Quality that shines through

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Raw material storage

Recycled glass called cullet is stored in bays, along with other core raw materials including silica sand, soda ash, limestone.

The Batch

The core ingredients of silica sand, soda ash, limestone and a large amount of recycled glass called cullet, are mixed into a precise batch formulation. More ingredients can be added to create different colours of glass.

Melting

The prepared batch travels along a conveyor belt to the furnace, which melts the raw materials at 1565ºC, for 24 hours. Now ready for forming, the molten glass is distributed to a forehearth, where it’s conditioned and equalised into a uniform temperature.

Forming

Streams of molten glass enter a feeder and are pushed down a narrow tube by a plunger. As they emerge, mechanical shears cut them into gobs, before going to blank molds in the forming machine to create partially shaped molten glass called parisons. There are two methods of forming. The ‘Press & Blow’ method and ‘Blow & Blow’ method.

Annealing lehr

Loaded into the annealing lehr, the bottles are heated again and then cooled to room temperature, relieving internal stress and improving durability.

Quality control

Moving along to the automated inspection area, careful monitoring involves a comprehensive range of electronic, mechanical and manual checks to ensure bottles are of the highest quality, and any that don’t pass the test are returned for recycling.

Packaging and Storage

All the bottles are automatically packed into pallets, then housed in our on-site warehouse. From the warehouse pallets of bottles are either shipped to customers or in Elton can be sent to the filling hall.

Logistics

Our range of distribution services can deliver glass direct to our customers for filling or filled products to distribution centres or direct to retailers.

We’ve been using the most advanced technology available to produce high-quality container glass since 1998.

Our process includes everything from melting, and container forming, to annealing, cold end coating and inspection. And it’s all done with an emphasis on both quality and detail. On-going investment in our facilities sees us working with state-of-the-art technology across our production lines. The flexibility this provides enables us to work quickly, competitively and efficiently – and often with short turnarounds. It’s why we manufacture containers for some of the world’s most recognisable brands.

Best for the environment

Glass can be recycled and reshaped over and over again without ever losing any of its properties or advantages. This, and the fact it is made from natural and abundant raw materials, makes glass the most sustainable packaging material there is, unlike other materials made from limited fossil fuels.

Best for health

Glass is the healthiest and most hygienic form of packaging in the world. It forms an absolute barrier against gases, vapour, and liquid, thereby protecting and preserving the flavour and properties of the food or drink within. It is one of the only packaging forms that guarantees no contamination from outside sources.

Best for taste

Because glass forms the perfect barrier, the taste of the product within will always be as the brand intended. Glass is chemically inert, which means unlike other packaging forms, it will never interact with the product inside or distort the intended taste.

The origin of glass

Glass is a material that comes from mixing various natural minerals such as soda, silica sand, limestone, and the recycled glass itself. The glass-making process uses furnaces that reach temperatures of 1600°C where these elements fuse together. Once the melted glass is created it can be moulded into whatever is needed, whether it is a jar, bottle or window. The first signs of glass date back many thousands of years…

Pliny the Elder, back in the first century CE, explained the origin of glass use through a story that has been repeated over the years. According to the historian, some merchants who were headed to Egypt to sell natron stopped to rest and spend the night near the Phoenician river Belus. When they couldn’t find any stones on which to place their pots, they decided to use the natron they were carrying. The next morning the natron had merged with the sand on the riverbank, turning into a hard and shiny material: glass.

But the origin of glass actually dates to some years before that. In Ancient Egypt glass was already used to make ceramics called “faience”, which was used to create small statues, amulets, and other decorative motifs. Other vessels have also been found attributed to the era of Thutmose III’s reign (1504-1450 BCE).
The Egyptians were also the first to use the glass-blowing pipe to blow and mould glass. That very process has been preserved through history and even still used today.

Discover our history

Leading the way with technology

Cobots

Encirc is leading the way in utilising “Cobots” to help in its glass making process. Cobots are robots that work alongside humans. Encirc is one of the early adopters of cobots and uses them at the heart of its glass making process to assist the operator complete repetitive tasks safely.

Industry 4.0 Line

In 2020 we launched the world’s first industry 4.0 glass production line. The line will be equipped with the best industry technology, being able to talk to each other to correct faults, increase efficiency and truly set the standard for global container glass production.

Virtual Reality

Our virtual reality room is used to train our glassmakers in a safe virtual environment. The hi-tech equipment means new recruits can get up to speed on how to run glassmaking machines without having to disrupt production.