying out production activities increased from 4 to 13, while the number of production facilities rose from 26 to 43. Subsequently, the volume of glass and chemicals production has doubled, while the number of employees increased from 15,000 to 22,000. During this growth, with his strong support, leadership and vision, Şişecam has significantly invested and improved its existing capabilities in R&D to build Turkey’s largest glass science and technology research centre. Prof. Kırman’s leadership boosts open innovation and pre-competition cooperation, even co-creations on a corporate scale, through joint studies and projects with strategic partnerships. In this road map, the ICG activities and close involvement with Technical Committees have been one key partner of uppermost importance. Prof. Kırman has provided a continuing and all-round contribution to this cooperation to encourage the work on glass science and technology at an international scale.”
“Prof. Kırman’s consistent commitment to glass science and technology is evident in his notable professional achievements and he has served as an extraordinary role model to senior professionals as well as an inspiration to development of staff at the beginning of their careers. As an industrialist, his nomination for this honour represents for ICG an opportunity to recognize a person from the industry. Beyond his outstanding input to the growth of his Company, his commitment with R&D in glass, with particular attention to the ICG activities at all levels, are qualities that meet the essential characteristics recognized by this award,” Prof. Duran Carrera added.
In his speech at the award ceremony Prof. Ahmet Kırman said, “Today Şişecam Group is a global actor with its 22,000 employees in 13 countries and its sales to over 150 countries. Şişecam is among the leading companies in the world with its competent human resource and its advanced R&D infrastructure in the competition of new product and new technology development in flat glass, glass packaging, glassware, glass fiber and chemicals. Şişecam, the third largest glassware, the fifth largest glass packaging and flat glass manufacturer globally as well as the seventh largest synthetic soda ash producer in the world and the world’s leading supplier of chromium compounds.
“We carry out the research and technological development activities, which began in 1976 with an institutional understanding, now at our Şişecam Science, Technology and Design Center, one of the most prominent centres in the world. We are among the drivers of the glass community with various undertakings in the management and technical committees of the ICG and hosting the annual meetings of the ICG as a member since 1984. We contribute to the development of the glass community by sharing our work in glass science and technology through various platforms such as conferences, meetings, committees. I receive this award with great honour for the care and long years of work we have put in the glass science and would like to thank the ICG.”