Verallia’s Groundbreaking Hybrid Furnace: A Step Towards Sustainable Glass Production
PARIS, April 16, 2026 — In a significant stride towards sustainability, Verallia, Europe’s leading glass packaging producer and the world’s third-largest, has inaugurated its first hybrid furnace at its Zaragoza site in Spain. This innovative facility is a cornerstone of the Group’s decarbonisation strategy, aiming to cut CO₂ emissions by approximately 50%, with the potential to reach 60% depending on the energy mix.
Commitment to Decarbonisation
Verallia has long recognized the urgency of the climate crisis and has committed to decarbonising its operations. The company’s robust Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) roadmap has recently been validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), which confirms its ambitious Net Zero 2040 trajectory. The Group aims to reduce its CO₂ emissions (scopes 1 and 2) by 46.2% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, and by an impressive 90% by 2040. Notably, Verallia is the first global producer of glass packaging for beverages and food products to commit to such a long-term decarbonisation goal.
Diversified Low-Carbon Technologies
To achieve its sustainability goals, Verallia is deploying a diverse range of low-carbon melting technologies across its production facilities. This includes 100% electric furnaces in Cognac, France, traditional super-boosted furnaces in Chalon-sur-Saône, France, and oxy-fuel furnaces in Campo Bom, Brazil, and Pescia, Italy. The newly inaugurated hybrid furnace in Zaragoza, developed in collaboration with Sorg, represents a significant advancement in this portfolio, with a total investment of €63 million.
Technological Innovation for Efficiency
The Zaragoza hybrid furnace is a marvel of modern engineering, combining 70% renewable electricity with 30% natural gas or biofuel. This innovative approach not only reduces environmental impact but also ensures production reliability and industrial flexibility. With three production lines, the furnace can produce various glass colors, and at full capacity, the Zaragoza site—operating two furnaces—will ramp up production to 1.3 million containers per day. This positions Zaragoza as a key reference site on the Iberian Peninsula.
Leadership Insights
Patrice Lucas, Chief Executive Officer of the Verallia Group, emphasized the importance of this milestone: “The commissioning of our first hybrid furnace in Zaragoza represents a significant step in the decarbonisation of our processes, notably through the progressive electrification of glass melting. This milestone forms part of Verallia’s broader commitment to the decarbonisation of the glass packaging industry, through investments in technologies that prepare our entire value chain for more sustainable production models.”
Supporting Regional Growth
Beyond its environmental benefits, the hybrid furnace enhances Verallia’s capacity to meet the growing demands of the Spanish market, one of Europe’s most dynamic. The increased flexibility of the Zaragoza site will allow it to cater to the diverse needs of wine, spirits, and beverage producers, who are increasingly seeking lower-carbon solutions and resilient supply chains. By combining additional capacity with a more sustainable energy mix, Zaragoza is poised to become an even more strategic partner for both local and international brands.
Paulo Pinto, General Manager of Verallia Iberia, remarked, “This new hybrid furnace represents a major step forward for our operations in Spain, turning the Zaragoza plant into a relevant example of industrial electrification applied to the glass sector. It will enable us to support our customers with greater capacity, more flexibility, and solutions with a lower carbon footprint.”
The Zaragoza Plant: A Strategic Asset
Located in Cuarte de Huerva, the Zaragoza plant is one of Verallia’s seven production centers in Iberia and plays a crucial role in the Group’s industrial footprint. In addition to the hybrid furnace, the site has undergone significant upgrades to its electrical infrastructure and has installed a dedicated oxygen production unit to support the hybrid melting process.
Employing over 200 people, the Zaragoza plant’s recent developments have been recognized by the Government of Aragon as a project of regional interest, underscoring its economic and industrial significance. These advancements solidify Zaragoza’s position as a benchmark plant for hybrid and electrified technologies in the Iberian Peninsula.
About Verallia
Verallia is on a mission to re-imagine glass for a sustainable future. The company aims to redefine how glass is produced, reused, and recycled, striving to make it the world’s most sustainable packaging material. With nearly 11,000 employees and 35 glass production facilities across 12 countries, Verallia stands as the European leader and the world’s third-largest producer of glass packaging for beverages and food products.
In 2025, Verallia produced nearly 18 billion glass bottles and jars, generating revenue of €3.3 billion. The company’s CSR strategy has earned it the Platinum Ecovadis medal, placing it in the top 1% of assessed companies. Furthermore, the SBTi has validated Verallia’s long-term Net Zero 2040 target, aligning it with the 1.5°C climate trajectory set by the Paris Agreement.
Verallia is listed on compartment A of the regulated market of Euronext Paris (Ticker: VRLA – ISIN: FR0013447729) and is part of several indices, including CAC SBT 1.5°, SBF 120, CAC Mid 60, CAC Mid & Small, and CAC All-Tradable.
