To be globally operational

Jean-Yves Bourgeois, with the support of Kerstin Lötzerich-Bernhard

14 October 2010

Heinz group’s managers are convinced that the company’s success necessarily implies the ability to supply and guarantee its technical and technological competence in all major fields of operations worldwide.

Five glassmaking units

Hence the setting up, in recent years of a double network, industrial and commercial, matching the new realities of a globalized world. “We must be a key supplier for large international accounts, insists Thomas Kneitz, Chief Marketing and Sales, while serving efficiently medium-sized businesses."

As for the industrial part, we must bear in mind that Heinz Glas currently owns five glass factories: two in Germany (Kleintettau and Piesau), one in Poland (Dzialdowo), one in Peru (Heinz Ferrand Glas) and one in China (3 star Hangzhou Sanxing Craftworks Glass Co. Ltd.). There are also fully dedicated decoration units in Germany and Czech Republic (four lacquering lines, with a capacity of 120 million units per year, twelve automatic screen printing lines, two CNC screen printing lines, two pad printing lines, two lines for glass etching and two metallization workshops). A number of tools capable of producing about 1.5 billion bottles and jars annually with the use of nine furnaces and 30 production lines.

Peru and China: Two major operations successfully undertaken

“Both of Heinz Glas acquisitions, namely China and Peru may also be put forward," underlines Francis Dujardin, Sales and Operations General Manager. "Both have reached an excellent level of quality. Each of them will benefit from large investments in the coming two years with the opening of a new furnace in both China and Peru."

Plastic too

As for the "plastic" part (500 people, 60 million euros in turnover) it comprises a total of five production sites in Germany, Poland, China and since 2008 in Switzerland with the takeover of Ganahl near Zurich and in the USA with the acquisition of a small production unit.

"But to act successfully on the international parquet," reminds Kneitz, "it is obviously mandatory to have a very good knowledge of our customer markets and in particular to carefully analyse and target their needs. Each customer sets great value upon diverse and various priorities of his own. It is also very important to understand one another very well and to start with, speak the same language."