Reducing its carbon emissions is a strong focus for Heinz Glas in the years to come, as illustrated by its recently launched Multigen offer of sustainable solutions. Investing in production is another priority and its new glassworks in China remains on schedule to begin production early 2022.
With a new generation at its helm—Carletta Heinz was named CEO of the the glassmaker in July—Heinz Glas says it aims to become “the most sustainable company” in its industry. In line with this, the company has introduced Multigen, a strategy that combines five sustainable solutions that can be mixed and matched to lower the environmental impact of its products.
• Multigen Air focuses on more environmentally friendly production processes, using electric driven glass furnaces and plastic production machinery;
• MultiGen Feather is about lightweighting, which will allow the company to offer a 67% lighter glass bottle than its standard model. Plans in this area include reducing the weight of its 100ml standard Style fragrance flacon by 130 grams;
• MultiGen Fire incorporates PCR and PIR cullet in glass production;
• MultiGen Rainbow concerns sustainable decoration processes and components, such as water-based coatings;
• MultiGen Circle is focused on offering more sustainable plastic solutions through the use of recycled materials or those derived from biomass.
Heinz Glas implemented a Life Cycle Assessment tool last year and is now able to offer CO2 neutral glass packaging, including finishing processes “for a small premium”.
Production investments, eye on China
Heinz Glas continues to invest in its production facilities. In 2019 it fired up a new furnace at its site in Poland and early 2021 it will start up production of an electric glass furnace at its Kleintettau headquarters in Germany.
Outside of Europe, progress on the glassworks in China continues apace. The company aims for production to begin in the country in the first quarter of 2022. The first stage in its China strategy will be to operate one furnace and three glass production lines, Heinz Glas COO Jörg Utsch told Formes de Luxe in an interview last year.
Regarding the health crisis, the glassmaker claims that covid has had a “less dramatic than expected impact” on the company thanks to its standards offer, which includes the acquisition of Saverglass’ perfumery portfolio in 2018. The effect of the crisis was also lessened as the group does not rely solely on perfumery—although it notes that this business is “starting to come back”—as it also serves the spirits market.
The group is targeting turnover of €329.1m in 2020, Heinz Glas and Heinz Plastics combined, up from €320m in 2019. The family-owned company invests around 14% of its turnover each year in R&D and production for both its glass and plastics segments.
