Tecoglas
Tecoglas is a Sheffield-based industrial engineering and contracting firm that designs, builds, and commissions glass melting furnaces (recuperative, regenerative, oxy-fuel, and electric melt) for global container, float, fibreglass, and specialty glass manufacturers, operating as part of the TECO Group.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersSouth Otterington, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Tecoglas does
Tecoglas Ltd is a UK-based industrial engineering and contracting firm specialising in the design, construction, and commissioning of glass melting furnaces for the global glass manufacturing industry. The company operates from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, as a division of the TECO Group (centred on Toledo Engineering Co. of Ohio, USA), a privately held group that has served the glass industry since 1927 and designed and built over 1,000 furnaces worldwide. Tecoglas itself was established in the 1990s to focus on fuel-fired furnaces and acquired Zedtec Limited in 2003 to add glass conditioning (forehearth) capability.
The firm offers four core furnace technologies covering the full capacity spectrum: recuperative furnaces (up to 250 tonnes per day for soda lime container and low alkali borosilicate fibreglass), regenerative end-port furnaces (up to 300 tpd for container and glassware), regenerative side-port cross-fired furnaces (300-1,000 tpd for soda lime container and float glass), oxy-fuel furnaces (up to 800 tpd), and cold-top electric melt furnaces operating on the Joule principle at approximately 75% efficiency. Differentiated technical features include batch blanket emission-reduction technology, bottom rod vertical electrodes, and symmetrical two or three phase circuits. These products are complemented by service modules: audits and inspections, demolition/construction/commissioning, project management, and troubleshooting/consultancy including modernisation, bubbler additions, and electric boost retrofits.
Tecoglas generates revenue primarily through firm-price engineering and construction contracts for well-defined furnace projects, with cost-plus contracts used for less defined scopes such as hot repairs. The business serves enterprise glass manufacturers across container, float, fibreglass, and specialty glass segments, with named reference customers including O-I, Libbey Glass, BA Glass, Bormioli Luigi, Borosil, CP Glass, Ledvance, Ocean Glass, and URSA. The firm maintains direct enterprise sales engagement in the UK and channel partnerships via regional representatives in India, Brazil, and South Korea, and is co-located with KTG Engineering to supply proprietary spare parts and furnace equipment.
Tecoglas firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tecoglas
- Legal name
- Tecoglas Ltd
- Website
- https://tecoglas.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tecoglas is a Sheffield-based industrial engineering and contracting firm that designs, builds, and commissions glass melting furnaces (recuperative, regenerative, oxy-fuel, and electric melt) for global container, float, fibreglass, and specialty glass manufacturers, operating as part of the TECO Group.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tecoglas industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Glass Furnace Engineering
- NAICS
- Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (332410)
- SIC
- Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Heat Treatment & Thermal Processing Furnaces (Hardening, Annealing, Induction) (IMAHADAI)
Keywords
Where Tecoglas is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South Otterington
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tecoglas business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Glass Furnace Engineering and Construction: Tecoglas provides design, building, and commissioning of glass melting furnaces including regenerative, recuperative, oxy-fuel, and electric melt furnaces. Projects are typically quoted on a firm price contract basis for well-defined projects, with cost-plus type contracts used for projects that cannot be adequately defined such as hot repairs.
- Consulting and Troubleshooting Services: Technical consultancy services including furnace audits, inspections, and operational troubleshooting. Also provides project management services and assistance with existing installations.
- Modernisation and Upgrades: Modernisation of existing furnace systems including combustion system alterations, adding bubblers and/or electric boost, and batch plant modernisation while maintaining glass production.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Tecoglas product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tecoglas designs, engineers, and constructs glass melting furnaces (recuperative, regenerative end-port, regenerative side-port cross-fired, oxy-fuel, and electric melt types) for glass manufacturers across container, float, fibreglass, and specialty glass segments. The company also provides related project services including audits and inspections, demolition, construction and commissioning, project management, and troubleshooting/consultancy, executing work from project conception through completion on a primarily firm-price contract basis.
Product overview
Tecoglas is a glass plant engineering and contracting company specializing in the supply and installation of industrial glass melting furnaces. The company offers four core furnace products: Recuperative Furnaces (up to 250 tpd), Regenerative Furnaces in both End Port (up to 300 tpd) and Side Port configurations (300-1000 tpd), Oxy-Fuel Furnaces (up to 800 tpd), and Electric Melt Furnaces. These furnace products are complemented by five service modules: Audits & Inspections, Demolition/Construction/Commissioning, Project Management, and Troubleshooting/Consultancy. The company operates as part of the TECO Group and serves container, float glass, fibreglass, and specialty glass industries worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Recuperative Furnaces Recuperative furnaces for glass melting applications up to 250 tonnes per day, typically used by the container industry for melting soda lime glass and by textile fibre industries for melting low alkali borosilicate glass. Characterised by low fuel consumption, low emissions, high quality glass output, and long campaign life.
