Sand is a main ingredient to create glass packaging, and O-I’s expansion of a high-tech silica sand plant at its Zipaquirá, Colombia, glass manufacturing facility is increasing productivity and efficiency with sustainability in mind.
The sand plant features advanced technology using physical gravimetric principles, delivering an end product that meets glass industry technical specifications. It increases Zipaquirá’s sand production capacity by 60% to approximately 460,000 tons annually.
The Zipaquirá sand plant is an example of O-I’s commitment to sustainability. The team has been focused on protecting the environment, minimizing any impact, and implementing restoration plans for the biotope. We also worked with external entities to optimize water resources in a closed circuit, reducing water consumption by 50%.
The sand plant took over a year of planning and conceptualization, 180 days of continuous work, and an investment of more than $3.5M. The video below has the highlights.
