Innovation requires the latest technologies
Thanks to our general sense of responsibility, we have always been prepared to invest above average in climate and environmental protection measures.
- Waste glass recycling: High percentage of cullet in the furnaces, thanks to the latest in-house waste glass processing systems and access to waste glass collection quantities
- Batch pre-heating: Reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions by using residual energy from the hot waste gases to preheat the cullet
- Lightweighting: Production of lighter bottles thus creating less CO2 emissions as well as savings on freight
- Waste gas treatment: Greatest possible reduction in emissions of pollutants thanks to our continuous investment in state-of-the-art waste gas treatment systems, such as ammonia filters
By using modern monitoring and control systems, we are on the way to achieving a closed loop system.
- Modern furnace control: Fully automated glass production formulas are the basis for a stable melting process
- Controlled glass processing: Modern measuring and control systems (e.g. PPC, TCS, GIA, HotMASS) are helping us to monitor and take action to control parameters such as temperature (TCS) and gob weight (PPC). We use infrared technology to carry out an initial quality check immediately after production (XPAR).
- Total quality control: We are able to guarantee 100 % quality control thanks to our modern, coordinated quality inspection systems. We use the data results for our CIP.
- Networked ERP system: By collecting all the information in our ERP system, we are able to combine the commercial and technical aspects.
Because we think outside the "bottle", we also put a challenge on our partners when searching for solutions. Having found them and being convinced of them, they will be implemented by us consistently.
- LoNOx: The glass melting furnace, developed in the 1980s, was far ahead of its time. It stands out in its production of good quality glass, thanks to its low energy consumption and pollution emissions far below the German "Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control".
- NIS: With this servo-electric production machine, all machine operations can be fine-tuned and reproduced, thereby ensuring greater stability throughout the glass production process and greater flexibility across the production programme. With shorter set-up times and savings on compressed air, we are also reducing the workload of our employees.
- Lubrication robot: We ensure greater safety and reduce the workload of our employees, and also ensure continuous mould lubrication, by using lubrication robots.
- Packaging robots: The use of robotics in our packaging area enables us to produce complex packaging solutions.
- Finishing: We are extending our value chain by using fully automated systems to equip the bottles with swing stoppers and modern coating systems.
The glass cycle
There are a number of steps between the collection of recyclable materials and the production of new glass containers being of huge importance to the glass cycle. We have put together an overview of this process for you. We would like to emphasise the fact that this recycling process can be repeated time and time again. This is one more reason to choose glass.
Collecting recyclable materials: It is important that consumers return empty bottles and glasses to recycling points. This is the only way for us to recover and recycle waste glass, our most important raw material.
Delivery and preparation: We daily separate an average of 2,200 tons of glass from foreign materials in our processing plants. New bottles are made of around 80 per cent waste glass.
Delivery and processing primary raw materials: Quartz sand, soda, dolomite and lime, as well as refining and colouring agents, are delivered directly to our batch house by lorry.
Melting: The mixture of raw materials is liquefied in furnaces at approx. 1,600 degrees Celsius. We use the residual energy that results from the waste gases to preheat the raw materials and cullet.
Moulding: The glass gobs are moulded into a parison. In the final mould, the parison receives its final shaping. There are two distinctly different manufacturing processes: the press-blow process and the blow-blow process.
Tempering and relaxing: The outer glass surface is tempered by the hot-end coating. After the pre-defined cooling and relaxing period of the bottles in the continuous annealing lehr, cold-end coating is applied to the bottle for optimal surface protection.
Quality control: Our sophisticated quality management system ensures that at all times, only the highest quality glass containers leave the processing plant. We rely on state-of-the-art testing techniques.
Packaging: After passing the comprehensive quality control, the glass bottles are palletised lengthwise, entirely automatically, and the finished pallet is shrink-wrapped in plastic.
Logistics: Our own forwarding department, together with external partners, ensures the smooth flow of finished goods from our plant to our customers.
Filling and commerce: After the bottles were filled with our customers' products, they reach the consumer through various retail channels.
Enjoyment: The excellent properties of glass as a product, guarantee each of us the highest product quality and unlimited enjoyment.
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