Heye International

Heye International GmbH is a German mechanical and plant engineering company based in Obernkirchen, Lower Saxony, that specialises in production technology, high-performance equipment and process know-how for the worldwide container glass industry. Its portfolio covers the entire production chain for hollow glass — from feeder and gob forming, IS machines and ware handling at the hot end, through inline and laboratory inspection equipment at the cold end, to expert services, training and project management for greenfield plants and modernisations. The company markets its offering under three sub-brands: HiPERFORM for forming excellence, HiSHIELD for protection and transparency (inspection and software), and HiTRUST for services and project support. Its stated vision is to ensure highly cost-effective, sustainable and safe operation of glassworks worldwide and to strengthen glass as the packaging material of the future. Heye International traces its industrial roots to a glassworks founded in Obernkirchen in 1799 by Johann Conrad Storm, which became the Hermann Heye glass company in the 19th century. The modern machinery and plant engineering business was established in 1966 as a diversification of Heye Glas, and the company is credited with developing the world's first lightweight glass bottle, the 0.33-litre Paderborner beer bottle weighing 135 g, in 1968. After the insolvency of Hermann Heye KG in 2001, the remaining business was sold to the Irish container glass manufacturer Ardagh with effect from 1 January 2003. The glass production activities were separated into HEYE-GLAS GmbH, while the machinery and plant engineering division has operated since then as Heye International GmbH, employing more than 400 people and working autonomously within the Ardagh Group. Today Heye International equips glassworks on all continents for hollow glass production and has in the past led the planning and commissioning of complete production facilities for new glassworks together with partners. The company operates from Obernkirchen with additional sites in Stadthagen and Nienburg, and runs a training programme (HiSKILLS) for customers and industry professionals. Its engineering has set industry standards for more than 60 years, and its corporate motto is "We are Glass People".

Heye International's history reaches back to 1799, when Johann Conrad Storm founded a glassworks in Obernkirchen. In 1823 Caspar Hermann Heye joined as a partner, and in 1827 the factory took the name Glashütte Schauenstein. By 1842 Caspar Hermann Heye was sole owner, and the firm traded as Hermann Heye. In 1847 a support fund for needy Heye employees and their families was established. In 1864 Ferdinand Heye, son of Caspar Hermann Heye, took his inheritance and used it to found the Gerresheimer Glashütte. The company grew substantially through acquisitions in the 19th century: the Glashütte Wendthöhe near Stadthagen in 1855, the Glashütte Steinkrug on the Deister in 1859, and the Annahütte glass factory in Lower Lusatia in 1884. In 1871 the Heye glass factory in Nienburg/Weser opened. In 1888 the company diversified by founding the F. C. Th. Heye Braunkohlenwerke "Annahütte" for lignite mining. A milestone came in 1906 when Friedrich Carl Hermann Heye introduced fully automatic Owens production machines. A glass factory in Flensburg was acquired in 1913. After the Steinkrug glassworks was abandoned in 1928, the Great Depression hit Heye hard: the Nienburg glass factory closed in 1931 and the Wendthöhe glassworks near Stadthagen in 1932. The Flensburg glass factory ceased production in 1939. After the Second World War Heye lost its factories in the Soviet occupation zone through expropriation; the Annahütte glass factory continued as a Volkseigener Betrieb (VEB) in the former GDR from 1945 to 1990, and glass production there ended with the political turnaround. The associated Annahütte lignite works were also nationalised. In West Germany the production facilities were heavily damaged by the war. In 1958 the owners changed: the Baum industrial family joined as shareholders and managing directors, and the company traded as Heye Glas. Technically, the introduction of the first IS production machines marked another important change. In 1966 the company diversified again, starting the machinery and plant engineering division that is today's core business. In 1968 it developed the world's first lightweight glass bottle — the 0.33-litre Paderborner beer bottle weighing 135 g — an innovation noted in the industry. From the 1970s onward came international expansion and the acquisition of numerous company holdings. Heye Glas celebrated its 200th anniversary in 1999. In 2001 Heye employed around 2,500 people worldwide and generated revenue of more than EUR 250 million, with 967 employees in Obernkirchen. Hermann Heye KG had to file for insolvency in 2001, driven by a 30% price decline for hollow glass, rising energy costs primarily from the introduction of the eco-tax, and the advance of the PET bottle. As a result, holdings in Sotancro Emballagem de Vidro SA (Amadora, Portugal), Ricardo Gallo (Marina Grande, Portugal) and Huta Szkla Dzialdowo (Dzialdowo, Poland) were sold in 2002. The remaining company was sold to the Irish container glass manufacturer Ardagh with effect from 1 January 2003. The two business areas — container glass production and machinery and plant engineering — were legally separated and placed under a holding of parent company Ardagh. The container glass production area with plants in Obernkirchen and Germersheim was transferred to HEYE-GLAS GmbH. The machinery and plant engineering area has since operated as Heye International GmbH and today employs more than 400 people. After several group restructurings, both business areas are part of the Ardagh Group. Heye International works autonomously within the group and makes a profit transfer to it. Today Heye International equips glassworks on all continents for hollow glass production. In the past it also led the planning and commissioning of complete production facilities for new glassworks together with partners. The company is based in Obernkirchen with additional sites in Stadthagen and Nienburg, and its engineering has set industry standards for more than 60 years.

