Section 3.1: Glass Making Overview
- Creating glass containers is a capital intensive, 24 hour, seven days-a-week, 365 days-a-year, manufacturing process.
- Container shapes are made through the controlled shaping and cooling of molten glass into a desired form.
- State of the art equipment is used throughout the process to produce large quantities of glass containers in a relatively short period of time.
- There may be as many as eight forehearths and machines per furnace. Large machines are capable of producing more than 700 bottles a minute that are far lighter in weight than ever before.

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Click on the image to the right for an online interactive map of a glass container manufacturing facility.

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Made with organic fruit from California Wild Poppy Juice is sweetened with organic agave nectar and mixed with spices from around the world. The flavors include: Blood Orange Chili, Peppermint Lemonade, Plum Licorice, Peach Vanilla and Grapefruit Ginger. The bright colored juices are packaged in 10 oz. glass bottles with applied ceramic labeling.
Use our Carbon Calculator to find out how much energy you can save by recycling your glass containers.
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About the institute
The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) is the trade association representing the North American glass container industry. Through GPI, glass container manufacturers speak with one voice to advocate industry standards, promote sound environmental policies and educate packaging professionals. GPI member companies manufacture glass containers for food, beverage, cosmetic and many other products. GPI also has associate members that represent a broad range of suppliers and closure manufacturers.
