The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) is pleased to announce Stoelzle Glass Group and Special Shapes Refractory Company (SSRC) as GPI’s newest member companies. 

“I am thrilled to welcome Stoelzle and SSRC to the association,'' said Scott DeFife, President of GPI. “It is always exciting to welcome new members who are integral to every step of the glass manufacturing process, from manufacturers to refractories. Stoelzle and GPI will focus on bolstering the spirits packaging industry and promoting glass produced at their new Pennsylvania plant. SSRC and GPI will focus on improvements for necessary machinery and equipment used inside glass manufacturing plants. I look forward to working and collaborating with both new member teams on behalf of the North American glass container industry, especially during the International Year of Glass.” 

Stoelzle Glass Group has more than 200 years of expertise as a manufacturer of high-end glass containers for the prestige spirits, pharmaceutical, and food industry as well as for perfumery and cosmetic goods.

Stoelzle recently acquired the former Anchor-Hocking plant in Monaca, PA and has plans to further invest in the North American glass industry. “Glass is the ideal packaging, as it is endlessly recyclable, and working with the Glass Packaging Institute is therefore a natural partnership for us,” said August Grupp, President of Stoelzle Glass USA and Head of the Spirits Business Unit. “We look forward to building on our joint impact on the local and global community. Glass is a vital resource to us all, and one of our biggest current focuses is our target to reduce CO2 emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve CO2 neutrality at all Stoelzle production plants by 2050. We look forward to partnering with GPI to shine a light on this important goal.”

Special Shapes Refractory Company (SSRC) manufactures specialised, engineered precast refractory shapes and un-shaped monolithic refractory products, key components for the glass manufacturing industry.

“We were invited to be guests of the Glass Packaging Institute for their Fall meeting in Atlanta and after attending this meeting and speaking with multiple attendees and GPI representatives, we decided to join this important organisation supporting glass packaging manufacturers,” said Bob Hunter, Director of Sales and Marketing at SSRC. “We met and established new relationships with many C-level executives whom we rarely interact with during our sales calls, site visits and communications.  We look forward to realising many more benefits from joining the GPI.”

Through GPI, the glass container industry speaks with one voice to advocate industry standards, promote sound environmental and recycling policies, and educate packaging professionals.

www.gpi.org

Image: Scott DeFife and August Grupp.