PETpla.net Insider 06 / 2019

BOTTLE MAKING 48 PET planet Insider Vol. 20 No. 06/19 www.petpla.net A clear vision for the new world of packaging Amcor has announced a number of new developments, initiatives and innovations to help the packaging and food and beverage supply chain meet the challenges of sustainability, changing consumer demand and growing markets. We spoke to: Rodrigo Lecot - Vice President, Commercial Division, Amcor Rigid Plastics-Latin America Michael Hodges - Vice President of Public Affairs Brian Carvill - Vice President of R&D and Advanced Engineering, Amcor Rigid Plastics PETplanet: You recently devel- oped a transparent PET bottle for a Brazilian dairy brand. What was the major factor in the customer switching from HDPE to PET? Rodrigo Lecot: Amcor research found that Latin American consum- ers are increasingly attracted to transparent dairy packaging, which conveys freshness and premium quality. Dairy companies like Brazil’s Letti are trending towards using clear PET bottles, which showcase the dairy product and respond to the consumers’ desire for freshness. PETplanet: How did you make the transparent bottle suitable for UV-sen- sitive content? Rodrigo Lecot: The container includes an ultraviolet (UV) blocker to maintain clarity in the cold chain. Our research also uncovered a consumer preference for the “vintage” or tradi- tional dairy bottle design. The Letti fermented milk bottle incorporates an easy to open, one-step closure system with a screw cap on a 38mm finish. This closure was selected to convey security. It eliminates the foil seal bar- rier typically found on HDPE bottles. The one-litre PET bottle also features an optimised base for improved bottle structure. Thicker wall sections help to avoid deformation, improve drop resist- ance and permit the use of heat-shrink labels, without any need for horizontal ribs in the bottle design. PETplanet: What are your growth forecasts for PET in the dairy sector? Are there any regional variations? Rodrigo Lecot: The drinkable dairy market has grown, although PET’s share is currently small - so there is strong potential for growth. The LATAM (Latin American) dairy segment is an important ele- ment of Amcor’s rigid container busi- ness. We have seen strong activity in response to changing consumer preferences and the growing use of PET as a replacement for HDPE in dairy packaging. We expect the trends towards recyclability, pref- erence for transparent packaging, desire for ‘natural’ products and demand for freshness will continue with growing population, increased urbanisation, and economic improvement. PET & sustainability PETplanet: Consumers are increasingly aware of the issues surrounding use of plastic. On social media, the plastic bottle is often symbolised as a careless use of resources and a growing waste problem; a lot of inaccurate infor- mation is being put about. How are you, as a manufacturer, dealing with this? by Gabriele Kosmehl