The winning project 2024 impresses with the targeted optimisation of the existing wave bottle: a clever redesign has reduced the weight of the bottle and made the logistics more efficient. The weight was reduced by 4g (250ml) and 6g (500ml), resulting in a CO₂ reduction of 43% and 35% per bottle respectively.2 per year. This also leads to enormous cost savings.

This social project specifically supports disadvantaged children at the "Hope House" orphanage in Harrismith, South Africa, making a valuable contribution to the education and healthcare of the neediest children. Specifically, the school attendance of four local children is being financed. In addition, the costs of weekly visits to a doctor's surgery are covered to ensure medical care for all 22 children at Hope House.

This project shows how a comprehensive waste analysis and the introduction of sustainable solutions can lead to great progress. With the aim of reducing landfill waste in the USA, disposable towels and oil-absorbent pads were replaced with reusable alternatives. Following a successful pilot project in McDonough, seven other sites followed suit. As a result, six per cent less waste ends up in landfill. In addition to avoiding 65 tonnes of CO₂, costs have also been reduced by 18 percent.

Unknown causes of water loss in the cooling circuits of the injection moulds had previously led to increased costs and sometimes even to downtime at ALPLA North America. Digital pulse flow water meters on the pipes were used to detect losses caused by mould growth, leaks and tank overflows. Since then, specially programmed alarms have also warned of excessive water consumption. As a result of these measures, consumption at 16 of the 22 monitored facilities has been significantly reduced by a total of 970 cubic metres of water. Not using chemicals to treat this volume has a positive impact on the environment and reduces costs.

At the beginning of 2021, the team at the Indian ALPLA plant in Silvassa in the Union Territory of Dadra welcomed 27 young female engineers and university graduates. A further eleven female employees followed over the course of the year. Another 13 women were recruited at other plants across the country. ALPLA also supports the women with accommodation, a safe working environment and transport options, thereby increasing the proportion of women in industrial professions in India.

In Dubai, a team of ALPLA employees initiated a project to close air leaks. Systematic measurements are carried out monthly while machines are running to identify any leaks. This constantly ensures that infrastructure, machines and pipes are free of leaks without having to accept downtimes. The installed device also measures the effects of a leak and the potential losses until the fault is rectified.

At the Bridgwater plant, non-recyclable waste was reduced from 497 kg per month in 2016 to an average of just 95 kg in 2021. This was achieved through an awareness of moral responsibility, great commitment and process changes in close cooperation with the customer. Among other things, the following points were implemented:

Awareness-raising for all employees

Clean floors policy

Two-bin system for waste

Black bin sorting: pre-check by the materials technician before disposal to ensure that as much as possible is recycled

Under the motto "Green to Green", ALPLA initiated the use of green bottles made from 100 per cent rPET instead of conventional bottles made from 100 per cent virgin PET and glass at the Slovenian mineral water company Donat. The decision to stop using newly produced PET bottles and reusable glass packaging has led to a reduction in CO₂e emissions of up to 90 per cent.

The green PET bottles commonly used on the Slovenian market are collected in Slovenia, recycled in Wöllersdorf and then returned to the shelves as new rPET bottles.

In this project, customer expectations were exceeded with a great deal of commitment. The pearl bottle, which is very well known in Germany, was redeveloped as a returnable PET bottle. A proportion of 10 per cent rPET was required and the bottle had to be refillable 15 times. In the end, the proportion of rPET was 30 per cent and work is continuing on a closed loop. Production of the bottles in Exter has been running since March 2021 and the aim is to supply 25 million bottles per year. The benefits of the project are obvious: a lower CO₂ footprint thanks to the higher proportion of rPET, renewable energy and up to 15 cycles.

In Brazil, ALPLA employees organised various projects to support social initiatives and charitable institutions in the fields of sport and education. Selected projects include:

Support for children's homes

Covers for homeless shelters

Food donations for employees in production during Corona

Christmas gifts for orphanages and schools

Winter clothing campaigns for employees

Welcome gifts for newborns at all ALPLA plants in Brazil