News

Leading experts in glass analysis and testing, Sino Glass Tech Ltd, confirms that their UKAS accredited laboratory facilities will continue to be recognised regardless of the outcome of the ongoing Brexit negotiations. Following enquiries from clients and uncertainty in industry, Sino Glass Tech is reassuring clients that results and analytical test certificates will remain valid for laboratory facilities accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) – whatever the outcome of the ongoing UK withdrawal discussions. This position was clarified by the Association of National Accreditation Bodies in Europe (EA) who have confirmed that the “EA has revised its Articles of Association” – allowing UKAS to “maintain its membership for further 2 years” as a transition period and that “UKAS will continue to be peer evaluated by EA in order to maintain its MLA signatory status” . During this transition period the EA intend to revise membership criteria “with the aim that UKAS remains an EA member” . Philip Marsh, Business development manager at Sino Glass Tech commented: “We can confirm that our accredited laboratory facilities will continue to be recognised regardless of the outcome of Brexit negotiations. “Sino Glass Tech has clarified this position with both the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), who confirm that certificates issued by UKAS and UKAS-accredited organisations will continue to be recognised under multilateral agreements (MLAs) that will continue to operate regardless of the outcome of the withdrawal negotiations.” The statement released by the Association of National Accreditation Bodies in Europe (EA) can be downloaded here. Sino Glass Tech Ltd is a UKAS accredited laboratory, No. 1994 – providing a comprehensive range of analytical, testing, research and consultancy support throughout the glass supply chain on a global basis. The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), National Accreditation Body (NAB) of the United Kingdom, is a part of the Association of National Accreditation Bodies in Europe (EA), which enables mutual recognition of accreditation across member states. The legal framework for accreditation will be adopted into UK legislation and UKAS will remain as the national accreditation body. UKAS have had discussions with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Department for Exiting the EU (DExEU), Department for International Trade (DIT) and the European Co-operation for Accreditation (EA) to ensure that it retains its’ status as a full member of the EA and a signatory of all the multi-lateral agreements (MLAs) that enable mutual recognition of accreditation. For more information please visit www.sinoglasstech.com, email [email protected], telephone +86-13037600603 or subscribe to the GTS newsletter.

The laboratories continue to expand their capabilities and capacity through strategic investments in staff and equipment to meet growing demands.Extending their dimensional measurement capabilities across a range of glass products and specialist components, a new vision measuring system has been commissioned and installed in their Sheffield laboratories. This extends the comprehensive range of dimensional measurements and specification checks already provided to clients across pharmaceuticals, components, food and drinks, photonics and glass manufacturing sectors.Philip Marsh, Business Development Manager, comments:“We have seen a surge in measurement requirements from clients looking to ensure that primary packaging and glass components meet increasingly tight tolerances and specifications. This latest investment increases the accuracy of measurements, extends our capabilities and allows for substantial sample volumes to be measured – something of key importance with our high value pharmaceutical and biologics clients for routine batch verification.”The need for these increasingly challenging specifications is being driven by a number of factors including rapid product changeovers and line flexibility, filling line compatibility and rejection targets, closure integrity and highly concentrated drug formulations that require strict dosage control.”The new vision measuring system allows the experts in glass to provide more accurate dimensional measurements in a fraction of the time it currently takes for manual and profile-projection techniques, as well as allowing automated measurement of large sample batches.Measurements are non-contact, repeatable and allow accurate measurement and evaluation of complex three-dimensional components, closures, drug-delivery systems as well as traditionally challenging measurements such as sink, bulge, surface flatness and to highlight accurate internal profiling and wall thickness for flexible and pressure sensitive items such as component assemblies and flexible stopper materials.Sino Glass Tech is a leading specialist for glass analysis, testing, troubleshooting and consultancy support. As experts in glass, the laboratory is actively involved in a range of international technical committees covering key developments in glass delamination, durability and analytical methods. The laboratory is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 9001 quality standards and is registered with the US FDA under GDUFA for API/FDF testing.Visit Sino Glass Tech on stand B98 at Pharmapack 2020 in Paris on 5-6 February to learn more about the support available and discuss your requirements. Visitors will also be able to collect an exclusive pharmaceutical vial anatomy and classification poster and sign-up for a free pharmaceutical glassware workshop.For more information please visit www.sinoglasstech.com, email [email protected], telephone +86-13037600603 or subscribe to their newsletter.

