Glass packaging producer Beatson Clark says the improved design of the new white flint furnace now fully operational at its Rotherham, UK plant will mean greater efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions in line with new government targets.
The new £5.4 million furnace has a daily capacity of approximately 200 tonnes of glass and gives the company the same size melting area of 70.6m² as its previous furnace.
The new equipment now utilises the flame length to burn more gas, thereby reducing NOx emissions (nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide) by over 20%.
Improvements to the furnace regenerators and an increased wall height have also increased the combustion volume, which means that more heat can be recycled.
Meanwhile a new burner system with an oxygen trim facility ensures combustion is optimised, further increasing efficiency.
Beatson Clark has invested £10 million in plant and equipment at the its Rotherham base this year, including the furnace rebuild and the installation of new vision based inspection equipment.
“The new furnace and the major maintenance work that has been undertaken will enable us to continue to produce quality glass for our customers for years to come,” said the company’s furnace manager Dean Duke.
With a turnover of £44 million and a production capacity of approximately 496 million units or 88,000 tonnes, Beatson Clark specialises in providing glass packaging solutions for niche brands in the food, drink and pharmaceutical markets worldwide.
