Şişecam Completes Its Largest Flat Glass Investment

Şişecam has completed its greenfield flat glass facility investment in Tarsus, realised with a Euro 315 million investment, commissioning the TR9 line. With this facility, which will rank among the largest in the world in terms of capacity, Şişecam’s flat glass production capacity will exceed 5 million tons.

The facility has an annual gross production capacity of 432,000 tons, making it the largest flat glass facility ever built by the company and one of the highest-capacity flat glass facilities in the world. Following commissioning, Şişecam’s flat glass production capacity will exceed 5 million tons.

Commenting on the TR9 line investment, Şişecam CEO Can Yücel noted that Tarsus’s strategic location provided significant advantages for the project: "With this investment, which aligns with our sustainability focused and value added production strategy, we have established one of the world’s largest flat glass manufacturing facilities. The commissioning of the new line will further strengthen Şişecam’s flat glass production capability and significantly enhance our competitive position in global markets. Our facility, which will supply clear flat glass products to the domestic market, will also provide base glass for the coating line we will soon commission in Tarsus. These value added products will serve as inputs for our architectural glass product groups. As a result, we expect improved capacity utilisation and stronger margin resilience, while efficiencies in supply chain and logistics will further enhance working capital performance.”

Project Silica’s advances in glass storage technology

Long-term preservation of digital information has long challenged archivists and data centres, as magnetic tapes and hard drives degrade within decades. Existing archival storage solutions have limited media lifespans that make them less than ideal for preserving information for future generations.

Microsoft has reported significant progress on Project Silica, the company's effort to encode data in glass using femtosecond lasers, a technology that could preserve information for 10,000 years. Glass is a permanent data storage material that is resistant to water, heat and dust.

In findings published in Nature a breakthrough that extends the technology beyond expensive fused silica to ordinary borosilicate glass has been disclosed. This advance addresses key barriers to commercialisation: cost and availability of storage media. The research has unlocked the science for parallel high-speed writing and developed a technique to permit accelerated ageing tests on the written glass, suggesting that the data should remain intact for at least 10,000 years.

Storing data inside glass with femtosecond laser pulses is one of the few technologies on the horizon with the potential for durable, immutable and long-lived storage. The new technique stores hundreds of layers of data in borosilicate glass only 2 mm thin, as with previous methods, but with important improvements. The reader for the glass now needs only one camera, not three or four, reducing cost and size. In addition, the writing devices require fewer parts, making them easier to manufacture and calibrate, and enabling them to encode data more quickly.

Şişecam solar roof glass for circular car prototype

Şişecam is developing specialised glass solutions aligned with the European Union's goal of achieving zero carbon emissions vehicles by 2035. Coordinated by the Fraunhofer Institute and including globally renowned automotive brands, the project launched in early 2024 and will run until the end of 2026.

The 28 partners in the "Zero Emission Electric Vehicles Enabled by Harmonized Circularity" (ZEvRA) project are currently in the realisation phase, working on a circular car prototype. Şişecam will produce the solar roof glass for this prototype, this can actively generate power to supplement a vehicle's battery. Such an innovative solution aims to minimise the use of natural resources and chemicals while improving vehicle performance and reducing the carbon footprint throughout the product lifecycle.

With this solar glass technology, Şişecam demonstrates how automotive glazing can evolve from a passive component to an active contributor to vehicle efficiency and environmental protection.

The prototype vehicle is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026. Şişecam's contribution will directly advance the sustainability goals of electric vehicles through high-value, low-carbon automotive glass solutions.

Vetropack prepares Moldovan furnace shutdown

Vetropack no longer expects sales and profitability to develop steadily in the current second half of 2025. Consolidated profit at the end of the fiscal year will therefore not exceed the figure for the prior year. Net profit is now expected to be in the single-digit million range. The background to this development is the subdued demand that continues to persist in the Group's key European core markets.

