BASF takes its plastics portfolio to the FAKUMA

Once again this year, BASF will be taking its thermoplastics, poly­urethanes and masterbatch preparations to the Fakuma, the International Trade Fair for Plastic Processing in Friedrichshafen, Germany. From October 14 to 18, BASF will showcase its innovations for plastic processors in Hall B4 at Stand 4308.

Thermoplastics

Three polyamide brands – not to be confused

Many polyamide processors are not yet aware of the fact that the Capron^® brand continues to exist, although not entirely in the same format as before. Many of the products that the Honeywell company used to sell under the brand name Capron are now to be found at BASF within the polyamide assortments of Miramid^® and Ultramid^®. For instance, the former Capron BG40G6HIHS, a PA6 type for exterior car mirrors, is now Ultramid B3WZG6. The former Capron BR30HS, a grade for rotomolding, is now Miramid B3W FP. The Capron grades still form a small product range and thus complete BASF’s three-brand-strategy for polyamides.

The novelties in the Miramid product line include Miramid A3WZ1, a new heat-stabilized and impact-resistant polyamide type intended specifically for cable conduits. Numerous customer-specific color reproductions and special additives are among the ser­vices provided by the Miramid brand.

New engineering plastics

Two completely new products being presented to the public at large for the first time are two specially hydrolysis-stabilized PBT types that not only comply with the strict stipulations laid down in the regulations of the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR). They also withstand rigorous flexural stress tests at a humidity of 100% and a temperature of 110°C [230°F]. These products are Ultradur^® B4300G6 HR and Ultradur B4330G6 HR.

A high-performance plastic for novel oil pumps

SHW Automotive has recently launched a plastic specialty onto the market, namely, the first oil pump that regulates the oil flow on an as-needed basis by means of an external gear pump with involute gears. The special feature, i.e. the fact that one of the two gears moves axially, was only feasible with a high-performance plastic that is not only resistant to high temperatures and oil but that also exhibits very good sliding-friction properties. This is where Ultrason^® KR 4113 comes into action, a PESU (polyether sulfone) made by BASF and rein­forced with carbon fibers, graphite and PTFE. The pump is used by PSA, BMW and Porsche.

There will also be illustrative examples and many possibilities to discuss the innovations that were presented for the first time in the year of the K plastics fair such as the product segment of the easy-flowing High Speed grades and the new PPSU (Ultrason P). Further topics are the hydrolysis-stabilized Ultramid HRX types for hot water (coolant tanks) and Ultramid A3W2G10 for hot air (intercooler end caps), heat-conductive Ultradur, blow moldable Ultraform^® (POM), special WIT and GID types,

halogen-free flame retardants and laser direct structuring for MID components.

New products for the medical sector

At the Fakuma, BASF will be introducing another plastic specialty for the realm of medical technology: Luran^® HD is the first SAN (styrene-acrylonitrile copoly­mer) to be offered in conjunction with BASF’s HD services. HD stands for Healthcare and Diagnostics.

The transparent Luran HD complements Terlux HD (MABS), BASF’s first transparent plastic for medical technology. Whereas Terlux HD offers better impact-resistance, Luran HD is more resistant to temperature and UV-light. The new material is already available in commercial quantities. The HD service package encompasses not only technical support for applications, compatibility tests with specific chemicals and biocompatibility testing (e.g. according to the United States Pharmacopoeia and ISO 10993-x), but also the creation of so-called drug master files (DMF).

Greater convenience for PVC in construction: easier heat stabilization

For a few weeks now, BASF has been offering a powder version of its Luran^® HH (HH: high heat, also called AMSAN), a SAN (styrene-acrylonitrile copoly­mer) that is dimensionally stable under heat. The new brand goes by the name Luran HH 120 Powder and it is intended specifically for PVC processors. Since PVC is often processed in powder form, it is now easier to incorporate Luran HH, which functions here as a heat-stabilizing component. Luran HH is employed for the production of classic profiles, tubes and panels made of PVC, which are subject to high requirements in terms of dimensional stability under heat, for instance, in the case of hot-water pipes or window profiles.

Design for electrical devices: new PMMA/ABS blend and attractive surface effects with SAN

Design also involves the aspects of gloss and surface. Depending on the cur­rent fashions and tastes, customers want the electrical devices they use in the kitchen, office or bathroom to be matt or shiny. In fact, BASF can offer several new products and ideas for this area of application.