W. Deng, D. J. Backhouse, F. Kabir, R. Janani, M. Bigharaz and P. A. Bingham of Sheffield Hallam, together with A. Wardlow, M. Marshall and R. Ireson from Sino Glass Tech, discuss how biomass ash could help deliver decarbonisation to the glass industry:Current glass manufacturing practices use a combination of manmade and mined raw materials with minimal variability in composition, and commercial glass compositions have remained largely unchanged for the past 50 years.However, as an energy-intensive industry, global commercial glass manufacture is a key sector that consumes 220TWh/yr of energy and emits 50- 60MT/yr of CO2.In 2015, the Paris Agreement set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels, which places enormous commitments on the so-called Foundation Industries, which includes the glass sector. The UK is already playing its part in delivering the Paris Agreement through its domestic climate framework. In 2015 the UK Government and British Glass published their Glass Decarbonisation Roadmaps to 2050 to help coordinate and support achievement of decarbonisation goals within the glass sector. Both Roadmaps highlight glass batch reformulation as one enabler for the glass industry to reduce its energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Low cost, energy-saving, emissions reducing, recycled and alternative raw materials are all considered to be materials that could help to achieve this in an economically viable way. In contrast to the burdens and challenges of achieving decarbonisation, these changes in the industrial environment also provide new opportunities to explore and establish new approaches and new technologies, with the potential for symbiotic win-win relationships with other sectors. For example, the energy generation sector is in the process of switching fuel from coal to biomass to generate electricity in response to the UK’s decarbonisation policies. According to the Ofgem 2016- 17 Biomass Sustainability report adjusted to reflect specific data omissions and other data sources, in 2016-17 the total consumption of biomass by dedicated biomass facilities and cement kilns in the UK (excluding imports) was 5.8 MT. The UK now has >20 biomass power plants (fuels include recycled wood, virgin wood, straw, poultry litter and sewage sludge) and the urgent need to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources has led to proposals for a further 37 UK biomass power plants (Fig. 1), which will generate >2 MT / year of biomass ash. The majority of this biomass ash is currently sent to landfill or used in low-value applications such as construction filler materials. Biomass ash management and valorisation is thus an escalating issue. Decarbonisation In this article we describe how, from the perspective of the glass industry, biomass ash could represent an excellent opportunity for introducing a new raw material capable of delivering step- changes towards decarbonising the glass industry. Yet this approach is actually a reboot of ancient technology. At the turn of the 1st millennium A.D., the Roman Empire produced large amounts of worked glass through a two-stage system. Primary glass centres close to sites of valuable raw materials were used to produce large amounts of ‘raw glass’, i.e. glass cullet. This raw glass was then transported to local glass production centres, which re-melted and worked the raw glass to produce glassware for local consumption. The raw glass was produced from lime-rich sand and natron, an evaporite which is a mixture of Na2CO3·10 H2O and NaHCO3, accompanied by smaller amounts of NaCl and Na2SO4. The main sources of natron were at Wadi Natrun and al-Barnuj, Egypt. However, from the 7th to the 9th century A.D., the availability of Egyptian natron declined. This was partly due to increased demand for natron, not only for glass production but also for the production of medicines and detergents. Political upheaval arose in the natron-producing region, with multiple invasions by foreign powers and a prolonged civil war (811 – 832 A.D.). The volatility of the natron supply necessitated a change in flux material by glass producers. The choice of flux was governed by the availability of local materials. In the Levant and Near East, ashes from halophytic plants from the Salicornia and Salsola genera were used, whereas in northern Europe wood ashes were used, primarily beech (Fagus) ash. These wood ash glasses are known as ‘Waldglas’, (‘Forest Glass’). Wood ash glasses were found in the Carolingian Empire from as early as 800 A.D, and their industrial manufacture continued into the 18th Century. Production declined after this time due to a combination of factors: (i) increased demand for glass products (one tonne of glass