Glass Packaging and Sustainability – Global Approach
Günter Lubitz, VetropackBülach, Switzerland
World Packaging Days 2012, Split, Croatia
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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
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
3. Sustainability at Vetropack
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
3.3.3. Lightweight Technology
Source: Emhart Glass
Goal: Weight reductions Benefits:
raw material savings energy savings CO2 reduction smaller carbon footprint
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
3.3.4.1. Hardglass Process
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
3.3.4.3. Drop Test
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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 ….
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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)
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Glass Packaging and Sustainability - Global Approach06.06.2012
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
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