O-I Glass’s digital transformation focuses on modernizing core manufacturing processes and IT infrastructure to enhance global operations. This involves upgrading factory technology, streamlining global procurement, and advancing sustainability initiatives through innovative glass production methods. The company aims to move from traditional systems to integrated, data-driven platforms across its worldwide network.
This transformation creates dependencies on robust data integration, resilient IT systems, and efficient supply chain workflows. It introduces challenges such as ensuring data consistency across disparate systems, maintaining operational uptime in complex manufacturing environments, and managing a globally distributed workforce with modernized tools. This page analyzes O-I Glass's key digital initiatives and the operational challenges they face.
O-I Glass Snapshot
Headquarters: Perrysburg, Ohio, U.S. Number of employees: 19,000 Public or private: Public Business model: B2B Website: https://www.o-i.com
O-I Glass ICP and Buying Roles
O-I Glass sells to large, global manufacturing and consumer packaged goods companies with complex supply chains.
- Type of companies: Global enterprises with extensive manufacturing footprints and complex product portfolios.
Who drives buying decisions
- Chief Information Officer → Sets IT strategy for global infrastructure and applications.
- Chief Operations Officer → Oversees manufacturing processes and supply chain efficiency.
- VP of Global Procurement → Manages supplier relationships and purchasing processes across regions.
- Head of Manufacturing Technology → Implements advanced technologies on factory floors.
Key Digital Transformation Initiatives at O-I Glass (At a Glance)
- Modernizing factory operations with smart manufacturing technologies.
- Upgrading SAP infrastructure and enterprise applications.
- Migrating critical business databases to new platforms.
- Streamlining global source-to-pay processes with a unified platform.
- Implementing advanced furnace technologies for decarbonization goals.
- Deploying a mobile glass recycling system, MOGRA, for cullet processing.
- Enhancing employee IT service delivery through modern workplace platforms.
Where O-I Glass’s Digital Transformation Creates Sales Opportunities
| Vendor Type | Where to Sell (DT Initiative + Challenge) | Buyer / Owner | Solution Approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise Application Modernization Platforms | Upgrading SAP infrastructure: data reconciliation errors occur across disparate SAP instances. | Chief Information Officer, Head of IT | Consolidate and standardize data across ERP systems. |
| Migrating business databases: application performance degradation impacts critical business functions. | Director of SAP Infrastructure, Head of IT | Monitor database performance and identify bottlenecks. | |
| Enhancing employee IT services: support ticket routing fails to deliver resolutions efficiently. | Head of IT Operations, HR Leader | Route IT requests to appropriate support teams. | |
| Procurement and Spend Management Software | Streamlining global source-to-pay: manual invoice matching delays vendor payments. | VP of Global Procurement, Head of Finance | Validate invoice data against purchase orders automatically. |
| Streamlining global source-to-pay: supplier onboarding processes create data inconsistencies. | VP of Global Procurement, Vendor Manager | Standardize vendor data capture before system entry. | |
| Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) Systems | Modernizing factory operations: real-time production data from machines fails to integrate with control systems. | Head of Manufacturing Technology, Plant Manager | Collect and centralize machine data for operational insights. |
| Implementing advanced furnace technologies: sensor data for furnace performance causes false readings. | Head of Manufacturing Technology, Production Engineer | Calibrate sensor inputs before processing in control systems. | |
| Data Integration & Quality Platforms | Upgrading SAP infrastructure: transaction data fails to sync between manufacturing execution systems and SAP. | Director of SAP Infrastructure, Data Architect | Monitor data flows and retry failed transfers between systems. |
| Migrating business databases: duplicate records appear during data migration activities. | Director of SAP Infrastructure, Data Architect | Deduplicate records before migrating to target databases. | |
| Industrial IoT & Predictive Maintenance Solutions | Modernizing factory operations: equipment failures occur unexpectedly on production lines. | Head of Manufacturing Technology, Maintenance Manager | Predict equipment malfunctions before they cause downtime. |
| Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting Tools | Implementing advanced furnace technologies: carbon emission data from new furnaces does not align with compliance reports. | Chief Sustainability Officer, Head of Finance | Track and verify emission data for regulatory filings. |
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What makes this O-I Glass’s digital transformation unique
O-I Glass’s approach to digital transformation is distinct because it deeply integrates advanced manufacturing technology with ambitious sustainability targets. Their investment in new furnace technologies and mobile recycling systems shows a commitment to decarbonization that directly impacts core production processes. This makes their transformation more complex, as it balances traditional heavy industry requirements with cutting-edge environmental innovation and global operational efficiency. Their reliance on both IT and OT security for automated manufacturing also highlights a unique dual focus.
