It is the new home for the team of highly skilled engineers, who design technological lines for glass producers across Europe. The Centre also houses an R&D department, which develops new concepts to meet the industry’s expectations for the 21st century. Forglass works closely with nearby scientific institutions, laboratories and universities to ensure its machines and solutions are of the highest standard and quality.
Machines produced by Forglass are recognised on the European market for their value and innovation. Forglass designers configure them in such a way, as to obtain the most convenient, efficient and functional arrangement, meeting the most restrictive requirements of each project. A prime example of intelligent devices designed and built by Forglass is the SmartScraper ™. Thanks to its intelligent functions, it automatically adjusts its speed (and thus energy consumption and wear) to the load at any given moment. Another example is Vibe – the world’s first vibrating conveyor that combines the precision of electromagnetic drives with the efficiency and low operating costs of inertial drives. The growing demands of glass producers create a great challenge for companies supplying technology lines and this challenge drives Forglass engineers to stay ahead of market needs and develop new technologies that optimize glass production.
The core staff for the new Forglass Engineering Centre came from the design office, which had been operating in Katowice for several years. The location of the new Centre in a recreational area, surrounded by nature, right next to the Three Ponds Valley, has been specially selected to attract, inspire and motivate people who work here. Surrounded by a huge park with ponds, the location provides many opportunities to combine work with the pleasure of connecting with nature. The building itself, where the Forglass Engineering Centre is located, is ecologically designed, and its design and appearance are a tribute to the glass industry. An additional element that makes this space more than a traditional office is the fact that the engineers and constructors who work here are the co-creators of their space. This has a very positive effect on well-being, and thus on creativity and productivity.
Katowice was chosen as the ideal location for the Forglass Engineering Centre due to a number of reasons. It is one of the greenest cities in Poland with over 40% of its area covered by forests and the second largest nature park in Europe – the Silesian Park is located just outside of the city. At the same time, Katowice is also the main industrial centre in Poland, the Upper Silesian Industrial District having the highest concentration of industrial plants in Poland. There are also twenty universities in Katowice, which facilitate the recruitment of qualified experts in the field of engineering and construction design. In addition, Katowice’s public transport infrastructure is well organized, perfectly connecting all the cities of the Silesian agglomeration. The city centre is a fantastic place, boasting some of the most interesting cultural places and events.
