World novelty, glass color revolution for recycled glass

Ramnäs Glass Studio has, over the last two years, together with its supplier of glass color OPTUL, developed glass color rods which are compatible with recycled glass. It is a world novelty and an important step for the environmental work of the glass industry that meets the requirement of the 21^st century. It will lead to a raise of the status of the recycled glass within art and design.

- Two years ago OPTUL started to produce float-compatible colour glass rods of a thermal expansion coefficient COE 82 +/- 3 for the manufacture of their FF-DOT. Inspired by our customer, Carl Ryd and Lena måwe from Ramnäs Glashytta in Sweden we have broadened our range of colours for float glass by these rods. It makes possible to easier colour recycled glass in Glass-studios and –factories. Therefore it makes a contribution towards the protection of the environment.

(Uschi Ullmann, president of OPTUL Spezialglas GmbH)

Ramnäs Glass Studio was opened 1 December 2007. The environmental profile of the Glass Studio is thanks to the environmental commitment of the two glass artists Carl Ryd and Lena Måwe. The environmental profile includes e.g. only use of recycled glass (soda glass and float glass), packaging of the glass in recyclable wrapping and no use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas.

- We have been working, during the Glass Studio’s first two years of activity, with developing color techniques for recycled glass. A lot of new possibilities are introduced with the development of OPTUL’s compatible color rods. It represents a major breakthrough for everyone working with recycled glass all over the world.

(Carl Ryd and Lena Måwe, Ramnäs Glasstudio)

There has been a minor limitation in the production since the start, because it has only been possible to color the glass with one type of technique, namely by rolling the glass in color powder and color fritters. One of the most important color techniques within manual glass production is color rods. It has not been available to use with recycled glass before, but now it is.

www.ramnasglashytta.se

www.optul.de