Rezon: So light. So strong.

It was a breakthrough innovation after decades of research: In 2019, Vetropack launched the world’s first thermally strengthened lightweight glass bottle. Up to 30 percent lighter while delivering high durability and a long service life, the bottle quickly attracted strong market interest. More than 30 million bottles have since entered the market. With major players such as Heineken already adopting the lightweight glass bottle, Rezon has evolved from a pioneering innovation into a proven market solution. 

The story behind lightweight glass research stretches back almost a century. In the late 1930s, Emhart began researching ways to extend bottle lifespan. In 2011, Vetropack and Emhart Glass jointly launched the “Hard Glass” research project in Austria. From the outset, the ambition was to develop lightweight, reusable brown beer bottles suitable for industrial-scale production. To achieve this, researchers explored how the strengthening process for the bottles could be integrated directly into bottle manufacturing. At a later stage, Vetropack continued the project independently and invested heavily in further developing and scaling the technology. “In total, we have invested more than 20 million euros in 15 years”, says Commercial and Programme Director Armelle Dupont.

Heineken embraces Rezon 

The investment has paid off: In 2024, the lightweight bottle became the standard solution for the Austrian brewing industry. Leading beverage companies are moving quickly to benefit from the innovation: Brands such as Gösser, which is part of Heineken, and Rieder have implemented the bottles successfully – and their adoption proves to the European beverage market that lightweight, thermally strengthened glass is ready for large-scale use. Several awards, including the WorldStar Award, the Austrian State Prize for Smart Packaging, and the Swiss Packaging Award, confirm the performance of the technology. 

At drinktec 2025, Vetropack introduced the technology under the new brand name Rezon. The new name represents progress and captures the innovative and sustainable potential. Currently, Rezon is primarily designed for returnable systems, but the technology also creates future opportunities for selected single-use applications. By combining significantly reduced weight with the premium look and feel of glass, Rezon opens up new possibilities for beverage brands looking to differentiate themselves while improving sustainability performance.

Sustainability meets economic efficiency 

The reduced weight not only saves raw materials but also lowers transport costs and CO₂ emissions. Tests have shown that even after 40 cycles use, the thermally strengthened bottles demonstrate significantly greater internal pressure and impact resistance than standard bottles. Combined with reduced weight, this high number of use cycles substantially reduces resource consumption per use. As a result, beverage producers benefit from both improved sustainability and greater economic efficiency, reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO) across the entire life cycle of the bottle. Rezon also heralds the dawn of a new era of digital interconnection: Thanks to a specific data matrix code, Vetropack can precisely identify and trace every bottle, creating the foundation for enhanced traceability, data-driven optimisation and future circular packaging systems. 

Serial production on the horizon

With the launch of the Rezon brand, Vetropack has opened a new chapter in the history of lightweight glass. Preparations for serial production in Pöchlarn are now in full swing. The new Rezon production line is currently in the ramp up phase, while the infrastructure for industrial scale-up has been under development since March 2025. “We expect significant market growth over the next two years”, says Armelle Dupont. “The momentum in the market is clearly accelerating.” For early adopters, this is an opportunity to help shape the next generation of glass packaging before the wider market catches up.