"We’ve had two suppliers for almost everything else—transformers, steel, refractories," says Grahame Stuart, Technical Sales Manager. "But for heating elements, it’s only Kanthal. That tells you everything."

Together, the two companies help manufacturers worldwide adopt electric heating systems that run reliably within existing infrastructure, tailored to local needs. Their shared focus: control, long-term efficiency, and systems that work in the real world.

Electric from the start

Grahame Stuart, Technical Sales Manager, Electroglass Ltd."We’ve never worked with gas. Electric made sense for the types of glass we started with, and we never saw a reason to change direction," Stuart says.

In its early years, Electroglass focused on electric boosting fuel-fired furnaces and all-electric melting of volatile glass types, borosilicate, fluoride, opal, fiberglass, and lead crystal, where gas isn’t an option. Over time, the same electric technology was applied to more conventional applications like container glass and tableware.

Sometimes, electric was simply the only practical choice. "In parts of Africa, natural gas isn’t readily available. Electricity was already there, so it was the obvious solution."

With electricity from renewables becoming cheaper and more widely available, and more recently, rising gas prices, tightening emissions targets, and sustainability pressure have pushed more manufacturers to reconsider their setup. "You don’t have to wait for a rebuild. If the payback is two or three years, you do it mid-campaign."

He’s seen that shift firsthand. "A customer in the Far East installed one electric forehearth as a trial. It worked. They ordered five more. That’s how it usually starts."

Collaboration and clear answers

For Electroglass, Kanthal is more than a supplier. It’s a technical partner. "If we ask a question, we get a straight answer," says Stuart. "If the Kanthal team doesn’t know, they say so. That honesty saves time, especially when we’re under pressure."

That responsiveness became critical when Electroglass was asked to step in and look at a forehearth supplied by others, where the customer faced repeated failures on their specified elements. "They were lasting three to four days. Not sustainable. Kanthal adapted an existing coating and ran trials within days. We converted the whole system, and the element life jumped from days to months."

It reinforced the decision to stick with one supplier. "There’s a lot at stake when you do that. But with Kanthal, we don’t need to look elsewhere."

The advantages of electrification

The appeal of electric forehearths is rooted in control, efficiency, and simplicity.

Electroglass designs systems with up to six times more installed power than they operate at, enabling slow, stable heat-up and fast response when needed. PID control ensures tight temperature management.

Maintenance is also simpler. Electric systems eliminate fans, burners, and flue components, reducing failure points. Refractories last longer without flame and exhaust damage. "We supply a third of a spare element set with each system. That’s usually enough for the whole campaign. Most systems run eight to nine years before needing major repair, with our longest recorded system in container glass operating for close to eleven years."

Operating energy costs can drastically drop after conversions, with savings of 80–85 percent not uncommon.

Stuart claims calculating ROI is straightforward. "Give us five data points—length, width, inlet and outlet temperatures, and throughput—and we can estimate operating cost, capital investment cost, and capital cost payback time. Often, it’s under three years. That’s not theory. That’s based on data."

Why Globar® fits the application

For electric forehearths to deliver what they promise, the heating elements must respond quickly, distribute power precisely, and hold up under daily use. Globar® SiC elements do just that.

Operating at temperatures up to 1,625°C (2,957°F), Globar® elements provide consistent heating and tight thermal control, key requirements for maintaining glass quality.

Electroglass also heavily relies on its ability to support split-zone heating. "The centreline of the glass stays hot. The edges cool faster through the refractory," Stuart explains. "With Globar®, we apply power at the edges and balance it out."

For channels under 900 mm, standard Globar® (Globar® SD) elements work well. For wider setups, the company switches to U-shaped cantilevered elements with the option of independent control on each side.

"It is not uncommon for glass to enter a forehearth hotter on one side than the other. We can adjust the heating profile to correct it by using U-shaped elements and independent control. You can’t isolate heat like that with gas."

The elements’ consistent resistance, fast response, and compatibility with PID control also make them ideal for flexible production.

Changing systems is easy. Changing minds is harder.

For Stuart, the hardest part of electrifying forehearths isn’t the technology or the cost. It’s the mindset. “Most operators are used to gas. That’s what they know. It’s important to involve them in the conversions discussions. If not brought in early, they can resist the change.”

To move past that, Electroglass relies on something more effective than presentations—peer conversations. “We set up calls, meetings, or visits between someone thinking about switching and our customers who have already done it. An evidence-based approach such as this not only ensures confidence, but it also often fosters relationships between our various customers”.

Face-to-face conversations at industry events work just as well. “One operator’s problem has usually been experienced and solved by another. Once they’ve experienced electric, they don’t go back. Why would they? Gas has more components, more maintenance, and more hassle. Electric is cleaner and simpler. It just works.”

Stuart doesn’t expect electrification to sweep the industry overnight. "You don’t convince people with slides. You show them it works, and you keep it working."

That’s where the partnership with Kanthal continues to matter. “They don’t overdesign or overexplain. They focus on what improves the system. That lines up with how we work.”

With demand growing, Electroglass isn’t looking to reinvent anything. "The goal is the same as it’s always been: make systems that run without fuss, support the people who keep them running, and grow without forgetting why we chose electric in the first place.”