Ardagh CEO Paul Curnow appointed chairman of South Africa’s Glass Recycling Company

SOUTH AFRICA – Ardagh Glass Packaging-Africa CEO Paul Curnow has been appointed chairman of The Glass Recycling Company, South Africa’s leading glass recycling organisation, as the industry seeks to increase glass recovery rates and build on a 49 percent recycled content rate achieved in 2023.

Curnow succeeds Mike Arnold in the role, having also succeeded him as CEO of Ardagh Glass Packaging-Africa. 

Ardagh was a founding member of TGRC and has worked with the organisation, industry partners and local communities to support glass recycling and circular economy initiatives in South Africa. 

As part of the appointment, Curnow will also join the board of the Paper and Packaging Producer Responsibility Organisation Alliance. 

Aligning with Clearly Ardagh and Sustainability Commitments

The leadership role directly supports Ardagh’s global Clearly Ardagh transformation initiative, which focuses on reducing waste and improving resource efficiency. 

Increasing the use of recycled glass, or cullet, remains central to these efforts. Ardagh Glass Packaging-Africa achieved a recycled content rate of 49 percent in 2023. 

Curnow stated that taking responsibility for the environmental impact and ensuring glass returns for re-use as a new bottle has always been important to him personally and for the business commercially. 

He added that leveraging the inherent benefit of the glass process, which already allows bottle-to-bottle recycling in a very localised manner using the same feedstock repeatedly, is vital for both glass and society in creating a more sustainable future. 

The company’s glass packaging is infinitely recyclable without loss of quality, supporting a circular economy model where materials remain in use rather than being discarded.

Industry Collaboration and Circular Economy Goals

Curnow said he is passionate about working with customers and industry partners to increase glass recovery rates, promote greater consumer awareness and unlock the full potential of a circular economy. 

The appointment follows Ardagh Group’s strategic restructuring of its management team, with regional business CEOs including Curnow now reporting directly to Mark Porto, Executive Chairman of Ardagh Group. 

Ardagh operates 58 production sites across 16 countries, employing approximately 19,000 people with annualised sales of approximately US$9.6 billion. 

The group is a global leader in infinitely recyclable glass packaging. 

TGRC plays a critical role in South Africa’s glass recycling ecosystem, working with municipalities, waste collectors and the informal sector to recover glass containers for remelting into new bottles, creating jobs and reducing landfill waste across the country.

Subscribe to our email newsletters that provide busy executives like you with the latest news insights and trends from Africa and the World. SUBSCRIBE HERE