Verallia has inaugurated a hybrid glass furnace at its Zaragoza, Spain facility.
The Zaragoza hybrid furnace project was launched in 2022 and developed with Sorg in a €63 million investment.
The hybrid furnace combines 70% renewable electricity with 30% natural gas or biofuel, which enables a reduction in environmental impact while ensuring production reliability and industrial flexibility.
With three production lines, the furnace offers operational agility and can produce different glass colours.
At full capacity, the Zaragoza site – which operates two furnaces – will increase its production to 1.3 million containers per day.
Verallia CEO Patrice Lucas said: “The commissioning of our first hybrid furnace in Zaragoza represents a significant step in the decarbonisation of our processes, notably through the progressive electrification of glass melting.
"This milestone forms part of Verallia’s broader commitment to the decarbonisation of the glass packaging industry, through investments in technologies that prepare our entire value chain for more sustainable production models.”
Paulo Pinto, General Manager of Verallia Iberia, said the hybrid furnace will enable the company to support customers with greater capacity, more flexibility and solutions with a lower carbon footprint.
"This investment reflects our commitment to the Iberian region and our determination to offer more sustainable production while maintaining the quality and service standards that make Verallia a trusted partner in Spain.”
Located in Cuarte de Huerva, the Zaragoza plant is one of Verallia’s seven production centres in Iberia.
In addition to the commissioning of the hybrid furnace, the site has undergone an upgrade of its electrical infrastructure and the installation of a dedicated oxygen production unit to support the hybrid melting process.
The Zaragoza plant employs more than 200 people, and the investment carried out on the site has been recognised by the Government of Aragon as a project of regional interest.
Group strategy
This new furnace marks a milestone in the group’s decarbonisation strategy and will reduce CO₂ (scope 1 and 2) emissions by around 50%, with potential to reach 60% depending on the energy mix.
In response to the climate emergency, Verallia aims to reduce its CO₂ emissions (scopes 1 and 2) by 46.2% by 2030 compared with 2019, and by 90% by 2040.
Verallia is the first global producer of glass packaging for beverages and food products to commit to this trajectory for 2040.
Its network of plants include a 100% electric furnace at Cognac, France, traditional super‑boosted furnace in Chalon‑sur‑Saône, France, and oxy‑fuel furnaces in Campo Bom, Brazil, and Pescia, Italy, as well as the hybrid furnace in Zaragoza with a second planned for Saint‑Romain‑le‑Puy, France.