requires 250 tonnes of wood to produce); (ii) the move from wood-fired to coal-fired furnaces, which drastically reduced the availability of wood ash; and (iii) increasingly strict quality and consistency requirements for glass products, which was difficult to achieve given the variability of the wood ash. A further cause of this change is also put forward: as the industry became increasingly mechanised, the composition of the glass needed to be controlled more tightly due to the inability of machines to match the adaptability of human glassblowers to changes in glass viscosity. Alternative raw material In 2016, a primary study of alternative raw materials for soda-lime-silica container and float glass manufacture (funded by Innovate UK) was successfully delivered by some of the present authors, and biomass ash was identified as a promising alternative raw material for energy and emissions reduction in the glass industry. Following this achievement, further successful funding bids to Innovate UK and BEIS in 2018 have enabled two parallel 2-year projects to go forward. The main purpose of these projects is to explore and develop the use of a broad range of biomass ashes as raw materials to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact of several different types of glass and ceramic product including amber, green and colourless container glasses, float glass, mineral wool and heavy clay ceramics. Two classifications of ash (bottom ash and fly ash) are typically generated during the combustion of biomass fuels. Bottom ashes are produced in the combustion chamber and are composed of sand particles, mainly quartz, often mixed with mineral impurities contained in the biomass. Biomass fly ashes (BFA) are the finest fraction of the ashes. They are separated from the stream of gases outside the combustion chamber by specially designed systems to avoid their emission. Overall, the quantity and quality of ashes produced during biomass combustion are strongly influenced by the characteristics of the biomass fuel source as well as the combustion technology and operating conditions of the process. Chemical composition In terms of chemical composition, biomass ashes represent a number of means to help decarbonise the glass industry, including: (i) substantial contents of glassmaking ‘fluxes’ such as alkali and alkaline earth elements; (ii) low carbonate contents – unlike the carbonate raw materials currently used, some biomass ashes contain little carbon, reducing raw material CO2 emissions; and (iii) biomass ash has substantial amorphous content unlike crystalline raw materials such as sand or carbonates, and thereby melting energies could be reduced as the energy input to drive fusion reactions will be reduced. It has previously been concluded that glass furnace power could be reduced by 40kW for every 1°C in furnace temperature reduction.Table 1 shows chemical compositions and Loss-on-Ignition (LOI) values for several different types of biomass ash, retrieved from. The major components vary from ash to ash, but in general, CaO, K2O, SiO2 are the major oxides, in addition to moderate levels of MgO, P2O5 and Fe2O3. CaO and SiO2 are two of the three primary constituents of container glass and float glass (along with Na2O), which means that biomass ashes could be used in replacement for sand and limestone in industrial glasses. In addition, the introduction of K2O in replacement for Na2O could have a two-fold benefit: reduction in the amount of high-value soda ash required for each batch; and the exploitation of the mixed-alkali effect which could lead to reduced glass melting temperatures and hence, lower energy demands. Fe2O3 is used in the production of green and amber container glasses as a colourant. Overall, biomass ashes contain a variety of components with value for the production of commercial glasses. Another issue that must be overcome is the effects of impurities from ashes on the glass properties and quality, as some impurities, such as transition metal colourants or volatile elements may cause difficulties in glass production practice. Sheffield Hallam University and Sino Glass Tech, together with partners from across the supply chain, are working to solve or mitigate such issues. By overcoming them, considerable amounts of biomass ash (2 MT/yr) could be diverted from low-value applications and valorised as raw materials in glass manufacture. This exciting development will enable an ancient technology to be ‘rebooted’ in the present, thereby helping to solve some of the most pressing environmental and societal problems facing the modern world.Reproduction of this published material is provided courtesy ofGlass International. Published in Glass International July/August 2019.

