When it bought UK-based Encirc in January 2015, leading Spanish glass packaging producer Vidrala acquired a business with a record of conscious sustainability. Now with a strong collective strategy across the entire group throughout Europe, Vidrala is focused on reducing environmental impact and determining the fuel of the future. Fiacre O’Donnell, Director of Sustainability (pictured) spoke exclusively to Glass Worldwide about how the firm plans to achieve its targets. The full version of this article appears in the January/February issue that has been mailed globally and is also now available free of charge in the digital archive*.

By 2050, the glass container industry aims to achieve a major revolution, starting now, in the way it produces glass that is fit for a circular and climate-neutral economy. Public and private funding will be needed, as explained in the following contribution that will appear exclusively in the forthcoming March/April issue of Glass Worldwide, preferred journal of FEVE.

The world’s leading glass container manufacturer, O-I Glass has a huge task implementing a cohesive sustainability agenda across 72 plants in 20 countries, with joint ventures in China, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, the USA and Vietnam. Randolph (Randy) Burns, O-I’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer spoke exclusively to Glass Worldwide about this challenge and how the company intends to become the most sustainable producer of the most sustainable rigid package. The full version of this article appears in the January/February issue that has been mailed globally and is also now available free of charge in the digital archive*.

The USA’s first greenfield glass packaging plant in over a generation, Arglass Yamamura started operations in December 2020 in southern Georgia, with the ambitious goal of revolutionising the North American glass container industry. José Arozamena, Chairman and CEO, exclusively updated Glass Worldwide on proceedings, including employing state-of-the-art technology to deliver customer requirements for flexibility, efficiency and customisation. The full version of this article appears in the January/February issue that has been mailed globally and is also now available free of charge in the digital archive*.

The latest conveyor technology from Grenzebach aims to increase the productivity of float glass plants. Peter Seidl explains how the company’s specially developed drive train and collaboration app will keep glass moving smoothly and efficiently. The full version of this article appears in the January/February issue that has been mailed globally and is also now available free of charge in the digital archive*.

Orora Glass has invested $200 million in its glass packaging facility in Gawler, Australia over the past five years. In an exclusive Glass Worldwide interview, Greg Savage, General Manager, details recent investment initiatives undertaken despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, including a furnace rebuild and the construction of an on-site, fully automated warehouse. The full version of this article appears in the January/February issue that has been mailed globally and is also now available free of charge in the digital archive*.

Allowing customers to choose a scaleable and expandable process control system best-suited to their specific requirements is the way forward, according to Eckard Eberle. Here the CEO of Siemens Process Automation discusses future-proof hardware platforms and software systems for maximum investment protection. The full version of this article appears in the January/February issue that has been mailed globally and is also now available free of charge in the digital archive*.

Last autumn glassmakers, suppliers and independent researchers gathered online to share presentations about the impact of decarbonisation technologies on glass production and to forecast the future of the glass industry following the Covid-19 pandemic. The full version of this article appears in the January/February issue that has been mailed globally and is also now available free of charge in the digital archive*.

Sustainability is no longer merely an environmental imperative. There are also sound economic reasons for decarbonising. René Meuleman discusses why an Industry 4.0 approach to process control is the key to balancing profitability with carbon neutral goals. The full version of this article appears in the January/February issue that has been mailed globally and is also now available free of charge in the digital archive*.