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O-I Glass has announced that it is investing €95 million into two of its glass packaging production facilities in France. Through the investment, the company aims to upgrade sustainability, flexibility and productivity at its Gironcourt-sur-Vraine and Reims operations, in line with its updated ESG roadmap and capital spending plan. In Gironcourt, €55 million will be invested to rebuild a furnace and equip it with Gas Oxy Advanced Technology (GOAT) technology in collaboration with a key customer. According to O-I, this method – previously applied last year at the O-I plant in Vayres, France – uses a blend of gas and oxygen for furnace heating. With the addition of a newly integrated heat recovery system to pre-heat raw materials and recycled glass, the new installation aims to cut CO2 emissions by up to 18%. Alongside the furnace upgrade, the plant will modernise a production line to enhance flexibility and capacity. Approximately 80% of the plant's raw materials consist of scrap and locally recycled glass, highlighting the circular and local aspects of glass packaging. In Reims, O-I completed a €40 million investment for an upgrade comprising the full renovation of one of the plant's two furnaces and a production line, along with the installation of new equipment. "On top of multiple operational benefits, this also resulted in an overall energy reduction of about 5%," said the company. Approximately 90% of the raw material at the Reims plant consists of scrap and locally recycled glass, significantly reducing CO2 emissions by around 60% and fine particle emissions by about 80%. Situated amid the Champagne vineyards, the O-I plant in Reims minimises delivery routes and reduces transit time to wineries. Using trucks powered by grapeseed and fryer oil, the plant achieves a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to diesel fuel, along with an approximately 80% decrease in fine particle emissions. The plant serves over 1,000 customers in France, producing bottles in three colours and sizes from 0.2 litres to magnum, totalling 300 million bottles per year for the Champagne, Burgundy, Loire Valley and Alsace markets. Walter Ferrer, managing director of O-I Glass for southwest Europe, said: "These very significant investments are perfectly in line with the global approach adopted by O-I to reinforce our commitment to sustainable development, increase the energy efficiency of our equipment, create more resilient supply chains and constantly seek to improve the working conditions of our teams. They also demonstrate the confidence we have in our facilities in France, and our full commitment to serving our customers, our teams, and the planet.”