The 36 th Conference of the ASEAN Federation of Glass Manufacturers (AFGM) opened in Hanoi on September 25 with the participation of nearly 300 producers from 20 countries worldwide.

This is the first time Vietnam has hosted the annual conference, themed “Glass for a Safer and Greener Life”.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi said that the green and sustainable development has become a common trend of all countries as climate change, exhausted natural resources and environmental pollution are now global issues.

Therefore, the application of green technologies and materials, including glass, should be prioritised, he stressed.

Nghi expressed his wish that during the three-day conference, AFGM member associations can reach a specific action programme to realise this goal, helping orient the industry’s technological and product development for an environmentally friendly life.

Participants will focus their discussions on technical solutions in glass production and seek more effective operational methods for the AFGM in general and its member associations in particular in order to renovate technologies, increase product quality and productivity, and improve working conditions for workers.

Joining the AFGM in 2009, the Vietnam Glass Association (Vieglass) is the youngest member of the federation. Vietnam now has eight glass factories with a total designed capacity of 2,650 tonnes per day or 188 million sq.m per year./.