- Regenerative Furnaces - End Port End port regenerative furnaces for glass melting applications up to 300 tonnes per day, used by the container and glassware industries for melting soda lime glass. Characterised by low fuel consumption, low emissions, high quality glass, and long campaign life.
- Regenerative Furnaces - Side Port (Cross-fired) Side port (cross-fired) regenerative furnaces for upper capacity range applications from 300 to 1000 metric tonnes per day, used in soda lime container and float glass applications. Characterised by fuel efficiency, low emissions, high quality glass, and long campaign life. May utilise bubbler systems to enhance convection flow patterns.
- Oxy-Fuel Furnaces Oxy-fuel furnaces for glass melting up to 800 tonnes per day. Features include NOx emission reduction, improved fuel efficiency, elimination of combustion fan (energy savings), improved glass quality, and simplified maintenance. Can be used to increase melting capacity for a given melting area or to maintain production when regenerators or recuperators deteriorate.
- Electric Melt Furnaces Environmentally friendly cold-top electric melt furnaces operating on the Joule principle, with the lowest energy usage and emissions available. Feature bottom rod (vertical) electrodes, batch blanket technology achieving approximately 75% efficiency (about twice that of fossil-fuel counterparts), and symmetrical two or three phase circuits with balanced loads. Used for specialty glass compositions including borosilicate and low-expansion glass.
- Audits & Inspections Comprehensive furnace audits and inspections including visual structural surveys, thermal surveys with thermographic imaging, and operational surveys. Recommended twice annually to ensure longevity of furnace campaign and efficiency of operation regarding fuel consumption, gaseous emissions, and glass quality.
- Demolition, Construction and Commissioning Specialist services for glass melting furnace demolition, construction, and commissioning. Includes handling of hazardous waste removal according to local legislation, material recycling, and integration of engineering and construction requiring excellence in project management.
- Project Management Project management services utilising over 80 years of experience on glass industry projects. Controls all activity and costs, ensures materials and equipment are purchased and arrive on schedule, maintains tight project control, and provides ongoing support through start-up and post-campaign monitoring.
- Troubleshooting/Consultancy Technical consulting services for furnace troubleshooting and modernization, including batch plant modernization while maintaining glass production, furnace system improvements while in operation (combustion system alterations, bubbler additions, electric boost), and post-forming operation improvements.
Quantifiable outcome
- 75% efficiency range achieved by cold-top electric melt furnaces, approximately twice that of fossil-fuel counterparts
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Tecoglas
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Tecoglas technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Tecoglas partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and historical.
- Zedtec LimitedcoreZedtec Limited was acquired by Tecoglas in 2003. The company has a long history in the glass industry in the field of glass conditioning and offers unique technical solutions. Over 160 forehearths are operating worldwide through Zedtec technology.
- TECO GroupflagshipTecoglas is part of the TECO Group, one of the world leaders in glass furnace design and melting technology. The Group has been serving the worldwide glass industry since 1927 and has designed and built over 1000 furnaces of all types. All Tecoglas companies operate with technical input and direction from Toledo Engineering Co (TECO) of Ohio, USA.
- Toledo Engineering Co (TECO)flagshipToledo Engineering Co (TECO) of Ohio, USA is the parent company providing technical input and direction. With history spanning more than 90 years, TECO is recognised as a world leader in float glass plants, E glass plants, batch plants, container, fibreglass and speciality glass installations.
- KTG EngineeringcoreTecoglas is located in the same building as KTG Engineering, which was formed from the original KTG Furnaces Limited. KTG Engineering specifically provides spare parts and furnace equipment such as electrode holders and batch chargers.
- Elemelt LimitedhistoricalElemelt Limited was formed by British Heat Resisting Glass to develop electric melting technology. The company designed and built many electric melting furnaces in 26 countries worldwide and developed new electric forehearths and electric boosting systems. In 1982, Toledo Engineering bought Elemelt and renamed it Teco Europe.
- KukDong International Co., LtdcoreKukDong International Co., Ltd is the regional representative for Tecoglas in South Korea, managing client relationships and business development in the territory from their office in Seoul.
