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For more information:

For more information:

Glaverbel Czech

Europe, Middle East and Africa Commercial Technology Group Air Products PLC Fourth Avenue Crewe Cheshire CW1 6XL England

Asia Air Products Asia, Inc. 9 Temasek Boulevard #28-01 Suntec Tower 2 Singapore 038989

Our work together

Tel: +44 (0)800-389-0202 Fax: + 44 (0)1270-259-506 E-mail: [email protected] Air Products GmbH Hüttenstraße 50 D-45527 Hattingen Tel: +49 (0)1805-427-835 Fax: +49 (0)2324-689-100 E-mail: [email protected]

Tel: +65-332-1610 Fax: + 65-332-1600 E-mail: [email protected] United States and Canada Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. 7201 Hamilton Boulevard Allentown, PA 18195-1501 Tel: (+1) 800-654-4567 Fax: (+1) 800-880-5204 E-mail: [email protected]

Air Products spol. s.r.o. Ústecká 30 405 30 Decín ˘˘ Czech Republic Tel: +420 800 100 700 Fax: +420 412 510 271 E-mail: [email protected]

tell me more www.airproducts.com/glass © Air Products and Chemicals Inc. 2001 337-11-002-GLB

“Our philosophy is to concentrate on making and selling glass, and to buy in expertise in other areas. Air Products has given us excellent support right from the start.” ˇ Pavel Sedlbauer, Production Manager, Glaverbel Czech.

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In just ten years, the Czech subsidiary of Belgian glassmaker Glaverbel has turned itself from a lumbering model of inefficiency into a modern and highly competitive producer of float and automotive glass. One of the keys to this transformation has been Glaverbel’s partnership with Air Products. In 1991 the state-owned glass company in former Czechoslovakia was typical of much east European industry at the time: over-staffed and under-funded. The company’s three manufacturing plants near Teplice, in what is now the north of the Czech Republic, employed around 7,000 people to produce glass of rather ˇ poor quality, says Pavel Sedlbauer, the group’s Production Manager. As a subsidiary of the Belgian Glaverbel group, which itself belongs to Japan’s Asahi Glass, the company now runs four plants (including glass manufacturing and fabrication) with just 1,500 employees. Turnover has tripled, giving Glaverbel Czech a capacity of 1,300 tonnes/day from its two float glass lines. Quality is much better too, allowing the company to break into the highly competitive automotive market: Glaverbel Czech is a leading supplier to the ˇ Volkswagen-Skoda group.

Essential to these improvements in both quality and capacity has been Glaverbel Czech’s relationship with industrial gas supplier Air Products. The partnership, which began in 1994, encompasses the supply of nitrogen, hydrogen, compressed air, oxygen and other gases, as well as technology and know-how. “Our philosophy is to concentrate on making and selling glass, and to buy in expertise in other areas. Air Products has given us excellent support right from the ˇ start,” says Pavel Sedlbauer.

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In just ten years, the Czech subsidiary of Belgian glassmaker Glaverbel has turned itself from a lumbering model of inefficiency into a modern and highly competitive producer of float and automotive glass. One of the keys to this transformation has been Glaverbel’s partnership with Air Products. In 1991 the state-owned glass company in former Czechoslovakia was typical of much east European industry at the time: over-staffed and under-funded. The company’s three manufacturing plants near Teplice, in what is now the north of the Czech Republic, employed around 7,000 people to produce glass of rather ˇ poor quality, says Pavel Sedlbauer, the group’s Production Manager. As a subsidiary of the Belgian Glaverbel group, which itself belongs to Japan’s Asahi Glass, the company now runs four plants (including glass manufacturing and fabrication) with just 1,500 employees. Turnover has tripled, giving Glaverbel Czech a capacity of 1,300 tonnes/day from its two float glass lines. Quality is much better too, allowing the company to break into the highly competitive automotive market: Glaverbel Czech is a leading supplier to the ˇ Volkswagen-Skoda group.

Essential to these improvements in both quality and capacity has been Glaverbel Czech’s relationship with industrial gas supplier Air Products. The partnership, which began in 1994, encompasses the supply of nitrogen, hydrogen, compressed air, oxygen and other gases, as well as technology and know-how. “Our philosophy is to concentrate on making and selling glass, and to buy in expertise in other areas. Air Products has given us excellent support right from the ˇ start,” says Pavel Sedlbauer.

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Turnround at Teplice

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The pace of change has been rapid, and it says a lot for Czech flexibility that both managers and workers were able to adapt to the new way of working, says ˇ Pavel Sedlbauer. Václav Harant, Air Products General Manager Czech and Slovak Republics, is emphatic: “The staff at Glaverbel Czech are some of the most innovative and dynamic people I have met within the Glaverbel group,” he says.

