Modellregion Glas wins federal competition “Zukunft Region”

The “Modellregion zur Dekarbonisierung der Glasindustrie am Rennsteig” (pilot region for the decarbonisation of the glass industry at the Rennsteig) founded in 2023 has now reached a decisive milestone: it was successful with its ‘Modellregion Glas” project in the federal competition called “Zukunft Region” and has been awarded funding from the German government. The launch of the funding project will further strengthen the glass pilot region at the Rennsteig and its goal of decarbonising the regional glass industry.

Important step towards decarbonisation of the glass industry at the Rennsteig

The project partners from politics, associations and industry came together at our plant in Schleusingen at the end of June for the symbolic signing of the cooperation agreement and reaffirmed their collaboration. As part of the kick-off event, Jonas Köstner was introduced as project manager. He has been working at the district administration office in Hildburghausen since the beginning of June, coordinating the project and acting as an interface to the funding organisations. The aim of the project is to investigate in depth how the switch to renewable energies in the glass industry can be realised technically, infrastructurally and economically.

Above mentioned pilot region was founded almost two years ago with the aim of supporting the glass industry in the energy transition and the necessary transformation of its processes and locations. Four companies (Wiegand-Glas, Heinz-Glas, Gerresheimer, Röser), the districts Hildburghausen, Kronach, Sonneberg und Ilm-Kreis, the chambers of commerce “IHK Südthüringen” and “IHK für Oberfranken Bayreuth as well as the Ministries of Economic Affairs of the Free States of Bavaria and Thuringia are involved.