Glass Performance Days 2023

Glass Performance Days held at Nokia Arena received high praise from visitors: “We were going for a wow effect and that’s what we got”

Creativity was harnessed at the Glass Performance Days conference as Nokia Arena was transformed into the centre of an international event. The event attracted 550 participants from 40 different countries.

Tampere-based glass machinery company Glaston organized the Glass Performance Days (GPD) conference at Nokia Arena in June 2023. Held every two years, GPD brings together companies, researchers and students in the glass industry from around the world.

“The event is as well known as its participating companies. It all started with a meeting of 20 people. What started small 30 years ago has now grown into an arena-sized event,” says Marko Mökkönen, Director, Industry & Stakeholder Relations at Glaston Corporation.

The GPD program included workshops, networking and interesting presentations on the latest technologies in the industry. The event has always focused on facilitating encounters between industry players.

“It is important for us to facilitate encounters through our activities. Every person at GPD is worth meeting,” Mökkönen emphasizes.

Event ran smoothly across seven stages

The heart of the event was the Bowl of the arena, where six stages had been built. The seventh stage was located in Eventum. An exhibition area was also set up in the Bowl.

The other facilities of the arena, such as the Sky Lounge and larger skyboxes, were also used for workshops, for example. 

“The strength of the arena was its scalability. It provides a great deal of flexibility for the organizers.”

According to Mökkönen, cooperation between the event organizers went smoothly.

“The arena was flexible to our needs and was able to offer a variety of solutions.”

For Glaston, key factors in choosing the event venue were centralized functions and a better overall experience for visitors. The company also wanted to transform the event into a more memorable experience.

“Moving to Nokia Arena allowed us to utilize digital surfaces at the event. The surfaces at the arena offer plenty of opportunities,” says Mökkönen.

“We were going for a wow effect and that’s what we got. Visitors frequently mentioned the great location in their feedback – many said that the venue was perfect for this.”

Marko Mökkönen, Industry & Stakeholder relations

Glaston is a Finnish glass machinery manufacturer. The company’s roots are in Tampere where Glaston still has a large factory. In addition to Tampere, the company has factories in Germany, Switzerland and China. Glaston organizes the international Glass Performance Days conference every other year.