GW: What was the purpose of the recent financial restructuring at Stoelzle Masnières Parfumerie? Following capital injection, how well-positioned is the business to meet the needs of your customers now and in the future?

The financial restructuring fits into the context of the global situation in recent years, mainly driven by the crisis following the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020 and sharp increases in energy prices starting from the end of 2021. The situation negatively impacted Stoelzle Masnières, which completed an important investment with the construction of a new furnace and related production lines in that period of time. External financial support allowed for an injection of liquidity on one hand and renegotiation of debt on the other; this consolidated its financial situation guaranteeing growth and development plans defined for next few years.

GW: As General Manager of Stoelzle Masnières Parfumerie, what are your new responsibilities? And with Stoelzle Masnières Decoration?

Stoelzle Masnières Parfumerie has a strong position in the market for perfumery and cosmetics. The goal is to continue to grow rapidly in this extremely complex and dynamic sector, ensuring that production times are ever shorter and supply chains are secure, while maintaining superior quality. Our Decoration unit is strategically important in ensuring flexibility and speed both in product development and production. Innovation in decoration materials, processes, as well as additional technologies and capacity will be our top priorities.

GW: How beneficial to your current role is your significant experience in the glass industry and with Stoelzle?

The design and production of high-end glass containers for the perfume and cosmetics industry is a complex and fascinating process. It starts with the creation of prototypes, which often pushes the limits of glass processing, followed by development processes and finally production. I bring in more than 15 years of experience in the glass industry in different businesses from consumer, food and beverage, pharmaceutical primary packaging. In the last months we have already strengthened our operations as part of our transformation programme.

GW: How would you describe prevailing market conditions in the perfumery and cosmetics sectors served? And what are the forecasts for the next 12 months?

Fortunately, the market has recovered from the Covid-19 crisis. The perfumery and cosmetics market is very dynamic and demand [is] very strong, with markets such as North America pulling in perfumery. We have not seen any slowdown in our clients’ activities. For 2023, our production lines are already completely booked and we are looking forward to some great new product launches.

GW: In your opinion, what have been the key achievements for Stoelzle Masnières in recent years?

Our Masnières site has a long history and experience in the manufacturing and decoration of high-end perfumery and cosmetics bottles. We are proud of having expanded our production capacity with a new and bigger flint furnace including an extra manufacturing line, while having upgraded the technologies.

In recent times, our most significant achievement is the realisation of the refillable Dries Van Noten perfume bottles [for the fashion brand’s debut fragrance range], which are inspired by the designer’s iconic style. This range of 10 perfume bottles allows us to show[case] our know-how and the possibilities we can offer both in terms of glass production and decoration. These bottles have been recognised by internationally-renowned packaging awards, such as the Formes de Luxe Awards, Cosmétiquemag Awards & PCD innovation Awards.

GW: How has the Masnières factory benefitted from the introduction of a new furnace and fifth line in 2021?

The 2020 investment has been the basis for fulfilling our plan to serve the French markets with high-end spirits bottles in a steadily growing demand of premium quality containers. We increased our production capacity by more than 30% as well as the level of automation and quality control in order to guarantee the highest quality of our products, taking advantage of our new 10-section-line.

GW: What are the highlights of other upgrades into the production facilities and what is the investment strategy moving forward?

Our business strategy for the next five years focuses on four pillars:

• Sustainability. Increase the use of both sustainable materials and improve all our processes.
• Improve production technologies to [develop] higher and more sophisticated solution[s] in order to address [… ever-] more challenging market demand.
• Increase product quality even further via customised quality-inspection machines in order to detect even the most challenging defects.
• Increase the level of automation in handling and packaging phases.

GW: Does sustainability remain the focus and the driver for your innovations?

Sustainability is inherent in all the choices we make today, from product design to manufacturing processes. There is not a single investment or technical choice that does not pass through a sustainability maximisation evaluation.

Our latest innovations and launches show clearly our strong focus on sustainability:

• Quali Glass Coat: a powder coating, which saves 77% of CO2 emissions compared to spraying.
• Tigital: a decoration technique which saves up to 85% of CO2 emissions.
• Recycled ink: a black ink made from old, recycled tyres.
• Le Perpétuel: a refillable jar.

