A week after the 99th Glass-Technology Conference, we are looking back with gratitude on two eventful and inspiring days in Würzburg. From 2–3 June 2026, the Deutsche Glastechnische Gesellschaft (DGG) welcomed participants from research, industry and the wider glass community to the Congress Centrum Würzburg.
Under the guiding theme “Connecting Industry and Academia – Collaboration, Innovation & Insight”, this year’s conference created a focused platform for exchange between scientific research and industrial practice. The compact two-day format brought together high-quality presentations, in-depth discussions, poster contributions, exhibition opportunities and dedicated networking formats.
The conference began on Monday, 1 June, with an optional pre-conference programme, including the HVG and DGG general meetings, the Fraunhofer ISC excursion and the Student Evening. This offered a valuable opportunity to arrive, reconnect and set the tone for the days ahead.
The main conference programme opened on Tuesday morning with the Welcome & Award Ceremony, followed by parallel sessions covering the full breadth of current glass science and technology. Topics ranged from glass structure and properties, glass-ceramics and novel glass compositions to applications, modelling, simulation, data and AI, industrial glass melting and furnace technologies, recycling, raw materials, sustainable glass production, glass forming, processing, automation and additive manufacturing.
Throughout the programme, one aspect became particularly clear: the future of glass technology depends on close collaboration between academia and industry. Contributions from universities, research institutes and companies showed how scientific findings, technological innovation and practical experience can come together to address current challenges and open up new perspectives for the glass sector.
In addition to the lecture sessions, the poster session provided an important space for scientific exchange and direct discussion. It offered especially young researchers the opportunity to present their work, receive feedback and connect with experts from across the community.
A special highlight of the conference was the Conference Banquet Dinner, during which this year’s Poster Awards were presented.
Congratulations once again to this year’s poster award winners:
1st place
A Structured Measurement and Data Processing Framework for Generating Validation Ready Datasets in Container Glass Forming
Marvin Bay, Berkay Kural, Christian Roos
RWTH Aachen University; International Partners in Glass Research (IPGR) e.V., Aachen
2nd place
Bioactive Glass–Reinforced Pectin Wound Dressings with pH-Sensing and Antibacterial Properties
M. H. R. Acosta, G. de P. Guarnieri, G. M. Sacco, J. G. Nery, Andréa S. S. de Camargo
Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Berlin; University of the State of São Paulo, São José do Rio Preto, Brazil
3rd place
Increasing the precision of CO₂ laser beam based fused deposition modelling of glass
F. Hesse, A. Herrmann, J. Hildebrand, J. P. Bergmann
Technische Universität Ilmenau
Our sincere thanks go to everyone who contributed to the success of the 99.GTC: speakers, poster presenters, session chairs, exhibitors, sponsors, partners and participants. The strong engagement throughout the sessions, the poster presentation, the exhibition area and the evening programme made this year’s conference a memorable gathering for the glass community.
The DGG would also like to thank all those who helped create such an open, welcoming and productive atmosphere in Würzburg. The many conversations, new connections and shared ideas once again showed the value of bringing the glass community together in person.
With the 99th Glass-Technology Conference now concluded, we are already looking ahead to a very special milestone: the 100th Glass-Technology Conference, which will take place from 25–26 May 2027 in Bremerhaven.
We look forward to welcoming the glass community again for this special anniversary edition.