• First high-gloss ABS specialty in BASF’s product line

The new Terluran^® BX 13036, a blend of PMMA and ABS, combines the properties of both components of this blend: the special ABS provides the requisite mechanical properties while the PMMA component ensures scratch resistance, high gloss and good color depth. The so-called piano lacquer look is intended not only for black tones; the trend is moving to­wards white surfaces for electrical devices and household appliances. The new material is being introduced into the market.

• UV-stabilized Luran for two-component injection molding

High-gloss effects can also be achieved in a different manner. The recently created, very bright and transparent Luran CC (SAN) is now also available in variants that are specially UV-stabilized. Processed in combi­nation with classic Terluran (ABS) by means of two-component injection molding, this material yields transparent, high-quality top coats for TV set frames, telephones or coffee machines. Luran is as brilliant and scratch-resistant as PMMA and more scratch-resistant than PC, it is easier to process and less costly.

BASF’s designfabrik^™ provides assistance for the design of new products using these glossy and transparent plastics.

Styrene copolymer with new functionality: the first antimicrobial ASA

The kitchen and bathroom should not only look good, they should also be hygi­enic. In order to prevent the growth of bacteria on plastic surfaces, BASF is introducing the first antimicrobial ASA (acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate copolymer): Luran^® S BX 13042 comes with a special additive containing silver and manu­factured by Agion Technologies so that an attack by various microorganisms is reliably prevented.

Polyurethane (PUR)

Elastogran, a company of the BASF Group, has a product line offering tailor-made customer solutions and innovative applications using Elastollan^®, a ther­moplastic polyurethane elastomer (PUR). As will be shown, this material can be employed, among other things, in the manufacture of hoses, films and automo­tive parts. The range of applications for this flexible special plastic, however, is much broader, extending from the electrotechnical sector all the way to agricul­ture. Visitors from the industry will also be shown other select PUR applications.

On the Internet:

www.plasticsportal.eu

www.basf.de/masterbatch

www.elastogran.de

www.designfabrik.basf.com

IFAT CHINA 2008: E-Scrap Recycling at the Top of the Agenda

According to Chinese estimates, there are between one and two million tons of waste electrical and electronic equipment in the People's Republic every year with an expected increase of five to ten percent annually. In addition to old domestic equipment, there is also a great quantity from Japan, Russia, the USA and Western Europe for recycling and disposal in China. A research group at Hong Kong Baptist University estimates that approx. 70 percent of all used computers, cellphones and other electric and electronic equipment to be recycled from the world end up in China. This is actually illegal, because the People's Republic forbids the import of waste electrical and electronic equipment in 2002.
These great quantities of materials are often recycled employing insufficient environmental, safety and health standards. Consequently, the Chinese government is planning to pass new legislation concerning recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment on one hand, by the creation of legal framework conditions, and on the other hand by setting up modern recycling centers.
As the Federal German Agency for Foreign Trade (bfai) reported, China is putting a lot of hope in the administrative rules for controlling pollution caused by waste electrical and electronic equipment, which took effect in February of this year. According to it, the Chinese Ministry of the Environment is drawing up a list of qualified recycling companies for waste electrical and electronic equipment, in which companies with a foreign investment share can be included. The technologies they use must correspond to national environmental standards, and checks at regular intervals are planned. In addition, supplying waste electrical and electronic equipment that has not been treated properly to companies not on the list is forbidden.

According to the bfai, an administrative regulation is currently being formulated concerning the recycling of household appliances. If it is enforced strictly, it will put a stop to illegal recycling activities, because it will stipulate precise details about the setting up of systems for waste collection depots, recyclers and waste disposal companies. The few currently existing, modern recycling facilities in China are still more or less pilot projects and are faced with an insufficiently organized system for collecting waste.
The question of costs is also supposed to be regulated by the administrative rule concerning the recycling of household appliances. Among other things, manufacturers of electric and electronic products will be required to contribute to covering recycling costs.