O-I Glass’s Digital Transformation: Operational Breakdown
DT Initiative 1: Modernizing Manufacturing Operations
What the company is doing
O-I Glass is upgrading its factory floors to smart factories, integrating Industry 4.0 concepts. This initiative aims to manufacture glass products faster and improve efficiency across global production lines. The company is deploying new furnace technologies and advanced automation in its plants.
Who owns this
- Chief Operations Officer
- Head of Manufacturing Technology
- Plant Manager
Where It Fails
- Machine sensor data fails to transmit reliably to central monitoring systems.
- Production schedules in manufacturing execution systems do not reflect real-time factory conditions.
- Automated glass forming equipment produces inconsistent product quality.
- Automated vision inspection systems misclassify product defects on the line.
Talk track
Noticed O-I Glass is modernizing factory operations with smart manufacturing technologies. Been looking at how some manufacturing teams are centralizing real-time production data instead of managing fragmented machine outputs, can share what’s working if useful.
DT Initiative 2: Streamlining Global Source-to-Pay Processes
What the company is doing
O-I Glass is implementing a unified platform to manage its global direct and indirect source-to-pay processes. This involves digitizing and automating purchasing, supplier relationship management, and vendor quality assessment. The goal is to gain comprehensive visibility into supplier activities and optimize buying processes.
Who owns this
- VP of Global Procurement
- Chief Financial Officer
- Director of Supply Chain
Where It Fails
- Purchase order data fails to sync with invoice records, requiring manual reconciliation.
- Supplier onboarding workflows stall due to incomplete or inconsistent vendor information.
- Catalog pricing for indirect purchases does not update automatically in the procurement system.
- Vendor performance metrics remain unstandardized across different regional operations.
Talk track
Saw O-I Glass is streamlining global source-to-pay processes. Been looking at how some procurement teams are standardizing vendor data upfront instead of fixing errors downstream, happy to share what we’re seeing.
DT Initiative 3: IT Infrastructure and Application Modernization
What the company is doing
O-I Glass is undertaking a comprehensive technology refresh, including modernizing its data centers and migrating critical business applications like SAP and ServiceNow. They are also moving their database infrastructure from Oracle to IBM Db2. This aims to reduce IT costs, improve system reliability, and enhance overall performance.
Who owns this
- Chief Information Officer
- Director of SAP Infrastructure and Enterprise Platforms
- Head of IT Operations
Where It Fails
- SAP application data fails to migrate completely during platform upgrades.
- Database query performance degrades after migrating to new database platforms.
- Critical business applications experience unexpected downtime after infrastructure changes.
- Disaster recovery failover tests do not complete successfully for non-SAP applications.
Talk track
Looks like O-I Glass is modernizing its IT infrastructure and applications. Been seeing teams validate schema compatibility before deployment instead of reacting to post-migration data issues, can share what’s working if useful.
DT Initiative 4: Decarbonization and Sustainable Manufacturing
What the company is doing
O-I Glass is investing in advanced furnace technologies, including gas-oxy combustion and waste heat recovery systems, to significantly reduce CO2 emissions. They are increasing the use of recycled glass (cullet) in production and incorporating renewable electricity. These initiatives align with their ambitious sustainability goals.
Who owns this
- Chief Sustainability Officer
- Head of Manufacturing Technology
- Director of Research and Development
Where It Fails
- Carbon emission data from new furnace technologies does not integrate with central ESG reporting systems.
- Recycled glass content levels fail to meet targets due to supply chain inconsistencies.
- Energy consumption metrics from renewable sources do not accurately reflect in financial forecasts.
- Waste heat recovery systems fail to operate at optimal efficiency levels.
Talk track
Noticed O-I Glass is investing in decarbonization and sustainable manufacturing. Been looking at how some industrial companies are verifying emission data directly from new technologies instead of relying on manual inputs, happy to share what we’re seeing.