Leading experts in glass, Sino Glass Tech Ltd, are hosting a one-day workshop covering an introduction to glass and appropriate due diligence for those working with glass in the pharmaceutical supply chain. This open workshop will provide guests with an introduction to the use of glass as primary pharmaceutical packaging – including how glass is made and processed, tubular and moulded glassware, quality control, common defects and failures and the importance of appropriate selection in terms of both specification and durability. To be held in Sheffield on Thursday 7 June, this workshop is being held free of charge for organisations working within the pharmaceutical supply chain – suppliers, contract fillers, drug manufacturers and those in packaging, regulatory affairs and quality assurance roles. Click here to view more details or book now Philip Marsh, Business Development Manager at Sino Glass Tech Ltd, said: “Listening to our clients and monitoring changes in the industry we are all-too aware of the pressures they face – including increasing regulatory and supply-chain demands. Recent years have seen requirements for increasingly tight dimensional specifications, comprehensive delamination studies and rapid failure and foreign body analyses grow substantially. \”There is limited independent advice available, so we felt we could help our clients and others operating in this sector with a workshop focusing upon appropriate selection and due diligence for glass pharmaceutical primary packaging. \”The day has been structured based upon the issues and requirements of our clients – starting with an introduction to glass, glass manufacture and processing. Specialists from our teams will then focus on key topics including regulatory requirements, pharmacopoeial verification, defects, quality control and failure of these essential glass products.” Attendees will learn about key regulatory and quality assurance issues such as glass durability, delamination, elemental migration, pharmacopoeial verification and the differences between types I, II and III glasses, an understanding of the manufacture and processing of tubular and moulded pharmaceutical glass packaging, glass performance, defects, types of failure and dimensional specifications and tolerances. The day will include a tour of the laboratory facilities, including demonstrations of key analyses and services provided in this sector. The team will also discuss and demonstrate some of the cutting-edge research and developments underway. These include ‘dissolvable’ glasses designed for controlled release of ions, phosphate fibres for integration within the human body, 3D printing and additive manufacture and anti-bacterial glasses – all currently under development for use in the biomedical sector. Please visit www.sinoglasstech.com/pharmaglass for further details, agenda and to reserve a space at the workshop. Sino Glass Tech Ltd (GTS) provides analysis, consultancy, testing and research and development support to all parts of the glass supply chain – from raw materials to the end consumer. GTS prides itself on its confidentiality and independence and is accredited to ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 standards. For more information please visit www.sinoglasstech.com, email [email protected], telephone +86-13037600603 or subscribe to the GTS newsletter. Image Credit: urfin / shutterstock.com

Leading experts in glass, Sino Glass Tech Ltd, are delivering a one-day ‘Glass appreciation – an introduction to glass’ training course in Sheffield, United Kingdom, on 16 October 2018 following increasing demand for this introductory course. The format of the course makes it an ideal introduction for anyone new to working in glass or dealing with glass products or issues. The one-day course introduces delegates to glass manufacture, processing, defects, glass properties, environmental considerations and recycling. The course also includes two hands-on practical sessions on glass melting and forming as well as the inspection of glass products. Delivered in an informative and interactive style by leading specialists in their respective fields, the course introduces a wide range of key topics from fundamental glass chemistry, forming techniques and common defects to performance, quality control and product failure – all covered in an accessible format. Places are strictly limited to encourage an informal atmosphere, increased levels of interaction and participation and to enable the hands-on practical sessions. The format allows the opportunity to cover issues specific to delegates’ own working scenarios, product ranges and experiences and to enable full question and answer sessions for the benefit of all attendees. The course is being delivered for British Glass, who are hosting the training as an open course for the glass industry and its supply chain. For further information, or to book onto the course, please visit the British Glass events and training website. Sino Glass Tech Ltd deliver a range of courses, including glass appreciation, fracture analysis, fundamentals in glass and courses tailored to key sectors such as #PharmaGlass, and glass for retail and brand owners. All courses are available as hosted options for individual delegates as well as in-house options for larger associations and companies. For more information, glass analysis, testing or technical support, please visit www.sinoglasstech.com, email [email protected] or telephone +86-13037600603. To receive the latest news and events from Sino Glass Tech Ltd, please subscribe to the newsletter or follow GTS on social media.

