Glassmaking today has become a highly technological process industry that uses state-of-the-art procedures to ensure ever faster, cheaper and more technical production of a range of glass for an extensive span of applications. The diversity of output, the high temperatures of the operating processes and the stringent demands of the market depend on specialist scientific knowledge for their success.

Solvay support is there for glassmakers as they diversify output and raise technical specifications for flat, hollow and technical glass. People benefit from flat glass in modern architecture and for transport. Newer glass compositions are used for making lighter weight hollow glassware and high-tech speciality glass grades. In developing its own manufacturing processes, Solvay recycles its water, reduces its energy consumption and reduces its emissions.
Glass has become stronger, attractive, insulated and impact resistant; its properties include solar protection and anti reflection. Modern communications benefit from optical glass fibres.
Solvay is an acknowledged partner for the glassmaker, a position built up over many years. The company is a long-serving supplier of the vital glassmaking ingredients – soda ash and caustic soda – and of the additives needed to process glass.

Soda products
Soda ash is an essential raw material in the glassmaking process, representing up to one quarter of the weight of the glass. High temperatures are required to melt the sand – the main glassmaking ingredient – and Solvay's materials play an essential role in reducing furnace temperatures by many hundreds of degrees. Glassmaking would not be viable without them.

Calcium and magnesium products
Solvay also supplies a third component in the glassmaking mix – the calcium, or magnesium, stabiliser that imparts stability and quality to the finished glass.

Fluorides
The company also brings to glassmakers a portfolio of other additives, such as fluorides, for improving glass processing or the performance and appearance of the finished glass. Solvay has a proven record of continuous commitment to the industry and its technologists provide active counselling on raw materials and additives for many of the technical glassmaking processes.