SWARCOFORCE Glass Filler Beads Impress with a Low CO2-Footprint

March 25, 2024 – "SWARCOFORCE is the top choice when it comes to glass filler beads for special industrial applications. That is our vision. It's what we work towards every day – both in our product development and in tailored solutions for our customers," explains Andreas Krenmayr, Key Account Manager at SWARCO Indusferica. The innovative power of SWARCOFORCE glass filler beads strengthens materials and the environment: as an additive, SWARCOFORCE not only improves the properties of the end product, but also impresses with environmentally friendly production throughout the entire value chain.

SWARCOFORCE glass filler beads shine in all areas

The applications of SWARCOFORCE glass filler beads are diverse: in addition to paints, coatings, and construction materials, SWARCOFORCE glass filler beads are successfully used in the plastics industry. The micro glass beads are, for example, added to materials during compounding or processing of plastic granules to reduce warping and shrinkage in injection molding materials through isotropy. Technical components, interior and exterior in the automotive sector, or 3D printing materials benefit from improved product properties through SWARCOFORCE.

Sustainable reinforcing material for the plastics industry

The average CO2 footprint (cradle-to-gate) for all SWARCOFORCE filler bead production sites is 1.14 kg CO2e/kg product. Compared to competing products, this value is exemplary, and sustainable fillers for the plastics industry are increasingly in demand. For comprehensive LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) analyses, SWARCO Indusferica uses the Ecochain Helix software solution. This allows emissions in supply chains, all production processes, and throughout the entire product life cycle to be precisely calculated and continuously optimized. Under the direction of the SWARCO Global Glass Beads Technology Center and in collaboration with recognized research institutions, SWARCO conducts research on sustainable products and processes worldwide.

SWARCO Indusferica focuses on circular economy

The glass filler beads are melted from limestone-soda glass waste. By using high-quality recycled glass (post-industrial waste), SWARCO Indusferica significantly saves energy. The origin of the glass is always traceable, and procurement takes place within the regional vicinity of the production plants. This avoids long transportation routes for SWARCO Indusferica. For the delivery of SWARCOFORCE glass filler beads, customers are offered a combination of road and rail transport to further reduce transport emissions. Resource-efficient packaging is used for SWARCOFORCE filler beads, with a focus on high recyclability. The waste heat from the production process is used for heating buildings or supplying neighboring industrial plants. SWARCOFORCE filler beads are inert, and waste treatment leads to no significant downstream emissions. "Circular economy and energy efficiency are particularly important to us. We concentrate all efforts on making our products as sustainable as possible," says Stephanie Müller, Marketing Manager at SWARCO Indusferica.

About SWARCO Indusferica  

SWARCO Indusferica is part of the international SWARCO Group and makes the universal benefits of glass beads for industrial specialty applications accessible. What began in 1969 with small retroreflective glass beads for road markings has since developed into one of the world's leading manufacturers of micro glass beads with production facilities in Europe and the USA. micro glass beads serve as high-quality fillers in industrial applications and as abrasive media for surface treatments. In traffic engineering, the micro glass beads embedded in marking materials reflect headlight beams, thereby keeping road markings visible. This significantly increases traffic safety, especially at night.