Ardagh Glass Packaging-Europe (AGP-Europe) and Fire Camera have developed and deployed an automated fire detection and prevention system at the former’s facility located in Knottingley, UK.  

AGP-Europe is an operating business of Ardagh Group. 

Equipped with multiple cameras, the IS Protect Plus System can detect fire by monitoring various areas of the IS machine, including the mould side, shears, blank side, feeder, and conveyor.  

The system is designed to initiate a series of automated responses to prevent any escalation. 

Following trials at AGP-Knottingley successfully, plans are underway to roll out the system across additional AGP-UK sites.  

AGP-Knottingley plant director Robert Fisher said: “This system is the first of its kind to use both thermal image and HD camera vision to detect a precise trigger and act accordingly. It can automatically divert the glass to the basement, activate IS machine safe mode and automatically initiate the fire suppression system depending on the severity level of the trigger.  

“This is the biggest advance in health & safety risk reduction I have witnessed in my 20 years working in the industry. I have no doubt that it will contribute greatly to keeping people safe and protecting our assets for years to come.” 

The IS Protect Plus System’s 24/7 camera monitoring is also capable of identifying and resolving issues such as jam-ups, late loading, and stray glass or bottles.  

This not only enhances safety but also reduces waste, downtime, and recurrence of incidents. 

AGP-Europe business development manager Dean Butler said: “This is a major step forward for industry safety. By combining industry knowledge with specialist vision inspection and software expertise, we have delivered a game-changing solution.” 

Recently, AGP-Europe introduced a new line of lightweight standard wine bottles for the European market.