When it comes to new product developments, our expert NPD team searches for the most sustainable solutions. This comprises the reduction of glass weight, for example, or the use of new, sustainable decoration options, as previously mentioned.

GW: Overall, how well do your operations sit within Stoelzle Glass Group’s overall sustainability strategy?

Stoelzle Masnières is adhering completely to the Stoelzle Group’s sustainability strategy. Glass packaging is made from 100% natural raw materials and is inert, what means that the bottle itself does not compromise the content.

On a group level, our Stoelzle R&D teams are dedicated to finding energy-saving and CO2-reducing solutions in all areas of production and decoration. This includes optimising the batch, the melting process and all technologies used at the hot end and cold end of glass production. Ongoing investment in sustainable technologies and processes is a firmly integrated part of the Glass Group’s CSR strategy, aimed at reducing CO2 emissions by 50% by 2030, and being CO2-neutral by 2050.

GW: What can you tell us about the Perpétuel refillable jar launched last year?

The Perpétuel fits perfectly in our strategy to make glass production constantly more sustainable. In July 2022, Stoelzle Glass Group, in partnership with Technicaps, launched ‘Le Perpétuel’, a new generation of refillable jar, comprising a glass jar, a replaceable polypropylene (PP) cup – that contains the product – and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) cap. Le Perpétuel’s components are entirely recyclable. Our Classic 50ml jars’ dimensions were modified so the cup is moulded into its shape thereby ensuring a reliably tight-fit lid, which, when unscrewed leaves the plastic cup in the glass jar, until such time as the user ‘unlocks’ the empty refill for removal and replacement as well as reducing its weight [by] 30% compared to our Classic jar. The cup is 100% PP and therefore 100% recyclable. Reusing the jar just twice [by buying the same product in ‘refill’ form], the customer will have already compensated for the amount of CO2 emissions produced in glass manufacture.

GW: Are there any other examples of recent or forthcoming product innovations that you are especially excited about?

It is definitely the stunning Dries Van Noten bottle range, a project from [majority share owner] PUIG. The eye-catching glass bottle is manufactured at Stoelzle Masnières Parfumerie and [then, depending on the fragrance, one] of 10 shells [is added to] the bottom of the bottle; [the various shells are made from] four materials (porcelain, plastic, wood, metal) and [use] two types of lacquering (eight classic and two Quali Glass Coat 2.0, an exclusive STO ecological powder coating). This multi-material product range required an adaption of the gluing process to take into account the dimensional differences between the shell and the bottle, depending on the material. Each of the 10 bottles requires a varied bonding system, culminating in a first for Stoelzle in combining so many materials at once.1

The Dries Van Noten collectable bottle also offers a unique unscrewing system with a thread inside so that the closing mechanism is invisible. A special key is supplied with [each 200ml] refill to [enable the customer to] unlock the pump [in the original 100ml bottle], as well as a funnel for easy filling. The innovative bottles are refillable and reusable,
[… being] transformable into a [bud] vase [… or] a diffuser.

GW: What main benefits does Stoelzle Masnières Decoration provide to the operations and what are the recent highlights?

The decoration unit is strategically important for the development of new products. The ability to develop customised solutions practically in real time with glass production allows us significant flexibility and speed in product development. Working in a close loop with the production and decoration teams allows us to quickly find solutions for any customer requirement.

GW: To support your business goals and the wider industry, how important is membership of FEVE and of domestic associations such as L’Institut du Verre?

Stoelzle is a member of FEVE, the European Glass Packaging Federation, a fundamental association in collecting and driving the European glass industry in the next challenging years through sustainability and climate-neutral targets and circular economy.

Stoelzle Masnières Parfumerie was awarded the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label in 2018. This label recognises the excellence of exceptional know-how and allows us to be recognised by our customers as a company with excellent industrial know-how. Thus, we prove our ability to combine both tradition and innovation…

Relying on the Cosmetic Valley Network allows us to be stronger in defending our interests in the world of cosmetics, and to federate and train new talents. This network also allows us to promote French know-how in the cosmetics industry and the history of companies – some of which are several hundred years old – on an international level.

1 www.driesvannoten.com hosts a number of videos featuring footage of the bottles being manufactured at Stoelzle Masnières

 Image: The Stoelzle Masnières production plant in France and (inset) Corrado Ferrozzi.