Vetropack Group aims to increase the production of lightweight, thermally hardened glass bottles in Pöchlarn, Austria late next year.
The thermally tempered bottles are a third lighter than traditional reusabe bottles and are produced using a method developed by Vetropack.
The Board of Directors has already approved the plan to increase the production capacity of the lightweight glass bottles in Austria.
This means that the financial resources for setting up an industrial plant are now available, said the company’s Chief Technical Officer Guido Stebner.
The company has spent several years a to develop a process that makes glass bottles resistant through thermal hardening, while also reducing their weight.
Vetropack is 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 with Iprotec, a specialised machine construction group based in Zwiesel.
“In the medium to long term, it is conceivable that we will expand production to other sites using the same technology,” added Mr Stebner.
At the beginning of last year, the Vetropack Group, together with the Austrian Brewers Association, presented the 0.33-litre reusable bottle as a standard solution for the entire Austrian brewing industry.