The Group management has already initiated appropriate measures. Vetropack will increasingly consider temporary shutdowns of individual production lines and furnaces across all its locations. At the beginning of December, therefore, the company will implement the orderly shutdown of one of the two furnaces at its plant in Chişinău and keep it out of operation for at least half a year. Due to its geographical location and the tense political situation in the region, the Republic of Moldova is entirely dependent on energy imports from Western Europe and has to pay top prices for them.

Gallo Glass leader wins Manufacturing Excellence Award

Victor Camacho, Director of Operations at Gallo Glass Company, is the recipient of the 2025 Glass Manufacturing Excellence Award, sponsored by the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council (GMIC).

Victor’s impact on the glass industry spans nearly two decades, beginning in 2006 with Fevisa, continuing with Ardagh Group, and now with Gallo Glass. His leadership has consistently driven operational excellence — improving efficiency, reducing waste, and strengthening production standards across forming operations.

GMIC: "Beyond his technical achievements, Victor stands out as a mentor and leader. His commitment to developing the next generation of specialists ensures a strong and sustainable future for the industry."

GlassKote Float Glass Industries Announces Secured Capital Commitments for Two Next-Generation Glass Manufacturing Plants

GlassKote FGI Pty Ltd (GK) has confirmed funding exceeding AUS$1.2 billion to build two of the most advanced low-iron float glass plants in the world. Construction of the first commencing in Queensland, Australia in early 2026, with the second in the United Arab Emirates to follow in the ensuing months. The first plant will restore sovereign flat glass production to Australia.

PROJECT ONE — 700 TPD Low-Iron Float Glass + 400 ton per day WtE Mega-Plant in Queensland, Australia

Launching in early 2026, GK’s Queensland project will feature:

700 tonnes per day of low-iron glass for architectural, solar, and specialty applications.
400 tonnes per day Waste-to-Energy facility using proprietary Cyrion technology to generate green hydrogen and renewable electricity with zero emissions.
Silicon nanotube integration and DNA AI ‘Living Glass’ technology — enabling self-healing, seismic-resilient, and energy-optimising glass products.
Integrated solar glass manufacturing for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and smart glazing.
Advanced coating and value-add lines for laminated, toughened, ballistic, Low-E, and solar-control glass.

This facility will close Australia’s glass supply gap, generate its own renewable energy, and export surplus power, making it one of the most sustainable glass plants ever built. The year following the Queensland mega-plant launch, GK will commence construction of a second 700 TPD standard float glass plant in Australia.

PROJECT TWO — 1,000 TPD Low-Iron Float Glass Super-Plant in the UAE

The UAE facility launching mid 2026 will be the largest and most technologically advanced of its kind in the MENA region, delivering:

1000 tonnes per day of premium low-iron float glass for architectural, renewable energy, and specialty markets.
Silicon nanotube integration and DNA AI ‘Living Glass’ technology — enabling self-healing, seismic-resilient, and energy-optimising glass products.
Integrated solar glass manufacturing for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and smart glazing.
Advanced coating and value-add lines for laminated, toughened, ballistic, Low-E, and solar-control glass. Over size glass panels.

Modular Photonics signs license agreement with SCHOTT

Modular Photonics has signied a license agreement with SCHOTT for Aldente Glass, a cutting-edge material purpose-engineered for ultra-low loss photonic chips and ultrafast laser inscription.

Aldente Glass was created to enable high-performance 3D photonic integrated circuits (PICs). It is the first glass specifically designed to achieve ultra-low loss performance via laser inscription. This exceptionally low optical loss unlocks new potential across quantum communications and next-gen telecommunications.

Advanced glass coating line investment in Poland

NSG Group has announced plans by Pilkington Polska to install an advanced architectural glass coating line at its facility in Sandomierz, Poland.

The new sputtering coating line will be a fully automated system designed to apply ultra-thin, high-precision functional coatings to glass surfaces. Production is scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2027. The investment, valued at PLN 160 million, is expected to create over 30 new jobs in the region.

