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Two years later, Heinz-Glas designed
a superb bottle for Vera Wang’s new
fragrance with use of a fully automatic
process. “This flacon was supposedly
only feasible through a semi-automatic
process,” explains Ulrich Nebe, “in which
we were able to produce it on a fully
automatic machine.” Then proceeded
Thierry Mugler’s Cologne... and at this
time the list was only beginning.
Three different bottles on the same
line at the same time!
“But to achieve this and, try to go even
further, just taking risks commercially
or technically speaking was still not
enough,” underlines Ulrich Nebe. “It
was also necessary to rethink the way
things were done, even if we had to
upset some given ideas.” Thus, at his
instigation, engineers developed a new
patented process which allowed to
produce on a single line totally different
bottles in weights and geometries. It was
a technique implemented using single
and double glob machines. “On our
three sites we can produce, if necessary,
up to three references with a difference
in glass weight of up to 50 grams, using
simultaneously blow-blow and pressblow
processes”, explains Ulrich Nebe.
The benefits of using such advanced
technologies were obviously abundant.
First of all, the adjustments on the
production line were improved. The line
would never be completely stopped.
The changes in schedule were easier
to manage and were of no major consequence
for current productions. The
loading of an extra bottle on the line could
quickly be implemented. This benefits
the plants in terms of responsiveness
and flexibility and enables them to
cope more easily with future changes in
market forecasts. Inventory management
is directly optimized. “We produce the
fair quantities,” insists Ulrich Nebe.
“So we have less stock and/or more
provisional stock. We are getting closer
to lean inventory management.”
The minimum production time for one
article is logically a day’s production.
“And that’s where the customer benefit
concept takes its full value. Since a day’s
production with two or three sections
represents less than half the daily
output of the line. Furthermore, it is
common knowledge that on a line with
8 single-format sections, the minimum
required to start production is
60,000 pieces. With our method,
the minimum required production
falls to 25,000 pieces (But don’t
forget the set-up times which remain
proportional!). At customer request,
we can also produce small quantities.
A big asset when initiating a launch
for a new bottle by an emerging
brand, for a market testing, for
additional orders, for out of schedule
emergency orders, for the production
of limited series with appropriate
quality levels and finally to maintain
flacons on the market at the end of
their shelf life!”, clarifies Ulrich Nebe.
Mastering the whole decoration
process: “The key to modern
glass making!”
In the early 2000s, decoration process
was the other important decision
made by the Heinz management.
Here too, Heinz-Glas, “will be up
to the challenge regarding finishes
and all types of decoration... nothing
more, nothing less!” And no less
than fifteen million Euros would
be invested over next ten years into
acid etching, screen printing, hot
stamping, water based lacquering,
metallization and more importantly,
tampon printing. The Heinz Group
would provide itself with the means
to succeed, by investing in a brand
new lacquering unit in Kleintettau
(four lacquering lines, with a capacity
of 120 million pieces per year, and
two metallization workshops), by
highly specializing their Czech
plant, in parallel heavily investing in
both Polish and Chinese plants, and
currently in the Peruvian plant. “Today
in the glass making industry, the key
at all levels of production remains
flexible and decoration processing
is one of its most important links.”
On top of this proactive approach
stands tampon printing. “It is true
that this technique is absolutely
fantastic,” explains Ulrich Nebe.
“It allows to deboss decorations,
emboss decorations and multi-facet
decorations. And we have invested a
lot, particularly in multi-pass tampon
printing with rotating flacons on the
production line, high-precision four
colour tampon printing and tampon
printing on precious metals which is
new in perfumery.”
The latest reference resulting from this
technological mastery in tampon
printing, is the “Opium” perfume
flacon for Yves Saint Laurent.
Think tank
Is it still possible to really innovate
in glass, an ancient material? “Yes,
ten times yes!”, insists Ulrich
Nebe. “And we are proving it every
day! The challenges are huge and
constant. It is also often a question
of knowing the tricks.” “For example,
‘Perbuseal’, a process we developed
over the past four years for coating
the surface lip of a cream jar. This
technology was selected, among
other products by the Beiersdorf
Group. The research cost amounted
to half a million Euros. This technical
neutral glass is associated with an
organic oil which is burned without
leaving any residue after the sintering
process. This layer of sintered glass
is securely attached to the lip of the
ring and eliminates the appearance
of hygroscopic leaching. The defined
roughness of the surface coating is
also very important. The strength
and sealing temperature helps to
adjust the strength and gesture for
the type of opening required.”
“Flexibility” is Key
Are flexibility and constant heaviness
in the glass industry compatible?
“This is all the paradox,” says
Ulrich Nebe. “But the success of
our business development and
sustainability consists precisely in
solving this equation. This is what
has guided us to the adjustment of
the manufacturing process with three
different types of bottles on the same
line. It is also the same approach for
finishing lines. It should also be the
same approach for the production of
glass itself in order to have sufficient
capacities available (not to say
„well above“ a classical industrial
logic) in „tons of glass“ to be able
to react immediately if the market is
suddenly on the rise.”
But for the Heinz-Glas Group,
„flexibility“ is also within the
workforce and its ability to adapt to
events.
HEINZGLAS KLEINTETTAU
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