Vetropack enables people to enjoy food and beverages as safely as possible by providing solutions that combine optimum elegance with maximum responsibility. They view glass as the most sustainable packaging solution – and the perfect material to ensure that food is packaged safely. Their holistic Service plus+ approach helps customers to optimise their value chains and guarantee consumers’ safety.
Close, long-lasting relationships are the hallmarks of our collaboration with partners. Guided by their understanding of environmental responsibility and cost efficiency, the company aims to minimise their carbon footprint throughout the supply chain, and are committed to recycling as the key to optimising product life-cycles.
Vetropack Group is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of glass packaging for the food and beverage industry with around 4,000 employees and net revenues of CHF 816.5 million in 2021.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
VETROPACK: We have state-of-the-art production facilities as well as sales and distribution offices in Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Italy, the Republic of Moldova and Romania.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
VETROPACK: With Echovai, the Vetropack Group is launching a genuine innovation: the first returnable bottle made of tempered lightweight glass. Echovai boasts a weight reduction of up to 30 percent, greater stability and significantly less scuffing than on a standard bottle at the same time. The result: great cost-effectiveness and high circulation figures. Additionally, the next generation of returnable glass bottles also sets new standards in terms of sustainability and digitalisation.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
VETROPACK: No matter what food or drink you want to package – be it jam, mineral water, wine or beer – Vetropack offers around 2,500 different glass packaging designs, standard or customised, for your delicious products.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
VETROPACK: The packaging glass market is positive and demand for glass packaging remains high. However, the market is subject to increasingly negative effects due to inflation, the general cost trend and the related decrease in purchasing power.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
VETROPACK: Growing uncertainties regarding energy supplies (gas and electricity) are impacting the entire glass industry, making it difficult to foresee how sales will develop going forward.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2023?
VETROPACK: Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, we have been dealing with difficult and partially interrupted supply chains. Suppliers are suffering from supply bottlenecks and price increases. For the most part, they pass these on to their customers – including us. The situation in Ukraine has exacerbated the problem. The continuing high demand for glass packaging and the capacity reductions associated with the failure of the Ukrainian glass industry led in part to bottlenecks in meeting customer demand throughout Europe. We clarify the supply on a case-by-case basis individually with our customers. Dealing with customers and suppliers in a spirit of partnership is very important to the Vetropack Group, particularly in such a difficult situation.