Stölzle Flaconnage Ltd of Knottingley, West Yorkshire, is a member of the international Stölzle Glass Group (STO) with its headquarters in Austria. It joined STO in 1994, and specialises in producing high quality glass bottles for the Prestige Spirits and Beauty markets. Its decoration factory provides an extensive range of decoration techniques including screen printing, acid etching, dualline spraying, decaling and hot foil stamping. The glass factory commissioned a 150 ton multi-million pound new furnace in January 2010. ‘2009 was a difficult year for major investments to receive approval but in June the UK company were given the go-ahead for a new furnace,’ said Mark Devonald Smith, Group Sales Director for Perfumery and Personal Care. ‘Its construction was a logistical nightmare. All production had to be closed down and the opportunity was taken to incorporate that part of the factory into the site rebuild which is currently being undertaken. The new furnace is a major investment both for the company and for the surrounding area of West Yorkshire.’ The factory is equipped with 5 lines for cosmetic flint, including 2 lines for feeder colour, with 6/8 section machines, single/double gob. Its output is 140 tons a day, 100million pieces a year. It has BSI 90012 certification (corresponding to ISO 9001). The decoration factory has been undergoing a major multi-million pound investment programme over the last eighteen months. At the same time, the entire STO site has been upgraded and a visitor centre installed. The programme is due to be finalised in June 2010. Stölzle Flaconnage has gained a unique reputation as a one-stop-shop for the packaging glass required by the Prestige Spirits and Beauty industries, both custom design and standard ranges. It handles development and production as well as decoration and offers a variety of key components such as closures and labels.

In March of this year the international Stölzle Glass Group opened new sales offices both in France and in the USA. ‘These new offices strengthen our world-wide representation,’ said Johannes Schick, Chief Executive Officer of the Stölzle Glass Group. ‘They will enable our clients, both existing and prospective, for our Prestige and Beauty highend glass bottles to receive maximum support in their dealings with the group.’ Sales Director for Stolzle France SAS is Franck Legrand. He will work primarily in France but also cover Spain. With 20 years’ experience in both the development and sales sides for high-end Perfumery and Cosmetics, previously M. Legrand was Commercial and Development Director of Europe at Bormioli Rocco. Vice President Sales and Marketing for Stolzle Galss USA Inc is Xavier Adnet, who also comes with 20 years’ experience in the glass industry. Having started in tableware, in 1998 he moved into the Perfumery and Cosmetics side as Head of the London office for SGD, Saint Gobain Desjonquères, moving in 2001 to take charge of the US market for Bormioli Rocco. ‘My aim is to position Stölzle in the US in the high-end, luxury side of the Prestige and Beauty markets,’ said Xavier Adnet. ‘Stölzle offers clients three great advantages: Firstly, the Group currently operates four different glass factories, in Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom, each specialising in a different area, each bringing a particular technical expertise. Secondly, the UK factory has benefited from a recent programme of major investment. It is highly efficient and cost effective, and its high production output is combined with the largest capacity decoration facility in Europe. For the US, the fact that this factory is outside the Euro zone is also an advantage. Thirdly,’ continued Mr Adnet, ‘for American clients, Stölzle Glass USA should be seen as a local supplier. Our New Jersey warehouse will stock and ship direct to clients. A final advantage is that Stölzle Glass is part of CAG, a 1bn Euro group with around 5000 employees; Stölzle itself has around 1000. Other companies in the group provide plastic, aluminium and aerosol products, plus a filling facility. In addition to the Prestige and Beauty side of packaging glass, the Group also produces pharmaceutical and food glass containers and specialised tableware. Full details of the Group and its products are available on the new website.

For more information, contact:

• Mark Devonald Smith

• Stölzle Flaconnage Ltd.
• Weeland Road, Knottingley
• GB - West Yorkshire, WF11 8AP

• Sales Director Perfumery & Personal Care

• Phone: +44-1977-607-124
• Fax: +44-1977-670-320
• Mail: mark.devonald.smith@stoelzle.com

Source: Packaging Today
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