We are extremely proud that, at this year’s Zasavje Innovation Awards 2026, Hrastnik1860 received two Gold Awards and one Silver Award for excellence in innovation.
This year’s event was particularly significant as it marked the 30th anniversary of the innovation movement, which originated in the Zasavje region and has since grown into one of Slovenia’s most important national programs for recognising innovation in business and industry.
Gold Award for UVive
A Gold Award was presented to UVive, a smart self-cleaning water bottle that combines advanced UV-C technology, sustainable design, and outstanding Slovenian engineering expertise. The innovation was developed through a collaboration between Hrastnik1860, Strip’s, and the National Institute of Chemistry.
Learn more about UVive: https://hrastnik1860.com/uvive/
Gold Award for Glass Furnace as a Thermal Energy Storage System
The second Gold Award, which has also advanced to the national level, was awarded to Glass Furnace as a Thermal Energy Storage System (i-STENTORE project). The project represents a significant step toward decarbonising the glass industry and developing more energy-efficient glass manufacturing processes. The innovation was developed through a collaboration between Hrastnik1860 and Comsensus.
Silver Award for Hydrogen-Assisted Glass Melting
A Silver Award was presented to the innovation Optimisation of the Glass Melting Process Using Hydrogen to Achieve up to a 60% Reduction in CO₂ Emissions. The project demonstrates our commitment to developing advanced technologies that reduce the environmental footprint of manufacturing. The innovation was developed through a collaboration between Hrastnik1860 and the National Institute of Chemistry.
This year’s event theme, “Innovations Create a Safe Future,” perfectly reflects the direction we are pursuing at Hrastnik1860, a member of the Vaider Group. The awarded projects demonstrate how the combination of industrial expertise, technology partners, and research institutions can deliver solutions that contribute to a more sustainable future while strengthening the competitiveness of Slovenian industry.
A key strength of all three award-winning innovations is the close collaboration between industry, technology partners, and research institutions, enabling the development of high-value solutions with global potential.
Congratulations to all members of the development teams and our partners on this outstanding achievement. The two Gold Awards and one Silver Award are the result of expertise, dedication, collaboration, and the courage to develop innovations that are shaping the future of the glass industry.
The success of these award-winning projects was made possible through the contributions of Natalija Virant, Tine Lah, Tanja Mudrinič, Sergej Vrtačnik, Nina Šalomon, Liza Marija Strnad, Klara Šparlek, Ana Varlec, Tilen Sever, Gorazd Krese, Tilen Varlec, Mateja Koritnik Žekar, Marjan Polak, Špela Polak, Lovro Kmet, Jaka Žagar, and Matic Peklar.
We are proud that our development activities have once again been recognized among the best in the region and that our innovations continue to contribute to sustainable development, technological progress, and the future of manufacturing.