The new line will enable Pilkington Polska to produce a broad portfolio of high-performance glass products, including energy-saving low-emissivity glass, meeting the growing demand for sustainable building solutions in Poland and across Europe.

"The market is evolving rapidly, and demand for high value-added glass is increasing both domestically and throughout Europe. This new coating line is our strategic response to these trends. It will not only expand our production capacity but also introduce cutting-edge technologies that support energy efficiency and sustainable development," said Krzysztof Granicki, Managing Director – East, Nordic & Central Downstream Europe, Architectural Glass SBU, NSG Group.

Alphial joins SGD Pharma

SGD Pharma has announced an agreement with Italian Private Equity firm Entangled Capital to acquire Alphial. This strategic acquisition will enhance SGD Pharma capabilities and expand their market presence in Europe.

Alphial is a tubular glass converting company manufacturing ampoules, vials and Ready To Use (RTU) products. The company employs more than 220 people across four manufacturing sites in Italy.

The acquisition will constitute another step in the implementation of SGD Pharma's strategy to reinforce its tubular glass manufacturing presence globally.

Two years ago, SGD Pharma announced a Joint Venture with Corning to set a new tubing facility, near its Vemula factory in India, with the objectives of securing its supply chain, reducing its carbon footprint and mastering its quality. This new site is about to be operational and the first tube to be produced.

"We are excited to welcome Alphial S.r.l. to the SGD Pharma family," said Olivier Rousseau, CEO of SGD Pharma. "This acquisition represents a significant milestone in our growth strategy and will enable us to better serve our clients with an expanded portfolio of services and solutions."

Vidrala showcases 260 g, 75 cl bottle at EXPO2025 Osaka

Vidrala has presented its latest innovation at Expo 2025 Osaka, reaffirming its commitment to sustainability and collaborative innovation on a global stage. The 260 g bottle, probably the world’s lightest 75 cl bottle, took centre stage in the “Meaningful Partnerships” exhibition, held at the Portuguese Pavilion on August 8 and 9.

The 260G project is the result of a close collaboration between LiDA (Laboratory in Design and Arts at the Polytechnic of Leiria) and Vidrala, through its operations in Portugal, in partnership with research centres, industry stakeholders, and museums. It serves as a powerful example of how long-term partnerships between academia, industry, and society, grounded in shared knowledge and mutual trust, can drive meaningful progress toward a more sustainable and inclusive future.

Engineered with ultra-thin walls and made with up to 80% recycled glass, the 260 g bottle pushes the boundaries of what is technically possible in glass packaging. By reducing the glass surface area by 20% compared to standard bottles, it achieves a substantial reduction in weight and environmental impact without compromising structural integrity or design quality. Its versatile design makes it suitable for high-quality applications across wines, spirits, specialty beverages, oils and other premium products.

Transforming tomorrow

At Expo 2025, an exclusive edition of the 260 g bottle was presented, paired with a premium wine from Esporão, offering a compelling vision of the future of wine packaging: lighter, more efficient, and more respectful of the planet’s resources.

The 260 g was one of three innovative research projects selected for the “Meaningful Partnerships” showcase, which forms part of Embalagem do Futuro (Packaging of the Future), a strategic national initiative that brings together 79 companies, research laboratories and academic institutions. The initiative aims to transform Portugal’s packaging sector through innovation that is sustainable, digital, and inclusive.

By participating in Expo 2025 Osaka, Vidrala not only highlighted the potential of glass as a circular, high-performance material, but also demonstrated how collaborative innovation can shape the packaging solutions of tomorrow.

Embalagem do Futuro on LiDA

AI kiln packing to lower emissions

A new collaboration between Aberystwyth University and Parkinson-Spencer Refractories (PSR) in West Yorkshire will see the development of tools which use machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies to ensure a kiln is packed as densely and as efficiently as possible.

