Sisecam has completed an $18.2 million investment at its Mersin glass packaging plant in Turkey.

It has commissioned an 80,000 tonnes a year furnace at the site, which is equipped with Industry 4.0 compliant technology. The capacity expansion means the company’s glass packaging production in Turkey has increased to 1.3 million tonnes a year.

 In a statement, Prof. Ahmet Kırman, Şişecam Group Vice Chairman and CEO, said the  furnace investment at the plant was an indicator of the group's confidence in Turkey's future.

“Being Turkey’s largest glass packaging manufacturer, in 2017, our Group carried its production capacity in Turkey over 1 million tonnes with an investment of $33 million at Mersin Glass Packaging Plant.  “In 2018, we raised our capacity to 1.2 million tonnes with the fourth furnace commissioned at Eskisehir Glass Packaging Plant with an investment of $66 million. 

“In the last three years, we have increased our glass packaging capacity in Turkey by 30% to the level of 1.3 million tons with new furnace and capacity increasing investments.” The group has 12 furnaces in total in its three glass packaging facilities in Bursa, Eskişehir and Mersin, Turkey.

The Mersin plant is focused on exports due to its proximity to a port and is focused on the European and American markets. Şişecam Glass Packaging exceeded 100,000 tonnes of exports for the first time in 2016 with 125,000 tonnes of overseas sales, and it reached 170,000 tons of export volume in 2018. It is a supplier to numerous multi-national companies and aims to expand its customer portfolio. It also plays a major role in meeting Turkey’s domestic demand for glass packaging.