PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 06/23 www.petpla.net 35 TRADE SHOW REVIEW Concept to prototype in less than a year Market launch of PET sparkling wine bottle F.l.t.r.: Susanne Kretzschmer, Head of Strategic Marketing, Indorama Ventures Polymers Germany; Antonio Narder, General Manager Sipa S.p.A.; Alexander Büchler, Publisher PETplanet; Dr Patrik Amrhein, Managing Director, Indorama Ventures Polymers Germany and Marco Brusadin, Global Packaging Development Director, Sipa S.p.A. The empty 750ml PET container weighs only 90 g compared to 750 g of a glass bottle, thereby saving 660 g. The 90 g material has a glass-like feel to it. Marco Brusadin, Global Packaging Development Director at Sipa S.p.A., was keen to ensure that the new bottle could be filled on existing glass lines without any modifications. The neck finish, the height of the bottle and waist circumference are identical to those of the glass version. The filling pressure can be left at 5.5 bar without any problems and the bottler can retain the bottle with the label and mushroom-shaped cork with its metal cage etc. Plus, the costs per PET bottle are lower than for glass. The CO2 footprint is significantly lower compared to that of a glass bottle. Glass is processed at 1,400 °C and PET at 260 °C. When you also consider the 7-times weight of a glass bottle, it quickly becomes clear that a lot is saved in the production process alone. As Antonio Narder, General Manager of Sipa S.p.A., explains: “If 24 pallets of filled glass bottles normally fit on an articulated lorry with a loading capacity of 27 t, all 32 pallet spaces can be used to stack the lightweight PET bottle. This also has a positive effect on our CO2 footprint”. To keep the sparkling wine in the PET bottle for longer, Sipa has worked in collaboration with global Indorama Ventures, the world’s largest producer of PET and recycled resin used in plastic beverage bottles, in partnership with the brand’s Specialty Polymer’s business in Germany. “When we were choosing the material, it was important for us to get as close as possible to a glass bottle, both visually and in terms of barrier features,” explained Dr Patrick Amrhein, Managing Director, Indorama Ventures Polymers Germany. “We use our modified PET as the polymer and OxyClear as a barrier material. This gives us 24 months of pure, unadulterated drinking pleasure.” Susanne Kretzschmer, Head of Strategic Marketing at Indorama Ventures Polymers Germany, added “It is rare to complete a project from the prototype stage to market launch in less than six months. In this case, it was made possible thanks to the close and excellent cooperation with Sipa, and the potential this bottle represents to the wine market.” Sparkling wine consumers will enjoy the same sensual experience with the new PET bottles as they always have done with glass ones, from uncorking to pouring. But they will most likely notice that the PET versions are much lighter and virtually unbreakable. That is also great for operators throughout the ever-changing supply chain, as sales via e-commerce and home delivery continue to rise. www.sipasolutions.com www.indoramaventures.com Against the background of sharply rising energy prices and the resulting increase in the cost of glass bottles, in 2022 Sipa began developing a high-quality PET alternative to the sparkling wine glass bottle. Ready in time for Drinktec held in Munich last September, where they showcased the prototype of the premium bottle, and then later showcased at Interpack 2023 where Sipa displayed the version that has now been launched to market in collaboration with Indorama Ventures. The PET sparkling wine bottle from Sipa won the top prize in the 2023 Best Packaging contest held during Milan Design Week in April. The award came from a panel headed by Professor Valeria Bucchetti, coordinator of the Communication Design course at Milan Polytechnic University. The panel concluded that the bottle led the field in meeting strict criteria for Quality Design.
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