Currently, the average volume utilisation of a kiln firing at PSR’s factory is as little as 9%, due to the irregularity of the products being fired and the complex loading techniques. This limits the company’s manufacturing capacity and results in high energy costs and carbon emissions per tonne of product produced.

Any improvement in how kilns are packed during a single firing session would increase production capacity and energy efficiency, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To help find a solution, PSR has worked with Aberystwyth University on a successful application for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) funded by Innovate UK and the Welsh Government.

A KTP Associate with a PhD and expertise in computational problem-solving has now been appointed. Dr Odin Moron-Garcia will take up his role in May 2025, working mainly at PSR’s factory in Halifax as well as collaborating with the research team at Aberystwyth.

The research team is led by Dr Adil Mughal from the Department of Mathematics at Aberystwyth University. He said: “This project plays a pivotal role in the exchange of expert knowledge and the bridging of the gap between academic research and industrial application.

“Creating innovative, customised algorithms to optimise the dense packing of complex-shaped objects will lead to a significant reduction in the ceramic industry’s carbon footprint, driving critical environmental benefits. These advancements will not only be a technical improvement to the manufacturing process but also a vital step towards sustainability in the industry.”

Simon Parkinson, the Managing Director of PSR, said: “We are delighted to be working with Aberystwyth University on this exciting and potentially transformative project. We hope it will lead to us being able to produce refractories in a more energy efficient manner, supporting our drive towards becoming a more sustainable business.”

Apple and Corning partner to manufacture all iPhone and Apple Watch cover glass in Kentucky

Apple and Corning have announced a major expansion of their long-standing partnership to make precision glass for Apple products. Apple is making a new $2.5 billion commitment to produce all of the cover glass for iPhone and Apple Watch in Corning’s Harrodsburg, Kentucky, manufacturing facility. This means that 100% of the cover glass on iPhone and Apple Watch units sold worldwide will be made in the U.S. for the first time.

Corning is creating the world’s largest and most advanced smartphone glass production line at the Harrodsburg facility. The glass maker will now dedicate this entire facility to manufacturing for Apple, which will help increase the manufacturing and engineering workforce by 50%. The two companies will also open a new Apple-Corning Innovation Center at the Harrodsburg plant. This will play a key role in the development and engineering of advanced materials and next-generation manufacturing platforms for Apple’s future generations of products.

“Corning is a storied American company, and we’re thrilled to work together to build the largest and most advanced production line ever created for smartphone glass,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Thanks to the power of American manufacturing, any customer anywhere in the world who buys a new iPhone or Apple Watch will be holding precision glass made right here in Kentucky. We’re grateful to the President and his administration for their support for American manufacturing, and we’re excited for the innovation this investment will unlock.”

“Apple is an amazing partner for American manufacturers like us, and together, we’ve innovated and pushed the boundaries of what’s possible,” said Wendell Weeks, Corning’s CEO. “We developed and made the glass for the very first iPhone in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, 18 years ago. With this new multibillion-dollar commitment from Apple and the lighting of our most advanced manufacturing platform, we are hiring more people and bringing 100 percent of Apple’s cover glass needs for iPhone and Apple Watch to the original home of the innovation.”

Ciner Glass secures €504 million for investment in Belgium

Ciner Glass has announced the successful signing of a €504 million financing agreement to support the development of its state-of-the-art container glass production facility in Lommel, Belgium. This marks one of the largest foreign direct investments in Belgium in the past decade and underscores the company’s commitment to sustainable growth and innovation in the European market.

The financing will support the development of the new glass packaging production facility, which will feature two 650 tpd furnaces, feeding a total of eight production lines. Once fully operational, the plant will employ around 500 direct jobs and significantly contribute to the local economy and the European container glass supply chain.

Commenting on this historic agreement, Gökhan Şen, CEO of Ciner Glass, said: “This investment is a significant milestone for Ciner Glass and a testament to our long-term vision for sustainable industrial growth in Europe. We are proud to bring one of the most advanced container glass production facilities to Belgium, creating hundreds of jobs and delivering high-quality, environmentally responsible products to our customers.

