We at AJJ Glass recognize the need to be responsible with our planet's resources. We like to do our part to reduce, reuse, and recycle when possible.
*Reducing Product Waste
The average reject rate for glass processing industry is terrible. The current industry average reject rate for a piece of tempered glass, from when it leaves the tempering facility to when it is installed, is 20%. Reasons for rejecting a piece of glass include:
- Wrong size
- Wrong glass pattern
- Fabrication errors
- Scratches in the glass or chipped edges (either in manufacturing or in transit)
This past year, we expanded our Fuzhou facility to include a new, state-of-the-art tempering facility. We designed it from the ground up to make quality a top priority. We work to make sure the equipment is in top condition to reduce problems during the manufacturing process, and have implemented several quality-control procedures.
We've invested in high quality glass buffing equipment that works wonders on small scratches on tempered glass, greatly reducing the amount of glass that is rejected and sent to recycling because of scratches. We've also installed special lighting to catch any imperfections or scratches before the glass leaves our facility.
We're extremely proud to say that our team is producing glass with a reject rate of less than 1%. That's a LOT less glass that ends up being discarded. For our customers, it means less trips back to a job site (wasting time, gas and resources) to replace rejected glass.
*Recycling LESS Glass (Yes!)
In the course of making custom glass, we end up with a fair amount of scrap glass. This can come from:
Internally rejected panels (scratched, etc.)
Small remnant pieces of glass from cutting glass panels out of 9' x 12' sheets
The thin strip of glass that is cut off around the edge of every 9' x 12' sheet so we start with clean edges for shower enclosure panels
We realized we can have a significant impact if we can repurpose this glass before recycling it. We now use as much of the glass as we can in three major areas: Glass Samples & Decorative Glass(Ice Cracked Glass, Rainforest Glass and so on)
*Using GPS to plan and coordinate all appointments, leading to efficient routes and making "getting lost" a thing of the past.
*Having a digital fax system and rely on email when possible to reduce our paper trail, taking care to only print out documents when absolutely necessary.
*Offering a wide selection of low iron glass options.
Out biggest green initiative is simply working in the glass industry though. Since its main ingredient is silica (sand), glass is a naturally green product! For all these reasons and more, know that AJJ Glass cares about more than just your business. We care about our communities and planet, and we're committed to doing our part to keep them clean and verdant for generations to come.