- Bala MookonicoreBala Mookoni serves as the regional representative for Tecoglas in India and surrounding territories, based in Vadodara, Gujarat.
- Carlos MarquescoreCarlos Marques serves as the regional representative for Tecoglas in South America (Brazil), operating from Sao Paulo.
- Karl PlattcoreKarl Platt serves as a regional representative for Tecoglas in South America (Brazil), operating from Penedo, Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Tecoglas competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Stein (Fives Group): Fives Group's Stein business provides industrial furnaces and combustion systems for glass and steel. A broader industrial incumbent with overlapping glass furnace expertise and significantly larger scale than Tecoglas.
- Bucher Emhart Glass: Supplier of forming equipment, inspection, and automation for container glass manufacturers. Adjacent glass industry equipment incumbent that serves the same customer base as Tecoglas, though focused on downstream forming rather than upstream melting.
- Bystronic Glass (Glaston): Broader glass processing equipment incumbent offering tempering, laminating, and glass handling solutions. While not a pure furnace competitor, it operates in the same downstream glass manufacturing capital equipment market and is a potential acquirer or adjacent technology provider.
Emerging players
- Praxair / Linde: Industrial gas major offering oxy-fuel and hydrogen-fuel glass furnace solutions. Increasingly relevant as glass manufacturers pursue decarbonisation; competes with Tecoglas's electric and oxy-fuel furnace offerings for energy transition-focused projects.
- Air Liquide: Industrial gas supplier with proprietary oxy-fuel combustion technology (ALGLASS) for glass furnaces. An emerging technology player challenging traditional furnace designs with combined gas supply and combustion system offerings — competes with Tecoglas's oxy-fuel furnace line.
Direct peers
- Glass Service (GS): Italian supplier of glass furnace engineering, equipment, and control systems. Competes with Tecoglas in furnace design, technical consultancy, and modernisation services for glass manufacturers, particularly in Europe and emerging markets.
- Sorg Glass: German manufacturer of glass melting furnaces including regenerative, oxy-fuel, and electric melting systems. A direct competitor to Tecoglas across the same glass furnace technologies and serving the same container, float, and specialty glass customer base globally.
- Toledo Engineering Co. (TECO): US-based parent company within the TECO Group providing technical input and direction to Tecoglas. Designs and builds glass melting furnaces for float glass, E glass, batch plants, container, fibreglass, and specialty glass installations — overlapping directly with Tecoglas's product portfolio and customer base.
- Horn Glass Industries: German-engineered glass melting furnace supplier offering regenerative, oxy-fuel, and electric furnaces for container, float, and specialty glass. Direct competitor in design, engineering, and commissioning of glass furnace projects — closely comparable to Tecoglas's core offering.
Regional players
- Sheffield Forgemasters (alternative industrial engineering, UK): UK-based industrial engineering firm also headquartered in Sheffield, providing metal engineering expertise to heavy industry. While not a direct glass furnace competitor, it represents the regional UK industrial engineering talent pool and customer ecosystem that Tecoglas operates within.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tecoglas social profiles
Digital presenceTecoglas financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tecoglas leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Tecoglas funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tecoglas M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tecoglas
What does Tecoglas do?
Tecoglas designs, engineers, and constructs glass melting furnaces (recuperative, regenerative end-port, regenerative side-port cross-fired, oxy-fuel, and electric melt types) for glass manufacturers across container, float, fibreglass, and specialty glass segments. The company also provides related project services including audits and inspections, demolition, construction and commissioning, project management, and troubleshooting/consultancy, executing work from project conception through completion on a primarily firm-price contract basis.
Is Tecoglas a public or private company?
Tecoglas is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Tecoglas founded?
Tecoglas was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tecoglas based?
Tecoglas is headquartered in South Otterington, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Tecoglas make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Glass Furnace Engineering and Construction is the primary driver. The others are consulting and Troubleshooting Services and modernisation and Upgrades.
Who are Tecoglas's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Stein (Fives Group), Bucher Emhart Glass and Bystronic Glass (Glaston). Emerging players are Praxair / Linde and Air Liquide. Direct peers are Glass Service (GS), Sorg Glass, Toledo Engineering Co. (TECO) and Horn Glass Industries. Sheffield Forgemasters (alternative industrial engineering, UK) is listed as a regional player.
Does Tecoglas have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tecoglas.
What industry is Tecoglas in?
Tecoglas's product category is Industrial Glass Furnace Engineering. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHADAI, Heat Treatment & Thermal Processing Furnaces (Hardening, Annealing, Induction). Its NAICS code is 332410 and its SIC code is 3567.