“I would like to extend our sincere thanks to our financial partners — including our ECA supporters and commercial lenders— and also to the Flemish Government for their trust and collaboration in making this project a reality. Their support is instrumental in helping us build a greener, more resilient future for the glass industry.”

Construction at the Lommel site continues to progress at speed, with the plant expected to be up and running in the second quarter of 2026, the second furnace is scheduled to become operational in 2027.

O-I halt further MAGMA development and operations

Gordon Hardie, Chief Executive Officer of O-I Glass stated during a 2025 second quarter results briefing: “Following a comprehensive review, we have made the financially prudent decision to halt further MAGMA development and operations. While the earlier stages delivered meaningful technical advancements, we have concluded the platform does not have a pathway to the operational or financial return requirements as previously outlined.”

“Through our ‘Best at Both’ operations strategy, as outlined at Investor Day, we believe we can drive significantly higher premium output at lower operating cost and capital intensity than MAGMA would have realized in the coming years. This decision aligns with our focus on driving competitiveness and economic profit. Accordingly, we intend to reconfigure our Bowling Green facility into a best-cost, premium-focused operation. We are confident this is the right path forward for our business, our customers, and our shareholders,” 

While the company's reported earnings declined year-over-year due to restructuring charges, adjusted earnings rose 20% compared to the second quarter of last year. It’s continued performance on Fit to Win initiatives to improve competitivity has more than offset macroeconomic softness in several markets.

Year-to-date, Fit to Win benefits have reached $145 million, reinforcing confidence in achieving or surpassing the ambitious goals with adjusted earnings increasing 60 to 90% over 2024.

O-I YouTube MAGNA presentation

PSR delivering net zero 

Parkinson Spencer Refractories received a "Delivering Decarbonisation 2025" award at the Ceramics UK Delivering Net Zero Conference.

The Delivering Decarbonisation Award, sponsored by ScottishPower, recognises the company's efforts to reduce emissions and manufacture ceramic refractories in a sustainable manner. PSR, being an energy-intensive business, has a number of ongoing projects and initiatives aimed at achieving our decarbonisation goals. This includes ‘Reducing Carbon Emissions in Refractory Production for the Foundation Industries’ project is being carried out in collaboration with Sheffield Hallam University funded by the Henry Royce Institute. This project, which concludes in the coming months, will further research into dopant additives to refractory compositions to lower the sintering temperatures and times for refractories, therefore reducing the energy required and potentially increasing our manufacturing capacity.

PSR have just recently started a Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnerships in collaboration with Aberystwyth University which will see a research associate based on site in Halifax over the following two years. The aim of the project is to develop an innovative computational platform incorporating machine learning (ML)/artificial intelligence (AI) techniques for the optimal loading of products in our kilns. The goal would be to significantly improve the loading efficiency of refractories inside the available space than currently used methods, thus maximising packing efficiency, thereby reducing the product carbon footprint of an energy-intensive industry. With product loading densities as low as 9%, there is thought to be huge potential for optimisation and therefore energy savings.

PSR are also a signatory on the Ceramics UK ‘Demonstrating Hydrogen in the Ceramics Sector’ project which aims to gain an understanding of the sintering of refractories and other ceramics using hydrogen and hydrogen/natural gas blends. This will see the company's refractories fired on the test kiln located at Glass Futures using combinations of Natural Gas and Hydrogen.

Ardagh launches its lightest glass wine bottle

Ardagh Glass Packaging-Europe has launched a new 300 g lightweight glass wine bottle for still wines that combines ultra-lightweight design with high strength and premium shelf appeal.

As the wine industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact, this bottle delivers on three critical fronts: material reduction, structural performance, and brand presentation. The 300 g 75 cl bottle is engineered to perform on high-speed filling lines, withstand supply chain handling and maintain the visual appeal expected of glass packaging, all while delivering a significant reduction in bottle weight.

