Interview with Glaston on the GPD co-operation with glasstec

What was the decisive impulse for the partnership between GPD and glasstec?

The heart of GPD’s success has always been our partners. They’ve been key in shaping the content and impact of the conference. But beyond that, we saw an opportunity to expand the reach – and that’s where glasstec and GPD collaboration comes in.

As the industry’s largest event, glasstec is held every two years. And GPD, one of the most influential, industry-centered conferences, also takes place every other year. For the participants, this partnership effectively creates an annual meeting point for the glass community.

We share similar goals, like bringing the industry together and enabling knowledge exchange, but traditionally, we’ve approached them differently. Our audiences are the same, and we also share the same values. Now that we’re working as a team, we’re able to tackle timely industry topics with a wider perspective. We hope to make a greater impact together.

How do you think the industry can benefit from this collaboration?

In the short term, the biggest benefit is broader and deeper reach. Through this partnership, we can attract a variety of audiences and have a larger impact on increasing the awareness of industry innovations.

Another benefit is timing. Since both events are biannual, this cooperation allows people from across the industry to connect more often.

GPD has a long history of know-how transfer. What do you expect from this cooperation in that regard?

This collaboration is really about learning from one another – and taking the best of both worlds to create something more impactful together.

glasstec has traditionally focused on bringing people together through exhibitions, while GPD is built around speakers and conference content. Now, we’re seeing a blend: GPD is incorporating more exhibition elements, and glasstec is adopting more conference-style features.

Each event continues to do what it does best, with fresh inspiration from the other.

What contribution would you like the GPD and glasstec collaboration to make to the glass industry in the coming years?

With its complex supply chains, wide range of products and diverse perspectives, the glass industry is complex and often hard to fully grasp. It’s easy to fall into the trap of seeing things only from your own perspective.

One of the things GPD can do with this new partnership is to help broaden those perspectives. By bringing together people from all parts of the value chain, we can build a deeper understanding of the bigger picture and the challenges we each face. With that understanding, it’s easier to start acting as a team to solve them.

To me, that’s at least equally or even more important than simply showcasing the latest innovations or products. The deepest value is in the shared understanding of each other’s goals.

It’s not just about GPD or glasstec – it’s about all the stakeholders involved across the board who build GPD: participants, speakers and exhibiting and sponsoring companies. They all play a role in making that shared understanding possible.

Are there any key topics that GPD 2025 aims to address?

GPD has always been very versatile in the themes we cover. This year, we’ll have a dozen session topics. Under each one, you’ll find around five to ten individual presentations. So that tradition of variety continues.

The angle we always try to emphasize is how different innovations across the value chain can actually benefit the industry. It’s not just about presenting research – it’s about applying it. How can this be implemented in real life? What’s the practical value?

We also maintain a strong focus on R&D and, of course, topics like sustainability and circularity.

But what we really want to highlight this year with the conference theme “Glass – The In/Visible Impact” is that sometimes it’s the foundational work – basic research in optics, for example – that drives the biggest changes in product development and sustainability. Not just flashy new gadgets, but deep, often unnoticed progress.

Is there anything new GPD is doing this year to encourage networking and collaboration among attendees?

We’ve definitely been evolving. The models that worked twenty years ago have changed as times have changed – and so have people’s preferences. Every year, we’ve introduced something new.

This year, one big shift is a Tuesday evening focused on well-being. It’s energizing and offers a different way to connect with people – and nature. Anyone who’s played team sports knows that some of the best conversations start in the locker room, or while enjoying a beautiful view by the lake.

Whether it’s running a race, playing a ball game or taking a stroll, the goal is to create opportunities for spontaneous, genuine connections.

We also recognize that people approach events differently. Some need a strict schedule; others prefer to explore freely. GPD has always offered options, and we’re putting even more responsibility into the participants’ hands this year. It’s their time – we want them to choose how they use it.

What role do you see GPD playing in advancing innovation within the glass industry?

It really comes down to bringing the right people together in the right place. These are the right people to move the industry forward.

What do you hope participants will take away from GPD 2025?

A few things. First, most GPD participants don’t attend many conferences during the year. This is their chance to get a broader picture of what’s happening in the industry – what the big challenges are, what others are facing and where their own work lies in the bigger landscape. It helps open minds.

Second, I hope everyone walks away having gained something new. I’ll be surprised if anyone comes with an open mind and doesn’t leave with a new idea to pursue.

Sometimes, the biggest value is just finding the right person. If you’re facing a challenge and don’t know how to solve it, maybe you meet that one person at GPD who can help – or who knows someone who can. GPD makes these valuable connections possible.

What will Glaston’s role be at GPD this year?

Glaston’s role is the same as in previous years. We’re proud to have founded this initiative over 30 years ago, and we’re just as proud to keep it alive today.

Of course, we also see it as a valuable opportunity for participants – especially Glaston’s customers – to explore the latest innovations in depth. And naturally, we’re excited to once again welcome hundreds of participants to the beautiful city of Tampere.
Our role is twofold: to host and support the event, but also to show what we’ve been working on and where we’re heading.