Vetropack resumes production in Ukraine

With the resumption of production, the location now equipped for possible new crisis scenarios. After just over a year, the production of glass packaging at Vetropack's Ukrainian plant PrJSC Gostomel near Kiev is up and running again. The first furnace is being brought up to temperature and filled, and it is expected that The first new glass is produced in June.

Vetropack initially takes the production of flint glass for food and beverages again, as this is where the company sees the greatest demand.

„The domestic market is slowly recovering and many companies are resuming production. We expect demand for glass packaging for food and beverages to increase by around seven per cent in 2023 compared to 2022, which corresponds to our production capacity.“

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Pavel Prinko, General Manager of the Ukraine and Republic of Moldova Division 

The second furnace is due to be heated up soon. The priority for the resumption of operations is to protect the workforce. The site is also prepared for all possible emergency scenarios. Vetropack has developed various technical scenarios to ensure the energy supply in the event of a power failure. The company has rebuilt the electrical distribution system and installed additional generators. Appropriate emergency plans have also been drawn up for possible interruptions to the gas supply.

Until the outbreak of the war, Vetropack produced a wide range of glass packaging at the Ukrainian site with three furnaces and eight production lines. However, the company had to cease production on 24 February 2022 for safety reasons. A short time later, the plant was severely damaged - one of the three melting furnaces was irreparably destroyed. As a result of this damage, the company was forced to cut around two thirds of the 600 jobs at the site. Vetropack has now hired 139 employees - mainly former employees of the plant, to resume production.