Nick has over 30 years’ experience in the glass sector - including six years in glass furnace design and glass plant construction for TECO and as a Senior Environmental Consultant for Enviros. He has extensive experience and knowledge of all aspects of glass production, products and applications including glass packaging, glazing, fibre insulation, continuous fibre and technical glasses. Nick has comprehensive experience and knowledge of environmental issues including recycling, decarbonisation, energy efficiency and environmental control.
Nick provides support and guidance to the Glass Technology Services technical team as well as taking on those unusual enquiries from customers and the development of new glass products. He also supports the British Glass team on circular economy including glass recycling, decarbonisation, energy efficiency and product design, with an in-depth understanding of current and pending policies and legislation and the potential impact on glass products and manufacturing. He regularly advises government and policy makers on aspects of glass production and circular economy.
He has also worked on numerous projects looking at the recycling, sustainability and optimisation of the production process in order to increase recycled content and production efficiency.
Nick has undertaken numerous site visits to assess the production process for glass manufacturers to improve their production process and due diligence assessment for potential investors, visiting sites in South America, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Europe and UK. This includes both primary glass production and secondary glass processing such as automotive glass, pharmaceutical glass forming, laminated and toughness glass etc. Therefore, he has a vast and wide range of experience of different glass manufacturing processes.
He also acts as a legal expert witness for clients and has produced numerous expert witness reports, supported arbitration hearings and appeared in court in the UK and Europe.
Nick holds a PhD in materials engineering and a BEng in materials design and materials engineering where he studied the effect mechanical polishing has on glass surfaces. He is a chartered engineer (CEng), a chartered environmentalist (CEnv) and fellow of the Institute Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM).
Dr Nick Kirk's Publishings:
- The effect of the calcination process on the crystallite shape of sol-gel cerium oxide used for glass polishing
- Study of commonly observed defects formed during the process of acid polishing of lead crystal glass
- Design, selection and characterization of novel glasses and glass-ceramics for use in prosthetic applications
Writings by Dr Nick Kirk:
Breaking news… BBC investigates toughened flat glass
Glass experts at independent research and design specialist Glass Technology Services are to take a starring role in a new BBC TV series.
Research helps Middle East giant secure $100m package
Expertise provided by Glass Technology Services has helped secure US$100million funding for the Middle East Glass Manufacturing Company.
Glass Technology Services support Addis Glass with low carbon expansion
Ethiopian glass container manufacturer Addis Ababa Glass and Bottle Share Company (Addis Glass) is seeking to triple its container glass manufacturing capacity from 80 tons per day to 240 tons per day by 2022.
Glass experts seek carbon free glass making materials
Researchers from UK based Glass Technology Services are leading key research areas to develop innovations to significantly reduce carbon emissions generated during glass manufacture.