“This is more than a lightweight bottle, it’s a complete packaging solution,” said Nick Witton, Sales Director at Ardagh Glass Packaging-UK. “We’ve developed a 300 g bottle that also delivers the strength and premium look that brands and consumers demand.”

This 300g bottle launch supports AGP’s commitment to driving innovation in sustainable packaging design, offering practical solutions to help wine producers meet ambitious sustainability targets.

O-I Glass validates early achievement of sustainability goals

With newly validated 2024 data, O-I Glass confirms it has achieved two of its most ambitious sustainability goals, six years ahead of schedule. Originally set for 2030, the company’s targets for renewable electricity and greenhouse gas emissions have already been met, underscoring the company’s momentum in sustainable glass manufacturing and its commitment to measurable progress.

O-I surpassed its renewable electricity goal by reaching 51% globally, well above the original 40% target. The company also reduced global Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 30%, exceeding its initial goal of a 25% reduction from the 2017 baseline. 

At O-I's Investor Day event in March, O-I announced enhanced sustainability goals for 2030, aligned with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C pathway: 
    47% reduction in GHG emissions  
    80% use of renewable electricity  
    60% average use of cullet (recycled glass)

These elevated targets reflect a continued drive to reduce environmental impact and deliver greater value to customers through sustainable innovation. 

"This accomplishment marks a pivotal moment for the company," says Chief Sustainability and Administrative Officer Randy Burns. "For more than 120 years, O-I has been a strategic partner to the biggest brands in the world. Even as O-I focuses on radically reducing costs, we’re raising the bar with updated sustainability targets for 2030, with 2019 as the baseline year." 

The new performance data is now available on the Sustainability Scorecard on O-I's website:
 https://www.o-i.com/sustainability/sustainability-report/

Hostomel plant restarts second furnace

At the beginning of June, Vetropack successfully started its second restored furnace (F83) at the Ukrainian production site in Hostomel near Kyiv. This marks another significant milestone in restoring the plant’s original production capacity.

The restart of Furnace F83 comes at a strategically important time. Demand for glass packaging in Ukraine grew by double digits in 2024, with similarly strong prospects for 2025 and the coming year. This move strengthens Vetropack’s market position both domestically and in neighbouring export markets such as Romania.

The Furnace had been severely damaged in the early weeks of the war. Over the past two years, the team on site has rebuilt the unit under extraordinary conditions: Large quantities of solidified residual glass had to be removed by hand, and the technology was restored piece by piece. Three years after the damage, operations are now resuming.

“The restart of F83 is a significant step towards normalisation and regaining our former market strength in the region,” said Johann Reiter, CEO of the Vetropack Group. “We are deeply grateful to our Ukrainian General Manager Pavel Prinko and his team for their outstanding commitment under extremely difficult circumstances.”

To mitigate ongoing risks related to the war, the Hostomel site has implemented comprehensive safety measures and invested in energy resilience. Three powerful emergency generators ensure continued operation even during power outages.

Ciner Glass announces changes in its investment plans for Blaenau Gwent

Ciner Glass has announced that it will not be proceeding with its plans for a new glass bottling facility in South Wales but is actively seeking alternative investment projects on the same site in Blaenau Gwent. The company is in discussions with the Welsh Government to purchase the site on the Rassau industrial estate.

Ciner Group remains fully committed to making long-term investments in the UK and South Wales and has already invested close to £20 million in the development of this project, through social enterprise initiatives, research and development grants with leading universities, and strategic partnerships with industry.

Mrs Didem Ciner, Chair of the Board of Ciner Glass, said: “We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to the UK and Welsh Governments, as well as members of Blaenau Gwent County Council, for the support and engagement shown throughout the development of this project. 

“We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to the people of Blaenau Gwent, who have warmly welcomed the Ciner family and company over the past three years. Their warmth and openness have left a lasting impression, and we remain deeply appreciative of the community’s support and committed to supporting local projects where possible.

