Glass container supplier Beatson Clark has announced that its new euro 5.4m white flint furnace is fully operational. With a daily capacity of about 200t of glass, the furnace gives the company in Rotherham, UK the same size melting area of 70.6m2 as the earlier one.

The new equipment uses the flame length to burn more gas, thereby reducing NOx emissions by over 20%. Enhancements to the regenerators and an improved wall height have increased the combustion volume enabling recycling of more heat.

According to Beatson Clark, the furnace rebuild is part of a euro 10m investment which the company has made in plant and equipment at its Rotherham base in 2012. A repair was made to the amber furnace in December 2011 and vision based inspection equipment was also installed at its factory.

Beatson Clark furnace manager Dean Duke said the new furnace and the major maintenance work that has been undertaken will allow the company to continue to produce glass for its customers.

"Our staff have worked closely with the contractors to ensure a smooth installation," Duke said.

Beatson Clark provides glass packaging solutions for niche brands in the food, drink and pharmaceutical markets worldwide. The company has a turnover of euro 44m and a production capacity of about 496 million units or 88,000t.