British Glass Unveils leadership transition and structural changes in UK glass sector

UK – British Glass, the trade body for the UK glass industry, has revealed major updates to its leadership team and operations. 

Dave Dalton, who has served as chief executive for over 15 years after four decades in the sector, will retire. 

He plans to step down over the Christmas period, with complete retirement expected by March 2026. 

Dalton has guided the organization through key policy developments and sustainability efforts during his tenure.

As part of the restructure, Glass Technology Services (GTS), the technical arm of British Glass, will operate as a standalone entity. British Glass will remain the sole owner and act as shareholder. 

Gareth Jones, previously operations and commercial director at British Glass, will take on the role of chief executive officer at GTS.

In a statement, Jones emphasized the ongoing difficulties facing the glass industry. 

“This is a challenging time for the glass industry and as GTS we are committed to continuing to support the whole supply chain, from providing confidence in glass products through accredited testing, to helping the industry innovate by being a trusted R&D partner,” he said. 

He added that GTS focuses on delivering projects at affordable scales to yield practical results and insights, including pathways to upscaling and pilot trials, while maintaining close collaboration with the British Glass team.

British Glass will continue its core function as the industry federation. Dr Nick Kirk will remain in charge of leading the federation activities.

These changes follow board discussions and member consultations aimed at enhancing support for the UK glass sector. 

The separation allows GTS to focus more directly on technical services, testing, and research and development for glass manufacturers and suppliers.

In related developments within the global glass packaging industry, Ardagh Glass Packaging formed a partnership with CAP Glass earlier in 2025 to improve glass recycling processes in North America. 

This collaboration seeks to increase recycled content in glass production and support circular economy goals for container glass.

The UK glass industry continues to prioritize innovation in sustainable materials amid broader shifts toward recyclable and low-impact packaging options. 

These leadership adjustments come as manufacturers address supply chain pressures and advancing decarbonization targets.

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