The German Ministry of the Environment is very interested in continuing and intensifying the existing collaboration with China in several areas of environmental management; this also concerns the regulated disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment. With respect to the size of the Chinese electronics market, the use of energy-saving and resource-saving waste disposal technologies in China will have global environmental policy significance. Because the German waste disposal industry has acquired an excellent reputation with respect to its orientation to innovation and technology, there are excellent business opportunities on the Chinese market for German companies involved in recycling business. Following a Chinese-German workshop about environmentally compatible treatment of waste electrical and electronic equipment at the beginning of this year in Beijing, another bilateral panel discussion is planned on this topic at IFAT China. The objective of this workshop is to expand exchanges between the two countries about the implemented legal and technical standards as well as the framework conditions for successful further development of treating waste electrical and electronic equipment to the greatest extent possible. Participation of high-ranking representatives of the Chinese government and Parliament Undersecretary Astrid Klug as well as representatives from the business world is planned at the workshop.

Parallel to IFAT CHINA 2008, analytica China, International Trade Fair for Analysis, Biotechnology, Diagnostics, Laboratory Technology and Services, is taking place in Halls E4 and E5 of Shanghai New International Expo Center for the fourth time. Additional information is available at http://www.analyticachina.com

About IFAT CHINA
IFAT CHINA is the comprehensive trade fair for practical solutions in the areas of water supply, sewage treatment, waste disposal, recycling, air pollution control, environmental technology and recyclable energy sources in Asia. The trade fair supplies the business and networking platform for Chinese and international industry representatives and is supported by a solidly based technical and scientific conference program. IFAT CHINA 2006 had 284 exhibitors from 25 countries and approx. 10,000 visitors from 66 countries. The 3rd International Trade Fair for Water, Sewage, Waste, Recycling and Renewable Energy will take place at the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) in China from 23 to 25 September 2008.

About Messe München International (MMI)
Messe München International (MMI) is one of the world’s leading trade-fair organizations with approximately 40 trade fairs for investment goods, consumer goods and new technologies. More than 30,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries and over two million visitors from more than 200 countries take part each year in the trade fairs in Munich. In addition, MMI organizes trade fairs in Asia, Russia, the Middle East and South America. With six foreign affiliated companies in Europe and Asia as well as 66 foreign representatives covering 89 countries, MMI has a global network.

Additional information is available at www.ifat-china.com

Consol secures new power supply in record time

The municipal power supply to the Consol Bellville, Cape Town, factory was recently upgraded in record time in a complex logistical operation that depended on optimal collaboration of all involved – Besamandla (Western Cape), the electricity services of Cape Town municipality, Consol and the engineers and project managers Electrical Engineering Solutions (EES).

The installation of the 4 x 825m 11kV XLPE cable that crossed five erven, including the properties of three private companies, and a railway line was practially completed in three weeks from getting on site and was functionally completed within another month. Planning the operation took three months.

Bradley Hemphill, managing director of EES, says a project of this complexity would usually have taken at least twice as long.

“The pressure was on to install the new cable as quickly as possible because the

main electricity cables supplying the Consol site were more than 30 years old. Each time a cable failed a significant portion of load needed to be shed for the duration of the repair to minimise further deterioration of the remaining stressed cables.

“The cables were failing to deliver uninterrupted power to the glass furnaces, potentially impacting production output and turnover. This was becoming risky, particulary in the climate of load shedding.”

Hemphill said that all those involved in the project immediately appreciated its urgency and opted to collaborate in the most productive way possible.

“Processes were streamlined and everyone worked beyond the call of duty. It was a superb example of how a public/private partnership, given the right incentives and leadership, can excell.”

The old cables were left operational and in place while new trenches were dug in which to lay a sleeve network for the new cables. This meant that the disruption caused to Consol’s neighbours was minimised because the basic laying down of the infrastrucuture could proceed quickly and be covered over, and the cable pulling could happen later with minimum impact by accessing the buried sleeve through dedicated manholes.

But digging the new trenches had considerable challenges as existing power and telephone cable neworks, water and sewerage pipes, stormwater drains, a railway line and minor roads along the route needed to be identified and worked around.

Hemphill says there was also a “ element of relationship management involved in the project, specifically with the enterprises whose land we traversed. We had to ensure the security of the property of both the companies and their employees during the entire operation.