Of course the transformation has not been just about gases. When the company came up for privatisation in 1991, its status as eastern Europe’s only float glass manufacturer made it a valuable acquisition — for a new owner prepared to spend money on making the plants competitive. Glaverbel did just ˇ that, says Pavel Sedlbauer: “We have had very good co-operation with Belgium. Glaverbel was quick to invest, and that investment has produced good results.”

Good gas for good glass

Glaverbel gave its new Czech subsidiary the name Glavunion, and set about ˇ modernising the three plants at Retenice, Barevka and Oloví. All except Oloví are close to Teplice, a town of 70,000 ˇ people. The main plant, at Retenice, makes float glass; Barevka makes patterned and wired glass, while Oloví produces automotive mirrors. Also in the Glaverbel group are the nearby Splintex automotive glass factory and another site manufacturing double glazing.

Since the original float glass line using Pilkington technology was installed at ˇ Retenice in 1969, expectations of glass quality have continued to improve — and defect-free float glass demands highquality nitrogen and hydrogen for the protective atmosphere above the tin bath. In keeping with their new philosophy of outsourcing wherever possible, in 1994 the management team prepared to shut down the existing onsite gas facilities and looked around for an independent gas supplier.

As well as upgrading plant and equipment, Glaverbel has spent around 500 million CZK (£10 million) on information technology, including a world-class enterprise resource planning (ERP) system from SAP. An even larger investment was a new greenfield factory at Kryry, 70 km from Teplice, for mirrors and furniture glass. In 1998, to emphasise the connection with the parent company, Glavunion was re-named Glaverbel Czech.

Of the companies they approached, Air Products had the most comprehensive ˇ offering, says Pavel Sedlbauer. The first contracts for nitrogen and compressed air were signed in 1995. The following year Air Products installed a new cryogenic air separation plant next to ˇ the production line at Retenice, and in 1997 Glaverbel Czech signed a new longer-term contract for nitrogen and hydrogen.

A winning partnership Václav Harant of Air Products is confident that Glaverbel Czech has not yet seen the full benefits of oxy-fuel combustion, which can include increased production, improved glass quality, better stability of the melting process, lower furnace NO2 emissions, lower operating costs and increased furnace life.

The new air separation plant provides 3,200 m3/h of nitrogen. During periods of low demand, excess nitrogen is stored on site as liquefied gas, which can then be vapourised to meet peak requirements. “The gas quality is excellent,” says Petr ˇ Mazzolini, plant manager at Retenice. “For instance, our nitrogen contract says that the oxygen concentration must be less than 10 ppm – but most of the time it’s down in the range 0.1 – 0.5 ppm.” The existing compressed-air system was in good condition, so Air Products was able to take this over on an operations contract, freeing Glaverbel Czech from the responsibility of looking after a big capital investment. The compressed air — 10, 000 m3/h of it — supplies the air separation plant, operates lifting equipment, and is also used in pneumatic conveying systems handling soda ash, fluorspar and other raw materials that arrive by rail.

Hydrogen is brought in by tanker and stored in high capacity tanks, replacing the old electrolysis plant that used to ˇ supply Retenice. Other gases supplied by Air Products in smaller quantities include argon and sulphur hexafluoride for double glazing.

Oxy-fuel: careful planning brings results In 1998, with the guidance of Air Products, Glaverbel Czech began trials with oxygen to increase furnace pull, improve glass quality and reduce natural gas costs. “Making the change to oxy-fuel combustion is a risky business, so we have taken it slowly,” says Pavel ˇ Sedlbauer. “Right from the start we have had good support from Air Products, and we now have two years of successful experience with oxygen.” A daily tanker delivery of liquid oxygen provides up to 800 m3/h of the gas for the furnaces.

ˇ On Line 2 at Retenice, which produces clear glass, the use of oxygen in the most sensitive furnace zones has brought significant benefits, according to Petr Mazzolini. “Previously, capacity on Line 2 was limited by the melt rate of the furnace,” he says. “Oxygen has increased the furnace pull by 5–7% and the bottleneck has shifted to the glass forming equipment. And the melting stability is much improved.” On Line 1 the benefits of oxygen combustion are less clear, because this line is used to make coloured glass and its throughput is limited as much by the changeover time between campaigns as by furnace capacity. Without oxygen, changing from one colour to another required up to four days. “Oxygen has definitely reduced this time, though we are not yet sure by how much,” says Petr Mazzolini.

