Emhart Glass named as O-I preferred supplier

Emhart Glass and Owens-Illinois (O-I) have signed an agreement naming Emhart as O-I’s preferred supplier of glass-forming machinery and equipment to all of O-I’s plants around the world.

Under the agreement, Emhart Glass will supply machines, equipment and components used in the glass-container-forming process, as well as related spare parts. A dedicated joint engineering team will be formed to further enhance and develop the glass-forming equipment in line with O-I’s requirements.

O-I says it selected Emhart Glass due to the company’s extensive technical skills, global presence and state-of-the-art production facilities in Europe, the US and Asia. Its research centre in Windsor, Connecticut, further strengthened the company’s profile.

Both companies expect to benefit from the agreement. Emhart will increase its production and the capacity utilisation of its European and Asian facilities, while O-I will obtain machinery and equipment at favourable costs and will no longer need to maintain the infrastructure for in-house machine manufacturing.

Emhart expects the agreement will boost its annual sales by 50 million Swiss Francs, with full effects felt from 2015 onwards.