“We value the strong working relationships we have built and look forward to continuing these lines of engagement as we share new plans for our investment in Wales in due course.”

The decision not to proceed with the initial plans follows an extensive review of the commercial viability of its previous scheme, which has shown significant changes in UK market demand.

There is also no impact on the Ciner family’s continued support for a range of community and sporting initiatives, locally and across Wales. These include Ebbw Vale Rugby Club and the Welsh Rugby Union’s Fit , Fed, Fun campaign.

New hybrid furnace for luxury glass packaging

Verescence and Fives, have entered into a strategic partnership to decarbonize glass production in France.

The project includes replacing an existing furnace with a new hybrid oxy-gas technology at Verescence’s Mers-les-Bains site. It will be the world's first glass hybrid furnace for cosmetics applications.

“This innovative project is part of Verescence’s ambitious decarbonization roadmap, which includes significant investments to electrify the technologies and industrial equipment used in our sites, notably our furnaces, feeders, and lehrs,” said Thomas Riou, CEO of Verescence.

“We are very proud to lead this major project at the Mers-les-Bains factory, the flagship site of our group. For our French operations, this marks a significant milestone, building on the actions undertaken by our teams since 2016 to reduce our CO₂ emissions by 70% by 2030,” added Hélène Marchand, General Manager France of Verescence.

Prium® Eco-Flex, a new hybrid furnace, will produce 150 tonnes of glass per day running on a combination of oxy-gas and electricity, replacing up to 80% of fossil fuels with electrical power. This configuration will drastically reduce carbon emissions while maintaining the production of high-quality glass.

The new furnace will be equipped with an H.R.A.™ (Heat Recovery Area) system, developed by Fives, which enables the recovery of heat from waste gas directly into the furnace. This solution increases the furnace’s energy efficiency by preheating the batch in a lowered superstructure section, leading to further efficiency gains.

“Our hybrid furnace technology is designed to help glassmakers achieve ambitious environmental targets. It brings together flexibility, efficiency, and lower emissions, facilitating a green transition without compromising on performance or glass quality,” says Alexandre Brusset, Vice President - Glass at Fives.

Pilkington UK opens new glass production line in St Helens

Pilkington United Kingdom has launched a new glass production line at its Greengate Works site in St Helens as part of a multi-million-pound investment to safeguard the future of rolled texture glass manufacturing in the UK.

The new rolled glass production line manufactures Pilkington UK’s Texture by Pilkington glass range, featuring 21 original designs and textures used for privacy and style in interior design. Production of the range moved to Greengate Works from nearby Watson Street Works.

Neil Syder, Managing Director of Pilkington UK, said: “Texture by Pilkington has been manufactured by our team in St Helens since 1852 and we’re proud to continue that legacy with this new rolled glass line. It represents a meaningful step forward, not just in securing the future of texture glass manufacturing, but in significantly lowering the carbon footprint of the range.

“Its construction was an incredible feat of engineering too. To build the new line, our team needed to break into the side of a live glass furnace, constructing a canal that takes glass away our current float line to the new rolled glass line in a separate building. This work now enables us to manufacture all our glass from one furnace, which saves us 15,000 tonnes of CO2e per year: the equivalent of taking over 8,800 cars off the road for a year.”

Investing in the new line supports Pilkington UK’s wider sustainability goals, which include a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2018 levels and achieving net zero by 2050. The upgrade received £3.7 million in funding through the UK government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF), which supports industrial decarbonisation efforts.

Vetropack prepares industrial-scale production of lightweight glass bottles

Vetropack Group aims to significantly increase the production of lightweight, thermally hardened glass bottles in Austria, starting in the second quarter of 2026. These bottles, produced using a method developed by the company, are increasingly being adopted as a particularly sustainable and reusable solution. The expert in specialised machine construction Iprotec is collaborating with Vetropack.

