Quarz-sand and lime on your doorstep
Glass facades give off a touch of elegance. The Saturn Tower in Vienna, the Yas Island Yacht Club in Abu Dhabi and several buildings at the docks of the HafenCity of Hamburg give off an untarnished vista and functionality. Large parts of the facade elements originate from German federal state of Saxony-Anhalt. At two locations, in Osterweddingen, near Magdeburg and Haldensleben, EUROGLAS produces the necessary basis glass, which then, at its sister firms in further production phases, obtains its functionality.
Architectural and industrial glass are both firms' business. Furnished with the relevant coatings, they provide, among other aspects, sun and heat protection. In 2006, EUROGLAS in Osterweddingen took up production and arose in a co-operation with the Swiss Glass Trösch Group, who, in 1997, had already constructed a glass works in Haldensleben. EUROGLAS is a controlling interest partner in a consortium of medium-sized companies which take on a part of the production and further reprocessing. The concept has paid off: on the one hand the owners ensure a section of part of the manufacturing, and on the other hand the proximity to EUROGLAS in Haldensleben enables significant synergetic effects in logistics, with recruitment and laboratory technic, assured Managing Board member Christian Winter.
The start in Osterwedding proves that very clearly. The specialists there received their basic training in the neighbouring factory just 30 kilometers away. The site of the Glass Trösch company Headquarters is Bützberg in the Bern region, Switzerland. Under the same ownership, EUROGLAS Groups - which have other works in Poland and France - around 900 workers produce float-glass, extra white glass, composite glass and security glass, solar glass as well as coated glass for use in the area of warmth and sun protection.The smelting furnace in Haldensleben and Osterweddingen are in non-stop operation. 1,500 tonnes of Float and security glass are produced per day by around 500 workers. At the end of the process the final thickness of the glass plates is between 2.6 and 12 mm. The processing temperature of 1,550°C is reached with gas. At this temperature quarz, sand, soda, lime and dolomite melt into glass.
Recycled glass, which forms a 20% portion of the whole, is an important part of the production. This glass comes from the works own production or from customers. The mineral raw materials come from the region, at the most 100 km from the glassworks. "These optimal paths to the deliverers were one of the reasons for the Trösch Group's decision to invest at exactly this spot," says Managing Board member Christian Winter. Sand is extracted in Weferlingen, soda comes from Staßfurt and lime from the Harz. The logistic is at a further location that also pays off. The A14 and the A2 motorway routes, both of which run practically past the door, enable a quick and efficient transport of the glass sheets to the customers in Scandinavia, the Benelux states, Austria and Germany.
The connection to the Hamburger Overseas harbour counts among the positive aspects which were a deciding factor, because this and other products can be transported from here to South America. In addition to that, Christian Winter claims that the general conditions in Saxony-Anhalt are "superb." The land and its districts and also further afield, are reliable contacts- who support both firms with their competence, plus helping to simplify and optimize administrative tasks. "We feel very well supported at both locations," reiterated Winter. Author: Klaus-Peter Voigt
Contact:
Christian Winter
Director
Euroglas AG
Euroglas Straße 101
39171 Osterweddingen
Germany
Phone: 03904 638210
E-Mail: c.winter@euroglas.com
Internet: www.euroglas.com
Caption: Floatline at EUROGLAS in Osterweddingen. Photo: Photostudio Dörmer