glass packaging and sustainability – global approach günter lubitz, vetropack bülach,...

Glass Packaging and Sustainability – Global Approach

Günter Lubitz, VetropackBülach, Switzerland

World Packaging Days 2012, Split, Croatia

| Slide 2© VETROPACKVetropack

Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012

Agenda

1. The Vetropack Group

2. Packaging Glass

3. Sustainability at Vetropack

3.1. Economical

3.2. Social

3.3. Ecological

3.3.1. Use of Cullet (recycled glass)

3.3.2. Batch (raw materials) and Cullet Preheating

3.3.3. Lightweight Technology

3.3.4. Hardglass

4. Summary



1. The Vetropack Group

7 plants 4.2 bn unit sales 589 m CHF gross revenue 59 m CHF annual profit 85 m CHF investments 2,971 employees

Bülach, Vetropack Holding Ltd Production Plants CH: St-Prex, Vetropack Ltd AT: Pöchlarn, Vetropack Austria GmbH Kremsmünster, Vetropack Austria GmbH CZ: Kyjov, Vetropack Moravia Glass, a.s. SK: Nemšová, Vetropack Nemšová, s.r.o. HR: Hum Na Sutli, Vetropack Straža d.d. UA: Gostomel, JSC Vetropack Gostomel



2. Packaging Glass

Packiging Cooling zone

Furnace

Modeling containers in IS-

mashine

Row materials

Mix preparationMelting into fluid glass

Feeder

Hot zone

Quality controll equipement

Packiging materials

Made from natural and abundant raw materials Environmentally safe and 100% unlimited recyclability Pure, inert, gas-tight ultimate preservation of filled goods

Flow chart of production process



3. Sustainability at Vetropack



3.1. Economical

Sustainability and long-term economic success are interdependent

Family company with long-term success before short-term profit maximization

3.2. Social

Socially committed – from the beginning

Comprehensive health and safety regulations

Meeting employees’ social requirements – irrespective of location



3.3. Ecological

Manufacturing Process – taking responsibility for our environment

Use of cullet (recycled)

Batch (raw materials) and cullet preheating

Product – taking responsibility for the product and its quality

Lightweight technology

Hardglass



3.3.1. Recycling Rates in Europe – 2010

Benefits of cullet use - 2.4% less energy per 10% cullet increase - 5.5% less CO2 per 10% cullet increase

Effect for Europe - More than 12m tons of raw materials conserved - More than 7m tons of CO2 avoided

Average cullet use of Vetropack Group is 60%

Source: FEVE



3.3.2. Batch and Cullet Preheating

Goal: Waste heat from flue gases to preheat raw materials and cullet

Flexibility regarding cullet ratios (15 – 90% in trials)

Benefits: Preheater works with batch/cullet ratio of only 14% A full-scale preheater will result in up to 15% energy savings

Energy input 100%

Wall losses 22%Energy in flue gas 30%

Energy in glass 48%

Scource: Horn

Source: Zippe



3.3.3. Lightweight Technology

Source: Emhart Glass

Goal: Weight reductions Benefits:

raw material savings energy savings CO2 reduction smaller carbon footprint



3.3.3.1. Weight Reduction of Wine & Beer Bottles

100cl Bordeaux 75cl Bordeaux

–16% to 420g –13% to 350g

33cl Beer

–13% to 165g

33cl Beer

–10% to 185g



3.3.4. Hardglass – Goals and Process

De-palletizer BottleSpacer

Lehr Hard GlassMachine

CoolingConveyors

Cold EndCoatingStacker

Hard GlassInspection FlexInspect

Goal – to produce a more robust and/or a lighter bottle Hardglass – a process to thermally strengthen glass containers Post process – bottles are heated to 615°C – 650°C Bottles are lifted from the lehr belt and placed into cooling shrouds Air enters the shrouds to cool the external surface and air enters through a tube to cool the internal surface Glass surface compression stress is generated inside and outside Tensile stress is generated within the glass



3.3.4.1. Hardglass Process



3.3.4.2. What Does It All Mean?

Improvement of mechanical and thermal properties of glass containers

Typical test results 31% increase in average internal pressure resistance 35% increase in average impact strength significant improvement

in line simulation in drop test in vertical load in thermal shock

200ml130g

m



3.3.4.3. Drop Test



3.3.4.4. Drop Test Results – Long Neck Beer Bottle

Filled Drop Results - 209 Gram Beer made on 11/17/2009

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Drop Height (m)

Nu

mb

er

of

Su

rviv

ors

(o

ut

of

40

sa

mp

les

pe

r h

eig

ht) Annealed Pass

Tempered Pass

Annealed Pass 20 3 2 0 0

Tempered Pass 39 26 17 16 8

1 2 3 4 5 61.5 2 2.5 3 3.5



3.3.4.5. Potential for Weight Reduction

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1'000 1'100

Inhalt in ml

Gew

ich

t in

g

Light Weight

Standard Weight

Ultra Light Weight

Est. Min. HG Weight



3.3.4.6. Benefits for End Consumers and Bottlers

More robust packaging glass

Fewer filling line breakages expected

Possibilities for optimizing packaging, e.g. no cardboard separators

Possibilities for reducing weight of returnable non-returnable bottles

Perhaps non-returnable bottles could be used as returnable bottles (?)

Smaller carbon footprint through weight reduction

Leveraging drop test results – use of packaging glass in stadiums, vending machines, bars and restaurants, homes ….



3.3.4.7. Realization and Commercialization

Market launch as joint project between &

Installation of most flexible Hardglass post process

48 bottle-per-minute line to be installed at Pöchlarn, Austria- 2.0 million/month

Ware range - 100 to 1,000ml- 50 to 95mm diameter - 100 to 320mm height under finish

Production start early 2013

Strong interest from Vetropack’s key accounts

2013 & 2014 - Design and build higher-capacity version (≥ 250 bpm) for in-process production (after forming machine)



4. Summary

Glass Packaging is inert, gas-tight, and ensures taste preservation

It is environmentally friendly with 100% unlimited recyclability

Packaging glass industry has a global sustainability approach

Sustainability covers economical, social and ecological aspects

Use of cullet saves energy and reduces CO2 emissions

Batch and cullet preheating improves energy efficiency for melting

Lightweight technology helps to conserve raw materials and energy

Hardglass is an innovative approach to produce a more robust and lighter glass packaging and improve its carbon footprint

Container glass is the sustainable packaging material

glass packaging and sustainability – global approach günter lubitz, vetropack bülach,...

Documents

vetropack slide

vetropack blach

vetropack nemov

vetropack straa

vetropack moravia glass

packaging glass

jsc vetropack gostomel

location slide