PLASMAX, located in Hamburg, Germany, is enjoying great success in North America with PET wine bottles coated with the innovative PLASMAX barrier. The company is firmly establishing them in the wine segment of the local beverage market. In addition to the already familiar 187ml bottles, Ball Corporation, a leading US packaging company, now also manufactures 750ml containers with the PLASMAX barrier. |
This coating process involves applying an ultra-thin, crystal clear, impermeable, and completely non-reactive layer of silica (SiOx) to the inner surface of the bottle. The coating maintains the appearance, taste, and shelf life of the products it contains and prevents O2 permeation and CO2 loss.
Now wine is also available in 750ml PET bottles
Ball has been coating 187ml wine bottles since 2006 for the US market on a PLASMAX 12D. The company recently received an order from the Artisan Wine Company to produce 750ml containers for the Semillon/Chardonnay and Cabernet/Shiraz of their Painted Turtle brand. An important criteria for the Artisan Wine Company in selecting SiOx-coated PET bottles was that the PLASMAX process has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Additional convincing arguments for the PLASMAX barrier include dependable product protection and long shelf life.
In addition, the shatter-proof and lighter-weight PET wine bottles are seen as providing a competitive advantage over glass bottles on the market. They are well-suited for outdoors, sporting events, and picnics and are very popular among consumers. The practical aluminum screw cap also makes it easy to re-close the bottle.
Environmental friendliness an added plus
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), which distributes Painted Turtle, sees the environmental advantages of PLASMAX as an argument for switching to PET. Independent testing by the European professional association PETCORE and North America's Association of Post-Consumer Plastics Recyclers confirm that PET bottles with a silica coating are 100% suitable for bottle-to-bottle recycling. Since they only weigh one-tenth of what a conventional glass bottles weighs, greenhouse emissions during transport are also reduced in addition to costs.
The excellent product protection, increased shelf life, greater convenience, and improved environmental footprint are persuasive arguments that clearly illustrate the advantages of PLASMAX barrier technology.
Nadja Kropp Tel.: +49 (0) 40 67907 364 Fax.: +49 (0) 40 67907 9364 Nadja.Kropp@sig.biz |