About Us

Glass Manufacturing Industry Council

GMIC is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association representing the interests of the glass manufacturing industry. GMIC bridges all segments of glass manufacturing, including float glass, container, fiber, and specialty glass. GMIC does for individual companies what they would find difficult to do on their own; provide technical education, coordinate technical initiatives, provide industry intelligence,  develop workforce, advocate with lawmakers, promote the usage and image of glass products and provide opportunities to meet and exchange ideas. Incorporated in 1998, the council is governed by a board of trustees with offices in Westerville Ohio.

Strategic Objectives

Through extensive interviews with chief executive and technical managers of the glass manufacturing industry, the GMIC Board of Trustees created a set of strategic objectives. These objectives drive the annual operational objectives and serve as the road map for future development. They are:

  • Promote and facilitate the use of glass
  • Position the industry to better meet the sustainability demands
  • Represent the glass industry
The 2016 Sept/Oct issue of Glass Worldwide contains an interview with Executive Director Robert Weisenburger Lipetz who shares GMIC’s activities and objectives.  Glass Worldwide has elected to designate the interview as one of the four articles that are featured on their home page on their website.  Download the PDF article below.

Lipetz on the Spot – 2016-GW67 44,46

Mission Statement

To facilitate, organize and promote the interests, economic growth, and sustainability of the glass industry through education and cooperation in the areas of technology, productivity, innovation and the environment.

History

The Glass Manufacturing Industry Council was founded in 1998 to coordinate the needs of glass manufacturers across all segments. Although each of the glass segments, container, flat, fiber and specialty are well represented by trade associations, there was no trade association that bridged all segments of manufacturing. GMIC was created to coordinate technical initiatives that spanned the segments. Early in GMIC’s history, the US Department of Energy began to work closely with GMIC as the coordinator with the glass industry of the DOE’s objectives to reduce energy use. For example, the DOE underwrote the work to create the glass industry Roadmap for the Future. It also provided substantial funding for development of the submerged combustion melter, a technology that promises to have a major impact on glass melting.