Hrastnik, 14 April 2026 – Steklarna Hrastnik has successfully restarted the oxy-fuel furnace following a partial refurbishment. This marks a gradual return of production capacity, strengthening the company’s operational stability. The restarted unit is the smaller of the two furnaces.
The furnace was temporarily shut down. During this period, a partial refurbishment was carried out to extend its service life and improve efficiency. Key technical upgrades were implemented to enhance reliability and increase both energy and operational efficiency.
The refurbishment extended the furnace’s lifetime by 4 to 5 years and increased the company’s melting capacity by approximately 120 tonnes per day. The refurbished 120-tonne oxy-fuel furnace is connected to four production lines.
“We upgraded our furnace in the last two or three months to extend its lifetime for about another five years. With that, we now have 120 tonnes more capacity available every day to serve our customers. That was the main driver for this activity, which helps us to grow further in the market,” said Christian Fröba, CEO of Steklarna Hrastnik and Vaider Group.
“This furnace is an oxy-fuel furnace, which means we are burning natural gas and oxygen, but we can also import high electric power, meaning we can melt electrically in the furnace. This investment or renovation was close to 1 million euros, which is an investment in our future and in the further growth of the company here in Slovenia.”
Fröba also highlighted key challenges: “With the start of the new furnace, of course, we need more energy, especially gas, natural gas, and electric energy. The challenging situation is with energy prices, especially in Slovenia, as the price for energy in Slovenia is very high. Here, we are in exchange with the government as well as the Chamber of Commerce, so that we get support for energy-intensive industries like ours in Slovenia, as our competition is doing in the rest of Europe. In order to drive our decarbonisation further, we need more low-cost green or CO2-free electric power to replace the gas consumption we have. This is possible with our current installations, but we need reasonable prices.”
The refurbishment was a technically demanding project involving both in-house teams and external contractors from across Europe.
“In March, at Steklarna Hrastnik, we carried out a cold repair of the glass furnace, with an intervention that was technically extremely demanding and involved both in-house teams and external contractors from across Europe,” explained Sašo Fekonja, Technical Director at Steklarna Hrastnik.
“The furnace refurbishment was carried out in three phases. First, the in-house teams prepared everything necessary to begin work on the furnace; then, external contractors joined us, who spent nearly three weeks repairing the furnace’s refractory materials, that is, the lining itself. This was followed by a two-week process of heating the furnace from room temperature up to 1,300 degrees. We then began inserting cullet, and after three days, we produced the first glass on the lines. The refurbished furnace is connected to four production lines.”
The first production batches were completed over the weekend, confirming the readiness of systems for stable operation. Currently, two lines are in operation, with the remaining capacity to be activated gradually.
The restart also brings increased demand for the workforce. “With the new furnace, of course, we need additional people to run these four lines. Currently, we have started only with two lines, and one of our biggest constraints is the availability of human resources. So we are now searching more or less all over Europe to find people to help us grow in that segment, and that’s a critical element for us at the moment,” added Fröba.
The project also has a broader regional impact. “The Municipality of Hrastnik and the Zasavje region are highly industrial areas. Steklarna Hrastnik is one of the industries that has been preserved through more than 165 years of tradition,” said Marko Funkl, Mayor of Hrastnik.
“I am glad that we have a factory like Steklarna Hrastnik here and that these are jobs people can rely on. I am extremely pleased that, after several months of a difficult situation, the glassworks managed to restart half of its production and intends to utilise its full capacity. As I said, more than 500 employees are of great importance for Hrastnik and the Zasavje region from an economic perspective. Municipalities and towns can develop if we have roads, if we have jobs, if we have infrastructure, meaning housing, so that workers have somewhere to live.”
Steklarna Hrastnik will continue to actively manage production capacity in line with market conditions and energy factors, while maintaining high standards of quality and supply reliability.
The restart of the furnace further strengthens the company’s operational resilience and creates conditions for continued growth in demanding international markets.
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About HRASTNIK1860 (Steklarna Hrastnik)
HRASTNIK1860 (Steklarna Hrastnik), part of the Vaider Group, has been a trusted global partner since 1860 in the development and production of premium speciality glass packaging for the most demanding beverage segments. The company produces technically complex products from some of the purest glass in the world and offers a comprehensive range of services, from concept development, design, engineering and production to graphic design, decoration and logistics support. Its approach is built on flexibility, responsiveness and delivering high-quality, tailored solutions.
About Vaider Group
Vaider Group, bringing together Steklarna Hrastnik and Vaider Srpska Fabrika Stakla, enables brands to create premium user experiences in glass packaging. The Group is recognised for its commitment to quality, sustainability and innovation. Operating across manufacturing, trading and services, Vaider Group is a reliable partner in the global glass industry.