Vidrala projects investment exceeding 180 million euros in its Castilla-La Mancha site

• The President of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page, visited the site to learn about the industrial investment programme the company is designing for the region.

• The factory will refurbish the first of its two regional furnaces starting in June, increasing annual capacity by 10% to nearly 315,000 tonnes of glass packaging.

• The approval of the second phase of the investment plan, which includes the modernisation of the second furnace, will depend on the plant's competitiveness and market conditions.

• Vidrala reinforces its role as a strategic partner for the food and beverage industry, generating 300 stable jobs.

 

Caudete, 17 March 2026. Vidrala, a leading company in the manufacture of glass packaging for the food and beverage industry, is planning an investment scheme for its Caudete plant (Albacete) exceeding 180 million euros in total. This project aims to strengthen sustainability and energy efficiency at the site.

The President of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page, visited the facilities to see first-hand the scope of the planned works, which are designed to bolster the centre’s industrial competitiveness and ensure its long-term commitment to the area.

The Vidrala plant in Caudete is a major industrial hub for the region. Equipped with two furnaces and eight production lines, it has an annual capacity of approximately 315,000 tonnes of glass containers for the food and drink sectors. Furthermore, it directly employs around 300 professionals, making it one of the primary industrial employers in the surrounding area.

The investment plan outlined by Vidrala—an international group with a presence in Southern Europe, the UK and Ireland, Brazil, and Chile—includes measures to modernise the production centre by incorporating advanced technology into the glass manufacturing processes.

From June, the factory will begin refurbishing the first of its two furnaces in the region, which will expand its annual capacity by 10%. Meanwhile, the second phase—subject to the plant’s competitiveness and market conditions—includes the upgrading of the second melting furnace, the expansion of electrical infrastructure, and the development of new renewable energy generation solutions on-site. Additionally, large-scale moulding machinery would be introduced, allowing production to adapt to lighter and more sustainable packaging.

Raúl Gómez, CEO of Vidrala, stressed: “Spanish industry needs to be defended. Today, more than ever, given the events unfolding in the Middle East and the serious energy insecurity this crisis is creating in Europe. We need firm backing from the country to allow us to move forward with investment decisions that are currently more complex than ever. Our proposal is to invest, but we need support.”

During the visit, he further noted: “The Caudete plant has been an iconic facility for the glass industry, a source of pride for the country and for Castilla-La Mancha. However, it now faces a strategic renewal, marked by the end of the useful life of its facilities and a particularly adverse context for an investment of this magnitude. We are industrialists and we decide for the long term; therefore, although it is not easy, we are proposing a plan. We have a project designed to incorporate the best available technologies, which would position the plant as a benchmark in industrial decarbonisation and raise the standards of safety, sustainability, and quality of employment in Castilla-La Mancha.”

Finally, he explained: “We are planning an investment of over 180 million euros, which would guarantee activity for decades and whose value is even more significant in the current international climate. But this moment demands a firm commitment and a proportionate response: from the Government of Spain, with a steadfast commitment to industry, supporting measures on energy tariffs and industrial deregulation aligned with the most ambitious European countries; from the Government of Castilla-La Mancha, whose support in the form of investment incentives is crucial for any industrial initiative with a long-term vocation; and from our people, whose commitment to the shared project is the best guarantee for tomorrow. Together, we can make this project a reality.”

A strategic partner for the agri-food sector

Vidrala’s activity in Caudete is closely linked to the development of the agri-food sector, particularly wine, which is one of the pillars of the Castilla-La Mancha economy. Through its industrial platform in Caudete, the Group supplies glass packaging to numerous food and drink producers, helping to drive the sector's competitiveness and consolidate industrial value chains linked to the territory. The new investment programme reinforces this relationship, ensuring a more efficient, sustainable industrial platform prepared to meet future market needs.