Ekran completes 650 million modernisation programme

Siberian glass manufacturer Ekran has completed its 650RBL ($8.1 million) modernisation programme at its Novosibirsk plant, Russia.

Work started in March last year with a major cold glass furnace repair on its No 5 furnace, which resulted in an increase in production by 45 tons a day (255 to 300 tons per day) and an increased service life of five years.

In November last year it completed a full renovation of its No 2 furnace that resulted in a daily production increase from 100 to 180 tons and an extra eight to 10 years service life.

The plant expects to produce 447 million glass bottles in 2016.

Ekran General Director Pavel Bobosik said: “The investment will pay off in about five and a half years. Demand for our glassware is stable. The geography of product sales expanded in the Far East in 2015.”

He said that Novosibirsk’s favourable geographic location allows it to rapidly deliver vodka and beer bottles to Siberia and the Far Eastern districts of Russia, as well as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The plant employs more than 1,000 people.

The site produced more than 340 million container glass units in 2015, including 34 million made using Narrow Neck Press and Blow (NNPB) lightweight technology, which reduces the weight of the product by 20-25%. In comparison it produced 326.6 million glass container units in 2014 with 6 million of those made with NNPB technology.

Total glass production of its three glass furnaces is 1.4 million units of glass per day. Its furnace No 2 is equipped with one 8-section and two 6-section lines for the production of flint glass containers for alcoholic beverages, beer and cans with a capacity of less than one litre. Its furnace No 4, with a capacity of 100 tons of glass per day, is equipped with two 6-section lines for the production of flint glass containers and cans with a capacity of 1.5 to 3 litres.

Its furnace No 5 has three 10-section lines for the production of brown beer bottles. One of the lines uses NNPB technology. It is possible to reset the furnace to manufacture flint glass containers, depending on demand.

In early 2016 it will start a line from its furnace No 2 to produce coloured glass containers (blue, green, olive, brown, purple and pink) using a special feeder, glass forming technology and inspection machines. The company has invested 120 million Rbls ($1.5 million) and the capacity is expected to increase to 60 million coloured bottles a year.