Heaven Hill Announces Expansion

[boone]

We've been running plastic in the 1.75 for as long as I've been there...and that's 15 years counting seasonal. I've been told that the 200 glass bottle will soon be a rare item (not extinct)...first option will be plastic.

Bettye Jo

[cowdery]

PET came into use rather late in the game for plastic packaging--in the early 1980s if I remember correctly. Previous efforts to use other types of plastic commonly used for plastic bottles were unsuccessful due to exactly the sorts of problems Gary anticipates, that the high alcohol content will begin to dissolve the plastic, both leaching plastic into the beverage and weakening the container. PET was extensively tested and adopted because it does not have those problems. Consumers, however, generally prefer glass so PET has been popular only for "travelers," for 1.75 L bottles of cheaper products, and for the occasional other size also for cheaper products.

I don't think we're likely to see its use expand much beyond that although the switch with 200 ml doesn't surprise me, as those are essentially "travelers" too.

One problem with PET is that it doesn't lend itself to custom shapes. That's why so many 50 ml bottles are still glass, even though the airlines would prefer the lighter weight of PET.

The only real advantage to PET is weight. For the consumer, that's why the "travelers" exist and why PET 1.75s are more acceptable than PET in smaller sizes. For producers, weight also equals cost, particularly with regard to shipping.

The fact that the PET bottles are lighter and, at least in some ways, more durable than glass is why a dedicated PET line is desirable, even if it's not absolutely essential.

[jburlowski]

What about recyclability?

And what about the relative energy cost to produce / recycle?

[barturtle]

PET is one of the most recycled plastics in the US. It costs less to produce than glass (and is as mentioned lighter and cheaper to ship-reducing fuel costs and related emissions).

PET is a type of polyester, polyesters are made from a reaction between ethyl alcohol and acetic acid(the one in vinegar)

[nor02lei]

Personally I can’t find anything but advantages with pet bottles. One of the biggest beside weight is that it doesn’t break as easy as glass.

Leif