Sino Glass Tech hosted their first expert glass webinar yesterday (19 May) with over 130 delegates from around the world in attendance. Presented by Melting and R&D Lead Martyn Marshall, the seminar gave attendees an introduction to the glass making process taking them from the very beginning of glass production to modern day advancements. The seminar was the first in a series of three provided for free by the analytical experts to continue sharing their specialist knowledge to workers across the glass supply chain during the coronavirus pandemic. Operations Director at Sino Glass Tech Gareth Jones said: “We were delighted with the response to our first webinar as, like many other businesses, we’ve had to adapt with the current circumstances and figure out how to continue with different aspects of the business, including our workshops which are usually hosted at our laboratories in Sheffield. “Modifying our workshops into webinars wasn’t without its challenges but it’s allowed us to widen our audience and engage with companies and individuals who we otherwise wouldn’t have had chance to in a traditional setting. “We hope to see this continue not only for the next two online workshops but beyond them as well.” The next webinar, which focuses on glass for the pharmaceutical industry, will be hosted by Chemistry Manager Amy Meysner and take place on 2 June while the third, an overview of glass failure, will be presented by Technical Manager Daniel Capon on 16 June. Registration is now open for both the glass for the pharmaceutical industry and an overview of glass failure webinars.

Sino Glass Tech has unveiled the agenda for their free PharmaGlass workshop which takes place on 9 October 2019 and includes an exclusive update on activities to modernise USP <660>.Book now on EventbriteSee full workshop detailsJoined by leading expert Dr Desmond Hunt, Principal Scientific Liaison at USP, Sino Glass Tech will cover compliance, quality assurance and emerging requirements for glass primary packaging.Dr Hunt’s presentation, titled ‘Evaluating the quality of your primary glass packaging: Focus on USP chapters <660> and <1660>’, will provide delegates with an overview of the structure of the United States Pharmacopoeia and content of chapters <660> and <1660>, an update on activities to modernise the glass chapters and a comparison of USP, Ph. Eur and JP pharmacopoeia with respect to glass requirements.Leading experts from Sino Glass Tech will provide delegates with an introduction to glass – including composition, manufacture and processing, before building upon this fundamental glass information with key topics including hydrolytic durability, glass classification, delamination, elemental migration, common defects and glass fracture analysis.Phil Marsh, Business Development Manager at Sino Glass Tech, said:“We’re delighted to have Desmond join us for this exclusive PharmaGlass Workshop and share with us his unrivalled knowledge on the activities and changes at the USP.“This is an incredibly exciting opportunity to gain an insight into the workings of an important organisation such as the USP while also receiving a wealth of pharmaceutical knowledge from our expert team.”The course is aimed at professionals in the pharmaceutical supply chain that work with glass packaging – including quality assurance and control, packaging specification and development, regulatory affairs, manufacturers and contract fillers.Places are limited and available on a first-come first-served basis. For further information and to book please visit the PharmaGlass event website or contact [email protected] now on EventbriteSee full workshop detailsSino Glass Tech is a leading specialist for glass analysis, testing, troubleshooting and consultancy support. As experts in glass, the laboratory is actively involved in a range of international technical committees covering key developments in glass delamination, durability and analytical methods. The laboratory is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 9001 quality standards and is registered with the US FDA under GDUFA for API/FDF testing.For more information please visit www.sinoglasstech.com, email [email protected], telephone +86-13037600603 or subscribe to their newsletter.