“We were acutely aware that the project was disrupting their environment and operations and we worked hard to mimimise the inconvenience to them of having their parking lots dug up, having strangers on their property and the noise.”

He believes that thorough preparation together with extensive knowledge of all the logistical, legal and bureaucratic hurdles inevitable in a project this size ensured efficient management and prompt completion of the installation.

Consol Bellville’s technical manager Craig Findlay says that the rapid installation of the new power cables was a high priority for the company.

“With the older cables we were concerned that power to our furnaces could be disrupted. We are .now secure in the reliability of our power supply and are able to more confidently deliver beyond our customers’ expectations.”

Join the Green Plan—Automatic Recycling Equipment Presented in TAIPEI PLAS 2008

TAIPEI PLAS 2008, which has gathered various suppliers & manufacturers excelled in making recycling equipment, is coming from July 21st to September 30th. This ongoing trade show combined with the International Plastic & Rubber Expo attempts to open visitors' eyes by the advanced and environmental-friendly machines or projects. It inclines to present not only industry-wide providers but buyers or visitors hot-eyed in the information about recycling equipment.

To respond the worldwide issue—Protect Environment against Global Warming, this time, TAIPEI PLAS 2008 presents categories of recycling equipments to join the global green plan. Manufacturers specialized in making recycling equipments are highly-invited to show their R&D technologies, new innovation, recycling products, marketing strategies, or even more business opportunities toward buyers and traders. A great number of these recycling equipments have drawn visitors much attention, and even more attention by its mass-scale & effective propaganda in these days.

By the business events, manufacturers of recycling equipments have many chances to strengthen ties between buyers & importers, enhancing the reputation of the good-quality and high-accuracy machines toward many foreign traders. Of course, to join the green plan by purchasing or producing recycling equipments is another major job for today's machine makers.

According to regulations of Industrial Department Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs, in recent years, factories and plants should pay more and more efforts and time to obey the 3R Rules while in the manufacturing process. The Bureau has already set up various centers and institutes for dealing with water-waste problem, pollution, and disposal of industrial waste. Hence, domestic recycling equipment makers definitely ought to be aware of the latest information. And certainly, this trade show will inform visitors, too.

For example, the Scrap Recycling Equipment is one of the major green masterpiece for recycling the used plastic or rubber. The heavy duty shredder is powered by induction motor, of which power ranges from 1250 to 8000 HP. The recycling system process through 5 steps: Feeding, Compress, Shredding, Separating, and Selecting. All the scraps are transfered and feed into pre-shredder through a steel conveyor. After that shredder tears those scarps into pieces, the de-dusting system just takes out ASR from the product and the magnetic drum, taking ferrous away. The ESC separates nonferrous and waste.

Following the 3R Rules (Reduce. Reuse. Recycle), TAIPEI PLAS recommends the machines it brings in during this trade show. Also, suppliers can introduce the new plastic recycling skills and full automation by its well-trained sales & staff in this trade show, publicizing the progressive machines with new total solution for 3R Rules.

Leading each visitor toward the precise direction, TAIPEI PLAS 2008 offers detailed info, the latest industrial news, the wanted components, the new innovative machines, used machines, and discerning plastic & rubber parts to fulfill every buyer's demand by this one-stop business fair. Industry-wide buyers cannot miss TAIPEI PLAS 2008, or will lose the opportunities to meet both the overseas & domestic partners during this show.

Source: SanePR

Extruders & Extrusion Plants Bows in TAIPEI PLAS 2008

Taiwan (SANEPR.com) August 11, 2008 -- In this August, TAIPEI PLAS has gathered hundreds of extruders manufacturers & extrusion plants for the ongoing International Plastic & Rubber Trade Show. It inclines to provide not only industry-wide suppliers and buyers but visitors interested in any information about extruders and other impressive products. Trying to make this business fair beyond the expectation, TAIPEI PLAS has been collecting a great amount of trading leads, extruders marketing projects, and total solution for extrusion plants.

In addition, lots of plastic & rubber parts providers in this trade show also offer bargaining policies as well as the projects for good-quality sample production. Buyers can order used extrusion machines in need and be passed down the extruding technology by other experienced plants or suppliers. And of course, suppliers have the chances to meet worldwide visitors, searching for new business partnership.