• 2002

  Holdings in Sotancro Emballagem de Vidro SA, Ricardo Gallo and Huta Szkla Dzialdowo are sold.

• 2001

  Hermann Heye KG files for insolvency; around 2,500 employees worldwide and revenue over EUR 250 million.

• 1999

  Heye Glas celebrates its 200th anniversary.

• 1968

  Development of the world's first lightweight glass bottle, the 0.33-litre Paderborner beer bottle weighing 135 g.

• 1966

  The company diversifies into machinery and plant engineering, today's core business.

• 1958

  The Baum industrial family joins as shareholders and managing directors; the company trades as Heye Glas.

• 1945

  The Annahütte glass factory continues as a Volkseigener Betrieb (VEB) in the former GDR until 1990.

• 1939

  The Flensburg glass factory ceases production.

• 1932

  The Wendthöhe glassworks near Stadthagen is shut down.

• 1931

  The Nienburg glass factory closes due to the Great Depression.

• 1928

  The Steinkrug glassworks is abandoned.

• 1913

  Acquisition of a glass factory in Flensburg.

• 1906

  Friedrich Carl Hermann Heye introduces fully automatic Owens production machines.

• 1888

  Diversification into lignite mining with the founding of F. C. Th. Heye Braunkohlenwerke "Annahütte".

• 1884

  Acquisition of the Annahütte glass factory in Lower Lusatia.

• 1871

  The Heye glass factory in Nienburg/Weser opens.

• 1864

  Ferdinand Heye takes his inheritance and founds the Gerresheimer Glashütte.

• 1859

  Acquisition of the Glashütte Steinkrug on the Deister.

• 1855

  Acquisition of the Glashütte Wendthöhe near Stadthagen.

• 1847

  A support fund for needy Heye employees and their families is established.

• 1842

  Caspar Hermann Heye becomes sole owner; the firm trades as Hermann Heye.

• 1827

  The factory takes the name Glashütte Schauenstein.

• 1823

  Caspar Hermann Heye joins the company as a partner.

• 1799

  Johann Conrad Storm founds a glassworks in Obernkirchen, the origin of the Heye company.

One of the foremost worldwide suppliers of production technology, high-performance equipment and know-how for the container glass industry, with engineering that has set industry standards for more than 60 years.

• HiPERFORM – Excellence in Forming

  Production intelligence: feeder and gob forming, IS machines, ware handling, variables and parts, NNPB lightweight standard, retrofit and upgrades.

• HiSHIELD – Protection and Transparency

  Inline inspection equipment, laboratory (offline) equipment and software solutions.

• HiTRUST – Passion and Experience

  Expert services from plant audit to production support, project management for greenfield projects and modernisations, and technical assistance to improve plant efficiency.

• SpeedLine IS-machine

  Advanced IS machine for container glass forming.

• Heye SmartLink

  Software solution for smart glass manufacturing and real-time data.

• Ware Transfer units 4220 and 4222

  Ware handling units designed for reliable, high-performance handling in container glass manufacturing.

1. 1Heye International GmbH, machinery and equipment for the container glass industryheye-international.com
2. 2Heye International - Hot and Cold End technology for the container glass industry: Heye Internationalheye-international.com
3. 3Company News: Heye Internationalheye-international.com
4. 4Company Profile: Heye Internationalheye-international.com
5. 5Heye Internationalwikidata.org
6. 6Heye Internationalde.wikipedia.org