September saw the 100th anniversary of the invention by Michael Owens of the first mass production bottle forming machine, in effect an early 20th century IS machine. This innovation helped lay the foundation of the glass container giant Owens-Illinois, which can also trace its roots back for 100 years. It is estimated that the first glass containers to be produced in N American appeared around 1,500 BC, but the first modern style glass furnace in the US was set up in 1608 by English settlers. By 1880, more than 25% of glass produced in the US was used to make bottles, but glass containers remained a luxury because the industry depended heavily on the skill and availability of glassblowers. That changed in 1903 with Owens' invention of the first completely automatic glass bottle blowing machine. For more information see Owens-Illinois website: www.o-i.com