Regarded as the major international expo, TAIPEI PLAS 2008, which is hold for manufacturers specialized in extruders & extrusion plants, presents various products & business opportunities toward buyers, suppliers, and exporters from July 21st to September 30th. It has drawn visitors much attention by its mass-scale & effective propaganda. By the business events, manufacturers of extruders and extrusion plants have the great chances to strengthen ties between exporters & importers, enhancing the reputation with good-quality machines like extruders, plastic extrusion machines, plastic recycling equipment and more. Also, suppliers can introduce the extruding tech and full automation toward foreign & domestic buyers during this trade show.

The extruders can be applied to fields of industry uses such as PP woven bag production, plastic bag making, laminating or looming etc. Due to the pop issue about global warming, many governments combined with manufacturers try their best to reduce the quantity of using plastic & rubber products. They attempt to search for some other replaceable materials and green machines. For the above reasons, the most-inquired machines during this trade show are including plastic recycling equipment, PP Flat Yarn Extruding Production Line, PP Flat Yarn Making Machine, PP/PET Strapping Band Making Machine and so on. All these green machines can help in both cost-saving & waste-saving.

Eye-opened to the hundreds of thousands of plastic & rubber products, visitors and buyers are also able to view the most advanced recycling equipment during this trade show. For instance, the Plastic Extrusion Machine, of which max. output is around 120kg/hr.~150kg/hr, can offers mass scale production as well as huge volume wastewater treatment. Hence, buyers or users can handle the wastewater & pollution problem with this machine as easily as possible.

TAIPEI PLAS 2008 can lead every buyer to the right direction, seeking the wanted components, new innovative machines, used machines, or even plastic & rubber parts, fitting the need by this one-stop show. Certainly, industry-wide buyers cannot miss TAIPEI PLAS 2008, or will lose the chances to meet both the domestic & overseas business partners in this stage.

Source: SanePR

Cornetto Packaging

My wife sent me to the shop today to pick up a Cornetto ice cream for her. Her instructions were clear - Chocolate or Vanilla but NOT strawberry.

Having bought her a chocolate one a couple of days ago I knew what to look for. I grabbed one headed home handed it over and realised "DAMN IT'S STRAWBERRY".

While the newish packaging looks quite funky, I was suckered by the similarity between the packaging of the different flavours and because they were packed near to eachother in the shelf I didn't pick it up until she did.

I didn't even pick up the white vs. pink of the packaging. I just saw the brown packaging interlinked with a lighter colour.

There's a lesson here - while its great to have uniform packaging
- just be careful that it doesn't confuse your brands.

Flexible PCBs Becoming the Technology of Choice for Advanced Packaging

Innovative demands from various end-user verticals including telecommunications, automotive, medical, and industrial packaging will fuel robust growth in the flexible printed circuit board (PCB) market. Flex has become the technology of choice for advance packaging, which includes both multichip and 3-D.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, the growth partnership company (http://www.smt.frost.com), finds that the worldwide flexible printed circuit board markets earned revenues of over $7.3 billion in 2007 and estimates this to reach $16.4 billion in 2014.

“The physical advantages of flexible circuits are projected to be the primary factors that increase demand in the years to come, as FCP becomes the enabling technology to achieve desired size, shape, weight, or functionality in an electronic device,” says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Ashwin T Ananthakrishnan. “With high density interconnection (HDI) becoming more mainstream, it is anticipated that the growth of flexible circuits would also be hastened.”

The ability of FCPs to reduce package size, package weight, assembly time, and assembly cost, while increasing system reliability, has found great favour in the handheld wireless electronics segment. The increased demand for laptops, notebooks, personal computers, cell phones, and personal digital assistants (PDAs), coupled with the growing adoption of hard disk drives in digital music players, set top boxes, and gaming consoles are encouraging the use of flexible circuits in electronic applications.

Over 35 different companies vie for the global market space, which makes for high competition in the flexible PCB market. Most of the Asian manufacturers play a dominant role.

“Japan is the largest contributor to the FPC board market, but confines high-technology PCBs in-house, while outsourcing only known technologies to low-cost regions,” notes Mr. Ananthakrishnan. “The lack of experience of FPC manufacturing outside Japan impedes the development of FPCs in other geographic regions.”

