Heinz-Glas launches €13 million furnace in Germany

Heinz-Glas management from left to right: Frank Martin, CFO; Carletta Heinz, CEO and Owner; and Michael Wagner, Global Director of Glass Production.

Heinz-Glas has inaugurated an all-electric glass melting furnace at its plant in Kleintettau, Germany.

The furnace was launched last week and will use CO₂-free electricity.

Construction costs amounted to approximately €13 million.

The project took approximately 14 weeks, starting with the draining and cooling the old furnace, followed by its demolition, rebuilding, and tempering.

The scale of the project can be illustrated by the amount of material moved:

• Within six days, 400 tons of refractory material - as well as 250 tons of glass, steel, and other materials - were demolished and removed.

• Within 30 days, 450 tons of fireproof material were transported and installed.

  
  

At a small inauguration ceremony, Heinz-Glas management thanked all participating departments and external companies for their work.

Carletta Heinz, CEO and Owner of the Heinz-Glas Group, said: “Building a new tank is always a major undertaking that can only be accomplished together.

“I am proud that we have successfully completed this project and that production with the new tank has already started.”

Rolf Schieder, former Professor of Practical Theology and Religious Education at the Humboldt University of Berlin, performed the ceremonial blessing of the furnace, which was christened “Josephine”.

Since 2024, all the Heinz-Glas Group's German production sites have used fully electric glass melting furnaces.

Website: Heinz Glas - HEINZ-GLAS