INDUSTRY EVENTS Stimulating developments in Firozabad More than 200 delegates attended a seminar in recently, promoting the development of Firozabad’s traditional glassmaking industry in northern . Industry experts from the Czech Republic contributed to this event, which was organised by India’s National Centre for Design and Product Development. Miroslav Synek reports.

irozabad is a populous town would be adopted by local composition of the fining mix, type of raw materials, in , with a long manufacturers. However, it seems moisture and cullet content etc). Ftradition in the manufacture that the stimuli on both sides The Firozabad glass industry is based predominantly of decorative glass items, , have not been strong enough to on the craftsmanship of talented glass blowers, able to Christmas decorations, chandeliers, guarantee a quick transfer from work the glass while it is still hot by using special shaping beads etc. There are about 280 traditional technology to a more tools and moulds. Zdenek Kunc, Professor at the Novy larger glassmaking and decorating efficient one. Therefore, NCDPD, Bor vocational glass school, showed some inexpensive units and more than 8500 small headed by forward-looking D P tools suitable for the purpose (pinchers, mouth tools, workshops devoted mainly to the Srivastava, made a courageous knob tools, stem moulds, clappers etc) and displayed decoration of glass articles. The decision to offer local glassmakers some pieces made with their help. total number of people employed a chance to get in direct contact Some useful recommendations were given Ms Lucie by this branch of industry is with the most recent developments Froemmelova regarding the decoration of glass articles estimated at more than 100,000, in the field of glass melting, glass by painting. The speaker also indicated temperature making it one of the most important working and glass design by inviting ranges in which painted glassware should be fired. in the region. a group of leading Czech specialists Particular attention was paid to decoration using various A slow modernisation to a seminar in nearby Agra. types of gold, which are very popular in the Firozabad started in the 1990s when the The NCDPD Director asked area. However, the achievement of a good quality of UP government decided to bring Miroslav Synek, chief adviser on decorated articles may be complicated by the fact that natural gas to the area, thus giving the UNIDO project in the 1990s to electric decorating kilns cannot be applied to firing glass factories the possibility select specialists with experience because of unreliable power supplies. to change from coal to a more in these fields who were willing to Delegates were impressed by the wide-ranging calorific and cleaner fuel. However, share their knowhow. activity of leading glass designer Rony Plesl. More only factories using tank furnaces A survey of possible than 500 pictures illustrating his older and recent work profited from the change because improvements in glass melting were shown. Mr Plesl pointed to the key role played by the design of smaller furnaces technology was presented by the design in the global market with glass articles and (especially pot furnaces) and other Ladislav Laznicka, Professor at the expressed his conviction that a good, innovative design gas-consuming kilns were not vocational glass school in Novy would contribute significantly to sales of Indian glassware modified to take full advantage of Bor. Various types of gas-fired pot both in India and abroad. the more efficient fuel. Pot furnaces furnaces and day tanks suitable Miroslav Synek’s paper was devoted to the with a large number of closed pots for melting good quality clear and identification of recent trends in the manufacture of are still used widely, even if there coloured in open pots table glassware and decorative items. The production does not seem to be a justification were described and a correct heat of machine-made glass is shifting gradually to countries for their application. Poor attention treatment of the pot in the pot arch with cheaper labour but hand-made, high quality art glass is paid to the correct handling and subsequently in the pot furnace is still produced in countries with a long glassmaking and storage of raw materials and was emphasised, both from the tradition. However, simple machines and devices should well-run batch plants are almost viewpoint of glass quality and pot be used for finishing the glass articles (cutting-off, flat non-existent in smaller glassworks. service life. grinding, polishing etc) as much as possible so that the Cold working and decoration could A detailed paper on crystal labour-intensive and time-consuming processes can be performed more efficiently and glass and its compositions was be eliminated. Maximum care should be given to glass under better conditions if devices prepared by Miroslav Rada, quality, article design, decoration, packaging, reliability and techniques currently available Professor at the Prague Institute of supplies and flexibility vis-à-vis the customers’ wishes abroad are applied. of Glass and Ceramics. His paper and requirements. In collaboration with the indicated important technical and government of Uttar Pradesh, technological parameters affecting UNIDO implemented a pilot melting (the grain size of raw FURTHER INFORMATION: Miroslav Synek, Synek Development Inc, plant project in Firozabad during materials, the type of the glass Velim, Czech Republic 1990s, hoping that the equipment melting furnace) and the fining of email: [email protected] and techniques demonstrated the glass melt (batch composition,

GLASS WORLDWIDE > issue thirty eight 2011 Originally published in Glass Worldwide, preferred international journal of AIGMF