By Mazhun Idris
"We have to master glass," Apple Inc's co-founder Steve Jobs famously told his design head, Jony Ive, in 2006.
Jobs was known to be fascinated by the infinite aesthetic and practical possibilities of a material whose origins can be traced to 4,000 years ago.
"Don't be afraid. You can do this," he later told Wendell Weeks, CEO of Corning Inc, responding to what the latter declared impossible — producing enough toughened Gorilla Glass in six months to roll out the first iPhone.
Less than two decades later, technology has leapt to futuristic frontiers, and the world has moved to a new era of sustainability in which glass is the green material of choice to replace plastic wherever possible.
This transition isn't merely symbolic but deeply rooted in the application of glass in various sectors, including construction, packaging, electronics, automotive, communications, and consumer goods manufacturing.
The sustainability drive is propelling research into new materials and renewable energy products. One such innovation is energy-saving glass sheets used in buildings, significantly reducing energy consumption and environmental waste.
"The economics of the glass industry is advancing fast due to growing interest in academia for sustainable materials," Dr Hadi Ibrahim Bello, a glass and silicate technology specialist at Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria's Zaria, tells TRT Afrika.
Versatile material
As a member of Nigeria's leading research institution for glass technology and having over two decades of experience in the field, Dr Bello regards glass as one of the most transformative materials available to humankind.
The automotive industry, for instance, is witnessing a surge in demand for smart windscreens equipped with insulation, which could moderate temperature and light entering a car.
"In FMCG packaging and the medical sector, glass has already displaced plastics as a more economically sustainable and eco-friendly alternative," says Dr Bello.
The global pandemic further accelerated the demand for glass products in the pharmaceutical and medical fields.
Glass also has many other applications, such as in building façades, utensils, and lab instruments.
As environmental concerns over the use of plastic grow due to its low recyclability rate, companies are shifting towards recyclable and sustainable manufacturing.
"Recent innovations in glass manufacturing such as fibreglass have resulted in highly innovative products like the famed Gorilla Glass for smartphones, and the latest one called Tiger Glass," says Dr Bello.
Glass value chain
The global market dynamics of both industrial glass products and glassware are influenced by factors such as quality and pricing, which are subject to the development of glass technology, manufacturing processes, and market efficiency.
"In simple terms, glass is a transparent and amorphous material made from melted silica sand that is rapidly cooled to make it rigid. But the scientific glassmaking technology is complex," explains Dr Bello.
The material science and engineering of glass-making consider the chemistry and physics of the eventual product to determine the suitable raw materials even before commencing the melting process.
Other process essentials include furnace operations, flameworking, energy efficiency, instrumentation, and process control, which require specialised equipment and facilities.
Despite the steep competition from imported foreign works due to differences in quality and pricing, local glass products in African markets offer unique designs and cultural relevance.
Nigeria's potential
The biggest glass manufacturing centres are in the US, Europe, and Asia.
Asia, in particular, is known for its skilled labour force, which is cheaper, making it an attractive destination for manufacturing plants.
Dr Bello believes that Africa needs to address core challenges, mainly access to technology and the availability of a skilled workforce, to exploit the opportunities for glass manufacturing growth.
According to a 2021 report by https://www.reportlinker.com/, "Africa's glass bottle and container market was anticipated to register a compound annual growth rate of about 5.67% between 2021 and 2026".
This was attributed to the heavy investments in manufacturing pharmaceutical products, such as glass vials and packaging, specifically for the fight against Covid-19.
Studies in Nigeria have shown that many regions have abundant raw materials like silica sand, quartz, limestone, feldspars, kaolin, and recycled glass.
One area in Ondo State has an estimated three billion tonnes of silica. Despite this, Nigeria depends almost entirely on the import of glass products and even silica sand.
Ahmadu Bello University has been running glass tech programmes since the 1970s and is trying to fill the skill vacuum. A few other universities are also working towards joining the initiative.
"It took us 40 years to establish an independent department to run degree programmes in glass and silica technology. That was in 2017. We now have modern gas-fired kilns and portable electric furnaces," says Dr Bello.
"Within our limited capacity, our students train in studio glassmaking, producing tableware, laboratory utensils, and glass art. But we do well in advancing theoretical and practical modern knowledge to them."
Students at the university produce drinking glasses, bowls, and scientific glassware. They also explore innovative designs and materials in their production, incorporating cultural or contemporary themes.