As manufacturers in North America and Europe achieve greater expertise with the technology, they will prevail over the challenges posed by Japan and other Asian manufacturers. Ongoing consolidation of Tier 1 PCB companies acquiring Tier 2 and Tier 3 companies also supports and benefits the market, as the capacity to offer both rigid and flexible PCs becomes a key differentiator for success.

“Factors like the convergence between rigid and flexible PCs and the reduction in the organic growth across end-user verticals are likely to hamper the growth of flexible PCBs in the later half of 2014, while at present the flexible PCB market has a lot of growth potential across verticals,” says Mr. Ananthakrishnan. “In addition to this, developments and innovations across various verticals accelerate the growth of this market immensely.”

If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants with an overview of the world flexible PCB markets, then send an e-mail to Patrick Cairns, Corporate Communications, at patrick.cairns@frost.com, with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state and country. Upon receipt of the above information, an overview will be sent to you by e-mail.

World Flexible Printed Circuit Board Markets is part of the Surface Mount Technologies Growth Partnership Service program, which also includes research in the following markets: World Chip Bonders Markets, World LCD Manufacturing Equipment Markets, and World SMT Screen Printer Markets. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants. Interviews with the press are available.

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, partners with clients to accelerate their growth. The company's TEAM Research, Growth Consulting and Growth Team Membership™ empower clients to create a growth-focused culture that generates, evaluates and implements effective growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan employs over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 30 offices on six continents. For more information about Frost & Sullivan’s Growth Partnerships, visit http://www.frost.com.

SAB'S GROUND-BREAKING PROJECT CALABASH NEARS COMPLETION

The South African Breweries Ltd (SAB) has entered the final stages of its ambitious Project Calabash, the largest packaging project ever undertaken in South Africa.

The two-year project focuses on replacing 330-million of SAB’s iconic 750ml quart bottles with 430-million new “Calabash” quart bottles, for Castle Lager, Carling Black Label, Hansa Pilsener and Castle Milk Stout.

It involves the setting up of huge Sorting, Overpacking and Culling (SOC) sites linked to each of SAB’s seven breweries around South Africa to sort, recycle and replace the old quart bottles. The first SOC site was linked to the Newlands Brewery in May 2007, and the final site is for the Polokwane Brewery.

By the time Project Calabash is completed, a total of 3,2-million man-hours of temporary work will have been done, and 90 000 tons of glass recycled – and SAB will have invested approximately R1,2-billion.

SAB embarked on Project Calabash for reasons of contemporisation and differentiation: the old bottle shape, which had been in use for 40 years, was tired and old-fashioned, and there was an opportunity to modernise SAB’s mainstream beer offerings; also, there was a need to meet new packaging trends, and give SAB a better marketing platform and edge in the marketplace.

“Packaging and pack formats are an integral part of our brand and product presentations. At SAB we strive constantly to anticipate and respond to the needs of our customers and consumers by providing formats that enhance the brand experience and ensure efficient and successful distribution into the market.

“This has been a mammoth undertaking, the likes of which has never been seen before. We’ve needed to find enormous temporary premises because our breweries did not have enough space, employ many temporary workers (most of whom have been recruited from local communities at each site), and handle the kind of transport and site logistics that an army would be proud of.

“Critics predicted that we would never be able to pull it off – but we’re in the home straight now, and it has been fantastically successful,” says SAB communications manager Janine van Stolk.

For Project Calabash project manager Piet Pretorius, one of the greatest accolades he has received so far is this snippet of feedback: “Project Calabash is a non-event – it just happened.”


“With this feedback, one is very proud. It is a clear indicator of how smoothly and successfully the project has gone so far,” says Pretorius, paying tribute to his 17-person project team – six of them permanently allocated to Project Calabash – for their contribution to the project. “Without these people, this couldn’t have worked.”

According to Van Stolk, the importance of Project Calabash to SAB cannot be overstated.

“The 750ml returnable bottle is very important to SAB’s packaging mix. Over 80% of beer sold is in returnable bottles, of which quarts make up the majority. The new returnable quart format is both an environmentally friendly and economically attractive alternative for both our consumers and our customers in trade. This has been a visionary undertaking in increasing the appeal and relevance of our products and it goes without saying, then, that Project Calabash has significant implications for SAB’s business success.”