Ardagh Glass Packaging-Europe (AGP-Europe), an operating business of Ardagh Group, recently welcomed a delegation from the Japan Glass Bottle Association (JGBA) to two of its European production facilities, providing first-hand insights into the company’s pioneering decarbonisation technologies.
In Limmared, Sweden, the delegation visited AGP-Europe’s innovative onsite hydrogen electrolyser. Powered by renewable electricity, the system produces hydrogen for continuous use in the glass melting furnace—demonstrating how hydrogen can be blended with natural gas to create lower-carbon glass containers.
The visit continued in Obernkirchen, Germany, where the JGBA toured AGP-Europe’s groundbreaking NextGen Furnace. This world-first commercial-scale hybrid furnace harnesses renewable electricity to power 42 electrodes for direct electrical melting, significantly reducing CO₂ emissions while ensuring the highest standards of glass quality.
Through these visits, the JGBA gained valuable insights into how AGP-Europe’s hydrogen and hybrid furnace technologies are driving the decarbonisation of glass manufacturing. The exchange highlighted both organisations’ shared commitment to sustainable innovation, energy efficiency, and the long-term benefits of lower-carbon glass packaging.
Joris Goossens, R&D Project Manager at AGP-Europe, said:
“We were delighted to host the Japan Glass Bottle Association and share our progress in building a more sustainable future for glass packaging. These visits are essential to accelerate change and drive innovation in our industry.”
Mr. Iwamoto of the JGBA added:
“We were very impressed by Ardagh’s commitment to sustainable glass production. Experiencing these innovations in Sweden and Germany provided valuable insights into how advanced technologies can support the decarbonisation of our industry and will be highly beneficial to our sustainability journey in Japan.”