Reducing the weight of the glass bottles will reduce the amount of raw materials and energy used in the glass melting process and the rate of emissions in the production and transportation processes
Three parties that specialize in sustainable solutions for the glass industry are coming together in cooperation to develop an innovative technology that will improve the strength of the glass bottles and thus reduce their weight significantly. Dassault Systèmes, Ardagh and EXXERGY Group will soon begin experiments with 'virtual twins' of Diageo's iconic Johnnie Walker bottle in January 2022 in order to research and develop a coating that will allow the glass bottle to be lightweight without compromising its strength and shape - a first-of-its-kind solution in the industry.
The virtual experiment will lead to sustainable innovations based on scientific research that will make it possible to reduce the time and cost needed to test glass products, while reducing the amount of raw materials and energy used in the process. A virtual twin is a real-time digital representation of a product or process used to visualize, illustrate and predict innovations before any physical experiments are performed. The experiment will investigate and develop a new outer coating for the glass bottle that will reduce the amount of microscopic cracks on the surface of the glass, which in turn will allow the glass to be much lighter while maintaining its strength. The lightweight glass bottle will maintain 100% compliance with recycling and if the virtual experiment is successful, will undergo a product test for glass bottles starting in the summer of 2022.
The Ardagh Group, a leading international supplier of sustainable packaging solutions, will team up with EXXERGY, an international consulting company operating in the recycling and glass industries, to research and develop the coatings for the leading international beverage producer, Diageo, the producer of Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff and Gordon's Gin. Dassault Systèmes will provide research services through BIOVIA applications developed by Dassault Systèmes. These solutions will enable the creation of a virtual twin of the coatings at the nano level that will simulate their interaction on the surface of the glass and test their effectiveness.
John Sadlier, Chief Sustainability Officer at Ardagh Group, commented on the upcoming product development: "A group ardagh has always been a pioneer in the industry when it comes to the light weight of glass products and as a leading international supplier of infinitely recyclable and sustainable metal and glass packaging, we have a responsibility to respond to the sustainability challenges we all face. Together with our customers and partners along the supply chain, we are eager to explore the potential inherent in digitization that will allow us to drive innovative weight reduction solutions".
Reducing the weight of the glass is one of the solutions to reduce the rate of carbon dioxide emissions in the glass industry and carbon emissions will be reduced both in the production of the bottle and in the transportation of the finished products. If this collaboration succeeds, it will be a significant breakthrough for the virtual twin technology in terms of promoting sustainability goals in the glass industry and will enable zero carbon emission processes in the entire industry.
"There is a growing urgency to change our modes of production and consumption. We must rethink everything and dare to imagine the most daring initiatives to promote sustainability", said Florence Wertzlan, Senior Vice President, Industry, Marketing and Sustainability, Dassault Systèmes." Using Dassault Systèmes' virtual twin technology, companies can design and simulate innovative sustainable materials, products and processes in a revolutionary way and in record times. For the first time, they will maintain high quality and be sustainable at the same time."
At Diageo, sustainability and sustainable packaging in particular are top priorities. We are excited to take part in this pioneering experiment that embraces the principles of Diageo's Sustainable Solutions Platform which promotes innovation and collaboration to develop scientific solutions to impact climate change. We have committed in our Society 2030 strategy to achieve carbon emission neutrality in all aspects of our operations by 2050 at the latest. If this experiment is successful, it is a big step towards this achievement", said Lucy Fishwick, Head of Procurement, Grain to Glass Sustainability, Diageo.
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