Air Products has been supplying oxy-fuel technology to the glass industry since the mid-1970s, and its Cleanfire® burner has been a recognised leader since its introduction in 1991. By increasing the proportion of radiation emitted in the visible and near-infrared parts of the spectrum, the Cleanfire® flame is ideal for boosting purposes and transmits more energy deeper into the melt than is possible with conventional oxy-fuel burners. Air Products’ Cleanfire® HR™ burners are also available, and with their high radiation and flat flame shape, are much more suited to full oxy-fuel furnace conversions where no air-fuel burners are used. Air Products has always emphasised the importance of technical expertise and long-term relationships with its customers. “The average length of our gas supply contracts is 15 years, so the relationship between Glaverbel Czech

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The pace of change has been rapid, and it says a lot for Czech flexibility that both managers and workers were able to adapt to the new way of working, says ˇ Pavel Sedlbauer. Václav Harant, Air Products General Manager Czech and Slovak Republics, is emphatic: “The staff at Glaverbel Czech are some of the most innovative and dynamic people I have met within the Glaverbel group,” he says.

Of course the transformation has not been just about gases. When the company came up for privatisation in 1991, its status as eastern Europe’s only float glass manufacturer made it a valuable acquisition — for a new owner prepared to spend money on making the plants competitive. Glaverbel did just ˇ that, says Pavel Sedlbauer: “We have had very good co-operation with Belgium. Glaverbel was quick to invest, and that investment has produced good results.”

Good gas for good glass

Glaverbel gave its new Czech subsidiary the name Glavunion, and set about ˇ modernising the three plants at Retenice, Barevka and Oloví. All except Oloví are close to Teplice, a town of 70,000 ˇ people. The main plant, at Retenice, makes float glass; Barevka makes patterned and wired glass, while Oloví produces automotive mirrors. Also in the Glaverbel group are the nearby Splintex automotive glass factory and another site manufacturing double glazing.

Since the original float glass line using Pilkington technology was installed at ˇ Retenice in 1969, expectations of glass quality have continued to improve — and defect-free float glass demands highquality nitrogen and hydrogen for the protective atmosphere above the tin bath. In keeping with their new philosophy of outsourcing wherever possible, in 1994 the management team prepared to shut down the existing onsite gas facilities and looked around for an independent gas supplier.

As well as upgrading plant and equipment, Glaverbel has spent around 500 million CZK (£10 million) on information technology, including a world-class enterprise resource planning (ERP) system from SAP. An even larger investment was a new greenfield factory at Kryry, 70 km from Teplice, for mirrors and furniture glass. In 1998, to emphasise the connection with the parent company, Glavunion was re-named Glaverbel Czech.

Of the companies they approached, Air Products had the most comprehensive ˇ offering, says Pavel Sedlbauer. The first contracts for nitrogen and compressed air were signed in 1995. The following year Air Products installed a new cryogenic air separation plant next to ˇ the production line at Retenice, and in 1997 Glaverbel Czech signed a new longer-term contract for nitrogen and hydrogen.

A winning partnership Václav Harant of Air Products is confident that Glaverbel Czech has not yet seen the full benefits of oxy-fuel combustion, which can include increased production, improved glass quality, better stability of the melting process, lower furnace NO2 emissions, lower operating costs and increased furnace life.

The new air separation plant provides 3,200 m3/h of nitrogen. During periods of low demand, excess nitrogen is stored on site as liquefied gas, which can then be vapourised to meet peak requirements. “The gas quality is excellent,” says Petr ˇ Mazzolini, plant manager at Retenice. “For instance, our nitrogen contract says that the oxygen concentration must be less than 10 ppm – but most of the time it’s down in the range 0.1 – 0.5 ppm.” The existing compressed-air system was in good condition, so Air Products was able to take this over on an operations contract, freeing Glaverbel Czech from the responsibility of looking after a big capital investment. The compressed air — 10, 000 m3/h of it — supplies the air separation plant, operates lifting equipment, and is also used in pneumatic conveying systems handling soda ash, fluorspar and other raw materials that arrive by rail.

Hydrogen is brought in by tanker and stored in high capacity tanks, replacing the old electrolysis plant that used to ˇ supply Retenice. Other gases supplied by Air Products in smaller quantities include argon and sulphur hexafluoride for double glazing.

Oxy-fuel: careful planning brings results In 1998, with the guidance of Air Products, Glaverbel Czech began trials with oxygen to increase furnace pull, improve glass quality and reduce natural gas costs. “Making the change to oxy-fuel combustion is a risky business, so we have taken it slowly,” says Pavel ˇ Sedlbauer. “Right from the start we have had good support from Air Products, and we now have two years of successful experience with oxygen.” A daily tanker delivery of liquid oxygen provides up to 800 m3/h of the gas for the furnaces.

