Product category:
General packaging materials, equipment and services
News Release from: WRAP
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 31 May 2007
Big brands work with WRAP to refresh
packaging
Top brands, bottle manufacturers, retailers and technology experts have teamed up with WRAP to explore ways of taking 20,000 tonnes of glass from packaging from the UK waste stream by March 2008.
Called GlassRite Beer, Cider and Spirits, the project will investigate the technical, economic and marketing aspects of lighter weight packaging The project brings together some of the biggest names in the industry, and currently includes Scottish and Newcastle, Anheuser Busch, Coors UK and SAB Miller, spirits producers Whyte and MacKay as well as ale brewers Hall and Woodhouse and Fullers and Robinsons
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 25 Apr 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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Taking in the complete supply chain, the project also involves supermarket chain Morrisons and all of the UK's major glass packaging manufacturers -Allied Glass, Beatson Clark, Quinn Glass, Rockware and O-I.
In addition, it is supported by trade associations the British Glass Manufacturers' Confederation, the British Beer and Pub Association, the Gin and Vodka Association and Scotch Whisky Association and is led by Glass Technology Services (GTS).
Commenting on the initiative, WRAP project manager, Nicola Jenkin, said: "Being able to involve so many major players from across the supply chain in this project is further evidence that optimising packaging is a major priority for the industry." She added: "Our research has shown that if each glass container in the UK was just ten per cent lighter, we could save 250,000 tonnes of glass per year and reduce carbon emissions by 180,000 tonnes".
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"Alcoholic drinks bottles make up a large proportion of that, so this project has huge potential." GTS project manager, Gordon Watts, said: "The high level of enthusiasm throughout the supply chain for this project is extremely encouraging, and we look forward to converting lightweighting aspirations into reality over the coming months." GlassRite Beer, Cider and Spirits will use consumer perception research, bottle performance testing, filling trials and commercial viability assessments to identify and solve issues surrounding lightweighting glass containers.
Cost and carbon emissions savings will also be evaluated.
Technology providers under the project will include GTS, consumer perception specialists at the University of Bangor and brewing experts at Brewing Research International.
GlassRite Beer, Cider and Spirits is one of three GlassRite projects.
The other projects - GlassRite Food, Soft Drinks and Flavoured Alcoholic Beverages and GlassRite Wine - look at ways of optimising packaging from their respective supply chains.
Together, the GlassRite projects aim to reduce the weight of glass packaging by 60,000 tonnes by March 2008.
The projects follow WRAP's highly successful ContainerLite project which demonstrated that significant glass packaging weight savings can be made without compromising pack strength or brand integrity.
As a direct result, brewer Adnams reduced the weight of its 500ml bottle for ales such as Adnams Bitter, Explorer and Broadside by 34 per cent - an initiative which has already won two industry awards.
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