How Glass Bottles And Jars Are Made
When lightning strikes sand, glass forms naturally.
Our passion for making glass lies in its endless benefits, from the health of the planet to the health of families. We love glass.
Glass Container Manufacturing Process
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Cullet
Glass packaging is made of three natural ingredients: silica sand, soda ash and limestone. The materials are mixed with recycled glass, called "cullet." Cullet is the main ingredient in O-I BJC's glass bottles and containers. Globally, our glass containers contain an average of 38% recycled glass.
Inspecting
Glass Bottles and Jars
Each glass bottle and jar is put through a series of inspections to ensure it meets O-I BJC's highest standards. Multiple high-resolution cameras inside machines scan as many as 800 glass bottles each minute. The cameras sit at different angles and can catch miniscule defects. Another part of the inspection processes includes machines exerting pressure on the glass containers to test wall thickness, strength and if the container seals correctly. Our experts also manually and visually inspect random samples to ensure quality.
If a glass bottle or glass jar doesn’t pass inspection, it goes back into the glass manufacturing process as cullet. Containers that pass inspection are prepared for transportation to food and beverage manufacturers, who fill them and then distribute to grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and other retail locations for shoppers and customers to enjoy.
Glass is endlessly recyclable, and a recycled glass container can go from the recycle bin to store shelf in as little as 30 days. So once consumers and restaurants recycle their glass bottles and jars, the glass manufacturing loop starts again.