Volume 38, Issue 9, September 2003

NewsNow

Blackout ‘03 Has Minimal Effects 
on Glass Industry, Thanks to Generators

Many homes and businesses throughout the Northeast, upper Midwest and Canada found themselves without power after the massive blackout on August 14. The effects for some glass companies were minimal, thanks to the fact that many were operating on generators.

Zachary Weiner of Colonial Glass in Brooklyn, N.Y., said his company was able to continue operating thanks to two generators. 

Generators also benefited companies with float glass operations. In Rossford, Ohio, for example, Pilkington was able to keep its lines running thanks to its diesel generators. According to Roberta Steedman, company spokes-person, about six hours of production time was lost at the Rossford plant because of circuit tripping, but the float lines continued to run on backup generators. Production was disrupted for longer periods of time at automotive facilities in Clinton, Mich., and Collingwood, Ontario. However, the facilities were able to make up the production once the power was restored.

“Our back-up systems and emergency procedures worked as planned, so we were able to minimize problems and keep up with customers’ requirements.”

Two float lines at PPG, one in Meadville, Pa., and one in Owen Sound, Ontario, lost power for less than a day, but backup power systems kept production moving. 

Guardian’s Carleton, Mich., plant was also affected. Gayle Joseph, director of communications, said production capabilities with the coaters and tempering furnace were lost, but float lines continued on generators.

“We were unable to cut or pack glass,” said Joseph. “We ran the furnace, the tin bath and were able to pull glass to the crusher, only to be made into cullet and returned to our batch house area. We lost two full days of float production,” Joseph said.

USG