Who Should Target O-I Glass Right Now
This account is relevant for:
- Manufacturing Execution System (MES) vendors
- Procurement and Source-to-Pay (S2P) platforms
- Data Integration and API Management platforms
- Industrial IoT (IIoT) and Predictive Analytics solutions
- Sustainability and ESG Reporting software
- IT Infrastructure Modernization services
Not a fit for:
- Basic CRM software without enterprise integration capabilities
- Small business accounting solutions
- D2C e-commerce platforms
- Generic marketing automation tools
When O-I Glass Is Worth Prioritizing
Prioritize if:
- You sell solutions that prevent machine sensor data from failing to transmit reliably to central monitoring systems.
- You sell platforms that validate purchase order data against invoice records before payment processing.
- You sell tools for identifying database query performance degradation after system migrations.
- You sell systems for tracking and verifying carbon emission data from industrial equipment.
- You sell solutions that ensure consistent recycled glass content levels across production inputs.
- You sell platforms that standardize vendor information capture during global onboarding processes.
Deprioritize if:
- Your solution does not address any of the breakdowns above.
- Your product is limited to basic functionality without extensive integration capabilities.
- Your offering is not built for multi-team or multi-system enterprise environments.
Who Can Sell to O-I Glass Right Now
Procurement and Supplier Management Platforms
Ivalua - This company offers a complete, unified Source-to-Pay suite to manage all spending categories and suppliers.
Why they are relevant: Manual invoice matching delays vendor payments due to disparate systems. Ivalua can centralize procurement data, automate invoice processing, and enforce structured approval workflows to prevent payment delays.
Coupa - This company provides a comprehensive Business Spend Management platform that digitizes procurement, invoicing, and expense management.
Why they are relevant: Supplier onboarding workflows stall due to inconsistent vendor information. Coupa can standardize supplier data collection, integrate with existing ERP systems, and automate validation steps to accelerate the onboarding process.
Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
Rockwell Automation (FactoryTalk ProductionCentre) - This company offers a comprehensive MES that integrates production operations with business systems.
Why they are relevant: Production schedules in manufacturing execution systems do not reflect real-time factory conditions. FactoryTalk ProductionCentre can integrate with control systems to provide real-time visibility into production, enabling dynamic schedule adjustments.
Siemens (Opcenter Execution) - This company provides an MES that manages and monitors production processes from order to finished product.
Why they are relevant: Automated glass forming equipment produces inconsistent product quality. Opcenter Execution can collect detailed production data, identify process deviations, and enforce quality control parameters to maintain consistent output.
Data Integration and Migration Tools
Informatica - This company provides enterprise cloud data management solutions, including data integration, data quality, and data governance.
Why they are relevant: SAP application data fails to migrate completely during platform upgrades. Informatica can establish robust data pipelines, validate data integrity during migration, and monitor data flows to ensure complete and accurate transfers between systems.
Talend - This company offers open-source data integration and data governance solutions for big data, cloud, and enterprise applications.
Why they are relevant: Duplicate records appear during data migration activities. Talend can perform data profiling and cleansing before migration, detect and remove duplicate entries, and ensure data uniqueness in the target database.
ESG and Sustainability Reporting Software
Sphera - This company offers integrated risk management software, including solutions for environmental, health, and safety (EHS), and product stewardship.
Why they are relevant: Carbon emission data from new furnace technologies does not integrate with central ESG reporting systems. Sphera can capture emission data directly from manufacturing equipment, integrate it with corporate reporting, and automate compliance checks for regulatory filings.
Enablon (Wolters Kluwer) - This company provides an integrated software platform for EHS, Operational Risk Management, and Sustainability.
Why they are relevant: Energy consumption metrics from renewable sources do not accurately reflect in financial forecasts. Enablon can track energy usage from various sources, calculate associated costs and savings, and integrate these metrics into financial planning and reporting systems.
Final Take
O-I Glass is scaling its global manufacturing capabilities and IT infrastructure. Breakdowns are visible in data consistency across upgraded systems, efficiency gaps in global procurement, and real-time operational visibility on factory floors. This account is a strong fit for sellers offering solutions that enforce data integrity, automate complex enterprise workflows, and provide actionable insights into industrial operations.
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