Dr. Guido Stebner takes over chairmanship of the IGPR research organisation

24.01.2024: Dr. Guido Stebner assumed the role of Chairman of the International Partners in Glass Research (IPGR) at the beginning of the year. Dr. Stebner is Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the Vetropack Group, one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of glass packaging, and succeeds Vetropack CEO Johann Reiter in the IPGR. The research organisation is dedicated to enhancing the competitiveness of glass in the packaging industry through research and development programs and individual collaboration among its members. To achieve this goal, it promotes exchange and cooperation between the industry, universities, and public authorities.

"As an international research organisation, we consolidate the pre-competitive research and development activities of our members, addressing the pressing issues facing our industry, such as reducing CO2 emissions in the manufacture of our products," explains new IPGR Chairman Guido Stebner. "To this end, we work closely with academic institutions like RWTH Aachen University or the Montanuniversität in Leoben, as well as public authorities such as the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action and other globally active glass manufacturers."

The proximity to the research organisation's production plants is advantageous when implementing results on a larger scale that were obtained in the laboratory or during computer modelling. For instance, at the end of their service life, the melting furnaces at the Vetropack plant in Trezzano sul Naviglio (Italy) were used in a test programme known as the "No Soda Trial". During the ten-day large-scale industrial trial, the raw material mix was modified so it was no longer necessary to add sodium carbonate, which is one of the main sources of CO2 emissions. The researchers investigated the melting behaviour of the mixture and demonstrated the formability of bottles made from the soda-free melt.

At Vetropack's Innovation Centre in Pöchlarn (Austria), an industrial system for coating moulds has been established. The aim of the "Dry Glass Forming" project is to prevent the glass from sticking to the mould surface by selecting suitable coatings, thereby eliminating the need for manual or automated lubrication of the moulds. This approach would save mineral oil-based lubricants, offering advantages from both an ecological and an economic standpoint. The first coated moulds have already been used in the plants of IPGR members – with promising results.
Dr. Guido Stebner has been Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Vetropack Group for Engineering and Production since January 1st, 2021. He graduated from Clausthal University of Technology in 1991 with a degree in metallurgy and received his doctorate from RWTH Aachen University in 1997. He is looking forward to his new position. Founded in 1984, the IPGR has been based in Aachen since 2016.

About Vetropack Group

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 899.4 million in 2022. Vetropack has 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.

At Vetropack, we enable people to enjoy food and beverages as safely as possible by providing solutions that combine optimum elegance with maximum responsibility. We view glass as the most sustainable packaging solution – and the perfect material to ensure that food is packaged safely. Our holistic Service plus+ approach helps our customers to optimise their value chains and guarantee consumers' safety. Close, long-lasting relationships are the hallmarks of our collaboration with partners. Guided by our understanding of environmental responsibility and cost efficiency, we aim to minimise our carbon footprint throughout the supply chain, and we are committed to recycling as the key to optimising product life-cycles.