ˇ On Line 2 at Retenice, which produces clear glass, the use of oxygen in the most sensitive furnace zones has brought significant benefits, according to Petr Mazzolini. “Previously, capacity on Line 2 was limited by the melt rate of the furnace,” he says. “Oxygen has increased the furnace pull by 5–7% and the bottleneck has shifted to the glass forming equipment. And the melting stability is much improved.” On Line 1 the benefits of oxygen combustion are less clear, because this line is used to make coloured glass and its throughput is limited as much by the changeover time between campaigns as by furnace capacity. Without oxygen, changing from one colour to another required up to four days. “Oxygen has definitely reduced this time, though we are not yet sure by how much,” says Petr Mazzolini.

Air Products has been supplying oxy-fuel technology to the glass industry since the mid-1970s, and its Cleanfire® burner has been a recognised leader since its introduction in 1991. By increasing the proportion of radiation emitted in the visible and near-infrared parts of the spectrum, the Cleanfire® flame is ideal for boosting purposes and transmits more energy deeper into the melt than is possible with conventional oxy-fuel burners. Air Products’ Cleanfire® HR™ burners are also available, and with their high radiation and flat flame shape, are much more suited to full oxy-fuel furnace conversions where no air-fuel burners are used. Air Products has always emphasised the importance of technical expertise and long-term relationships with its customers. “The average length of our gas supply contracts is 15 years, so the relationship between Glaverbel Czech

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and Air Products is a real ‘marriage’,” says Václav Harant. More recently, Air Products has been strengthening customer relationships even further through its MEGASYS® gas service offering. Originally developed for the semiconductor industry, MEGASYS® transfers responsibility for gas management from the customer to Air Products. For both on-site generation and tanker or cylinder deliveries, Air Products assures gas availability and quality, as well as technical service levels — typically including a permanent Air Products staff presence on the customer’s site.

Now Air Products is expanding the MEGASYS® concept to cover the glass industry. “We want to take on more responsibility for gas supplies and equipment, and to have Air Products people closer to the melting process,” says Václav Harant. “Currently we have ˇ one person full-time on the Retenice site, and we are talking to Glaverbel Czech about increasing the number to three.”

“As plant manager, I’m very pleased with the way the partnership has worked out,” says Petr Mazzolini. “Our collaboration has developed step-by-step each year, and the co-operation at management level has been excellent. I’m sure we made the right choice with Air Products.”

“Back in 1994, the idea that Air Products could offer Glaverbel Czech global solutions for glass technology as well as gas supply was a new one to them,” he continues. “But within six months they had embraced the idea of a partnership with us and were very open to the new technology.”

“Back in 1994, the idea that Air Products could offer Glaverbel Czech global solutions for glass technology as well as gas supply was a new one to them, but within six months they had embraced the idea of a partnership with us and were very open to the new technology.” Václav Harant, General Manager, Air Products, Czech and Slovak Republics.

Glaverbel_8pp

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4:32 PM

Page 1 Macintosh HD:WORK IN PROGRESS:Air Products:AP_Glaverbel Case Study:

For more information:

For more information:

Glaverbel Czech

Europe, Middle East and Africa Commercial Technology Group Air Products PLC Fourth Avenue Crewe Cheshire CW1 6XL England

Asia Air Products Asia, Inc. 9 Temasek Boulevard #28-01 Suntec Tower 2 Singapore 038989

Our work together

Tel: +44 (0)800-389-0202 Fax: + 44 (0)1270-259-506 E-mail: [email protected] Air Products GmbH Hüttenstraße 50 D-45527 Hattingen Tel: +49 (0)1805-427-835 Fax: +49 (0)2324-689-100 E-mail: [email protected]

Tel: +65-332-1610 Fax: + 65-332-1600 E-mail: [email protected] United States and Canada Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. 7201 Hamilton Boulevard Allentown, PA 18195-1501 Tel: (+1) 800-654-4567 Fax: (+1) 800-880-5204 E-mail: [email protected]

Air Products spol. s.r.o. Ústecká 30 405 30 Decín ˘˘ Czech Republic Tel: +420 800 100 700 Fax: +420 412 510 271 E-mail: [email protected]

tell me more www.airproducts.com/glass © Air Products and Chemicals Inc. 2001 337-11-002-GLB

“Our philosophy is to concentrate on making and selling glass, and to buy in expertise in other areas. Air Products has given us excellent support right from the start.” ˇ Pavel Sedlbauer, Production Manager, Glaverbel Czech.