QUINN glass

Strength through Diversity

The Production Process

	Glass Melting The furnace melts cullet (crushed, recycled glass), sand, soda ash, limestone, and other raw materials together. Molten glass usually ranges in temperature between 2,300 and 2,800° F. Furnace Control systems monitors and controls firing temperature.
	Gob Distribution At the end of the furnace, the glass stream is distributed to different forehearths for the respective production line. Molten glass is conditioned in the forehearth and its temperature gradient is equalised to ensure uniform temperature homogeneity. Plungers intercept the stream of molten glass from the forehearth and cuts gobs individually by mechanical shears. The gob distributor then routes the gobs into blank moulds at the I.S Machine.
	Container Forming Gobs of glass are delivered to blank moulds to form a parison. The ring finish and internal bore are created. It is then transferred to ‘mould’ side, where compressed air and vacuum are applied, stretching & cooling the parison to exact inner cavity profile of the mould, forming the final shape of the container.
	Annealing Lehr The glass containers are then submitted through a special type of oven called a Lehr designed specifically for annealing glass. Glass is heated to the annealing point and then slowly cooled to room temperature. This process relieves the internal stresses, making the glass much more durable.
	Cold End Coating After annealing, a layer of polyethylene wax, is applied via a water based emulsion. This makes the glass slippery, protecting it from scratching and stopping containers from sticking together when they are moved on a conveyor. The resultant invisible combined coating gives a virtually unscratchable surface to the glass.
	Cold End Inspection All containers are monitored regularly throughout the production process and the end product is subject to exhaustive computer, laser, electronic, mechanical and manual checks to ensure it passes the most stringent health and safety standard requirements. Typical faults flagged up in this process include small cracks in the glass called checks, foreign inclusions called stones, bubbles in the glass, called blisters and thin glass. Rejected containers are recycled back into the furnace.
	Bottle Filling A completely hygienic process throughout all the pipe works and valves are stainless steel the only flexi hoses on the site are between tanker and intake bay. Product can be processed at sales gravity or high gravity product then diluted and carbonated. Flavoured Alcoholic Beverages and soft drinks can be made from concentrate or from a recipe.
	Packaging Depending on Customer requirements the final product can be packed in a multitude of ways. Cases ranging from 4 to 30 bottles, neck though packs and tray and shrink wrapping are all options that are available.
	Palleting & Wrapping Glass containers are staked automatically on pallets and separated by cardboard into rows before going undergoing the shrink wrapping process. This involves a hood type film being placed over the pallet before being heated until the pallet contents are in a compact unit ensuring minimal movement of the product in transit.
	Warehousing The Pallets of Container Glass move along a railing system into the automated warehouse. All individually racked, packaging integrity is maintained. All pallets remain in storage until distribution to the customer or directed to the inhouse filling lines.