COVID-19 has had a huge impact on societies and businesses across the globe and Sino Glass Tech has worked hard over the past three months to minimise any delays on essential product lines.Pharmaceutical companies play a highly important role during the pandemic, whether that’s their role in the diagnosis and treatment of the infection, work to prevent the transmission through the development of a vaccine or the continuation of the everyday medications used worldwide. The team have been pleased to support new and existing pharmaceutical customers during this challenging time with pharmacopeial durability analysis, delamination studies or technical consultancy – prioritising customers to ensure efficient turnaround times whilst operating at safe staffing levels. Commenting, Operations and Commercial Director Gareth Jones said:“We recognise the important role our pharmaceutical customers play during this time and it was important we could continue to offer the continuation of service they vitally needed. “We were able to quickly adapt to put safe working parameters in place to ensure the health and safety of our technical staff working within our laboratories which enabled us to operate a skeleton staff prioritising the essential product lines of pharmaceuticals and food and drink. “I’m delighted we’ve been able to continue operating without a break in service for existing and new customers – offering quick turnaround times to those who need them.” Sino Glass Tech are specialists in the field of analysis, inspection, and performance testing for companies throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain, employing industry leading experts in the latest glass technologies, chemical durability, migration, and pharmaceutical packaging. Contact us to find out how we can help.

Leading experts in glass, Sino Glass Tech Ltd, are exhibiting at Pharmapack on 6-7 February 2019 – Europe’s dedicated two day event for pharmaceutical packaging, drug delivery and innovation. The experts provide independent analytical support to many of the best known global names in pharmaceuticals – including delamination, elemental migration, pharmacopoeial verification, specifications and tolerances, failure analysis and troubleshooting. As a packaging medium for drug products, glass is unrivalled in its durability and protective properties, but – as with any product – it must meet stringent requirements for both product performance and chemical durability. The independent glass experts help provide peace of mind and demonstrate due diligence through independent, accredited analysis to support quality assurance, compliance and operational teams in their packaging selection, routine verification and packaging developments and through troubleshooting packaging and line issues. Visit Pharmapack booth G30 to learn about how Sino Glass Tech can support your operations. If you are not already attending, free registration is available through this link. Sino Glass Tech Ltd is a leading specialist for glass analysis, verification, troubleshooting and consultancy support. Its laboratory is actively involved in a range of international technical committees covering key developments in glass delamination, durability and analytical methods. The laboratory is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 9001 quality standards and is registered with the US FDA under GDUFA for API/FDF testing. For more information, glass analysis, testing or technical support, please visit www.sinoglasstech.com, email [email protected] or telephone +86-13037600603. To receive the latest news and events from Sino Glass Tech Ltd, please subscribe to the newsletter or follow them on social media (@GlassTesting).

Following unprecedented demand for the glassmakers’ periodic table, the experts in glass are pleased to announce the release of a digital version of the poster.Originally distributed as an A1 poster to clients, Sino Glass Tech’ unique periodic table has been a resounding success – with hundreds of posters sent around the world, including locations in Salt Lake City, Melbourne and Dubai.Request a copy of the glassmakers\’ periodic tableAs a result, a digital edition of the bespoke periodic table poster – highlighting the elements commonly used as well as their role in glassmaking – will now be available by request.Operations Director Gareth Jones said:“We knew that the posters would be well received by our customers in the glass industry, but we’ve been surprised at just how popular they’ve been and the global reach they’ve had.“The posters are a unique resource and we’re delighted that they’ve taken off in the manner that they have – we have already depleted stocks and are arranging further reprints.“Now, because of its popularity, we thought it was only right to make the poster available to a wider audience electronically.”The increased availability of the glassmakers\’ periodic table follows the launch of the experts in glass’ second poster in the series of new tools and resources from Sino Glass Tech, which provides guidance on the anatomy, pharmacopoeial classification and suitability of pharmaceutical vials.Request a copy of the glassmakers\’ periodic tableSino Glass Tech Ltd provides analysis, consultancy, testing and research and development support to all parts of the glass supply chain – from raw materials to the end consumer. The experts in glass pride themselves on their reputation, confidentiality and impartiality and are accredited to ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 standards.For more information please visit www.sinoglasstech.com, email [email protected], telephone +86-13037600603 or subscribe to their newsletter.