“The Board of Directors has approved the plan to significantly increase the production capacity of tempered lightweight glass bottles in Austria. This means that the financial resources for setting up an industrial plant are now available,” explains Guido Stebner, Chief Technical Officer at Vetropack. At its site in Pöchlarn, the company has spent several years to develop an innovative process that makes glass bottles extremely resistant through thermal hardening, while also reducing their weight. The thermally tempered bottles are up to 30% lighter than traditional reusable bottles and offer optimised performance. This makes them ideal for reuse, impressing in terms of sustainability, stability, and simplified logistics. At the beginning of last year, the Vetropack Group, together with the Austrian Brewers Association, presented the innovative 0.33-litre reusable bottle as a standard solution for the entire Austrian brewing industry.

Vetropack is currently preparing the infrastructure in Pöchlarn for the installation of a large-scale machine. The equipment is scheduled to go into operation in summer 2026. For the development, design and manufacture of the first industrial production plant, Vetropack is working closely with Iprotec, a global expert in specialised machine construction based in Zwiesel. “We expect a steadily rising demand for the popular lightweight glass bottles, which are currently being produced exclusively in Pöchlarn. In the medium to long term, it is conceivable that we will expand production to other sites using the same technology,” concludes Mr Stebner.

New Solar Array in Ottawa, USA

The new array, owned and operated by SolAmerica Energy, based out of Atlanta, GA, will provide energy to the facility for the next 15 years under a power purchase agreement.

The build is powered by over 5000 advanced thin film Series 7 solar modules manufactured by First Solar using NSG Group’s solar energy glass products.

NSG Group has several solar energy projects around the world. In North America, in addition to this newest solar array in Ottawa, there is a 0.25 MW solar array in Northwood, Ohio commissioned in February 2011 and a 1.4 MW solar array in Rossford, Ohio commissioned in April 2022.

In 2022, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) certified NSG Group's aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, compared to 2018 levels. This forms the basis of the business' plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This project is a part of NSG Group’s solar and energy savings projects.

Saint-Gobain to build a stone wool plant in the UK

Saint-Gobain has announced the launch of a new low-carbon stone wool insulation plant in the UK, which will be located on a site owned by the Group in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, and is expected to begin production in 2027.

The facility will initially produce 50,000 tonnes per year of high-performance stone wool insulation for the UK market with the potential to double its output to 100,000 tonnes per year. The new manufacturing facility will benefit from cutting-edge technology, including a fully electric furnace, powered by renewable electricity. This flagship investment will help customers reduce the embodied carbon of construction projects by lowering the CO₂ (scope 1 and 2) footprint of stone wool insulation1. It will help meet the country’s growing demand for both stone wool and low-carbon solutions.

This project is part of Saint-Gobain’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Verescence bought by consortium composed of Movendo Capital and Draycott

Stirling Square Capital Partners has sold Verescence to a consortium composed of Movendo Capital and Draycott. With 130 years of glassmaking know-how, the company is a privileged partner of the biggest brands in the beauty industry. It produces 600 million bottles per year in its four glass production sites and five finishing sites in Europe, North America and Asia, employing 2500 people worldwide.

“We are pleased to welcome new shareholders who support our strategy, investment plans and sustainability program, including our decarbonization roadmap. We are convinced that this project is positive for all our employees, our customers and our partners,” comments Thomas Riou, President of Verescence.

João Coelho Borges, Founding Partner of Draycott, and Pedro Pereira Gonçalves, CEO of Movendo, concluded: “We are delighted to acquire a global leader with a strong and experienced management team that is perfectly aligned with our value creation strategy. Verescence’s leading position in the industry aligns with our investment criteria in several key dimensions. By combining management’s expertise with our own, we aim for sustainable growth and value creation for all stakeholders.”

Movendo Capital is an investment company based in the Netherlands and operating in Europe and United States. Draycott is an emerging Portugal-based investment management firm, founded by a senior team with more than 20 years of experience in private investments.