Four years ago, at the Glass Performance Days (GPD) event in 2017, the Jorma Vitkala Award of Merit was created by Jean-Paul Hautekeer/Dow Europe GmbH and other glass industry leaders to recognize outstanding individual contributions to the glass industry. Second award 2019 was given to the most known glass specialist and lecturer, Prof. James O’Callaghan. Every two years, this award will continue to be granted during each GPD to a new recipient who has been selected through an international nomination procedure.
“While the highlighting and personification of the award is a very concrete and effective publicity step, we wish to underline that it is for the common good and progress of the glass industry that the award is instituted,” Hautekeer says. “Continued innovative progress and bold new solutions will keep the applications of glass at the forefront for designers, industries and research institutions, and provide us with effective competitiveness in the choices of materials and solutions for building, automotive and interior decorating. This award is our special tribute to leading contributors in the development of the glass industry.”
Nominations for contributors that made a significant impact on the development of the international glass industry are welcome from the public until 10th JANUARY 2022 through a simple on-line submission process. A simple description of the nominee’s relevant merits and contributions is required.
Nomination form for candidates:
https://gpd.fi/events/gpd-finland-2021/jorma-vitkala-award-of-merit-2021/
A nomination committee composed by Glass Industry experts and International Press will select the winner based on approved criteria by secret ballot after 10th JANUARY 2022. Jean-Paul Hautekeer, chairman of the committee, will count the votes. The recipient of the JVAM 2021 will be announced at the GPD 2022.
The challenge facing all players in our industry, is to develop the most technically creative and cost-effective methods for delivering innovative solutions from the drawing board via the patent office to the market place. As the world's No1 Industrial Glass Conference, GPD, must continue to be a catalyst for new ideas new technologies and new relationships.
This would not have been possible without the belief and financial help of our main supporters the Glaston Corporation, other main industrial sponsors, associations, exhibition organisers, international press and especially different chairpersons, who have been and continue still to be the lifeblood of GPD.
“Our vision of nothing ventured nothing gained” has allowed to build and develop GPD into what it is today.
Jorma Vitkala, Founder and Former Chairman of Glass Performance Days (GPD).
He retired from Glaston Corporation and the Chairmanship of GPD in 2020.
