Aluminum bottle
Encyclopedia
The aluminium bottle is a bottle
made of aluminium
(BrE) or aluminum (AmE). In some countries, it is also referred to as a bottlecan, is a bottle made entirely of aluminium that holds beer, soft drinks, wine, and other liquids.
process was introduced to the North American beverage market in the fall of 2001 as an ecological alternative to plastic bottles by Coca-Cola
under the Powerade brand (Psych and Raize) at the National Association of Convenience Stores NACS Show. The Powerade aluminium bottles were supplied by Exal Corporation. Youngstown, Ohio-based Exal Corporation, the world's largest producer of impact-extruded aluminium packaging, is the most significant supplier of aluminium bottles in North America and Europe including most bottles utilized by major brewers. The company also markets a new high speed technology, known as Coil to Can or (C2C), that allows for the manufacture of aluminium bottles at weights 30 - 40% below the weight of impact extruded bottles at 2 to 4 times the manufacturing speed. C2C technology also utilzes post consumer recycled (PCR) aluminium alloy to manufacture aluminium bottles.
Hermitage, PA-based CCL Container a subsidiary of CCL Industries
, a leading producer of recyclable aluminium bottles, packaging, aerosol containers and other specialty products, started developing bottles in 1989 in North America for non-beverage applications.
A variety of standard finishes are available for aluminium bottlecans that are designed to work with industry standard closures and caps, in addition to standard bottle filling operations. Some traditional finishes include: 26 mm standard crown cap, 38 mm lug finish, 38 mm continuous thread with plastic sleeve, 38 mm ROPP and 28 mm continuous thread finishes.
Beverage marketers choose aluminium bottlecans for many reasons, including the fact that they are resealable, recyclable and durable. The bottle itself serves as the label and bottles can also be shaped in a variety of ways.
suggested that the liquid content of aluminium bottles stays slightly colder than the liquid content of glass bottles when allowed to warm at room temperature. These results were not corroborated by a 2005 study at Bucknell University
, which found that "the fluid in the aluminium bottle cools much faster than the glass bottle, and once removed from a cold source and exposed to room temperature, the glass bottle remained cooler longer than the aluminium bottle."
This conclusion is consistent with the fact that the thermal conductivity
of aluminium (237 W/(m·K)) is significantly higher than that of glass (1.1 W/(m·K)). While the glass versus aluminium debate may make sense in connection with beer bottles, soft drinks are another matter. The majority of those bottles are currently plastic, while most beer bottles are glass.
is a silver-white, soft metal and the most abundant metallic element, comprising 1/12 of the Earth's crust. It must be combined with oxygen and other elements and processed to produce the aluminium used in bottlecans. Bottlecans are made from 100 percent recyclable aluminium through either an extrusion or Coil to Can (C2C) process to a wide range of shapes and sizes. Impact extruded bottles are produced with three times the aluminium of a traditional beer can, which provides for increased insulation.
C2C bottles use 30%-40% to less aluminium than impact extruded aluminium bottles. Exal Corporation has pioneered the use C2C technology to manufacture aluminium bottles.
In terms of sustainability aluminium bottles and cans are the most desirable product in the recycling stream as the use of recycled aluminium requires only 5% of the energy required to manufacture virgin aluminium. According to Earth911.com each year, the US aluminium industry pays $800 million dollars for empty aluminium bottles and cans to the benefit of communities, industry and the environment.
Bottle
A bottle is a rigid container with a neck that is narrower than the body and a "mouth". By contrast, a jar has a relatively large mouth or opening. Bottles are often made of glass, clay, plastic, aluminum or other impervious materials, and typically used to store liquids such as water, milk, soft...
made of aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
(BrE) or aluminum (AmE). In some countries, it is also referred to as a bottlecan, is a bottle made entirely of aluminium that holds beer, soft drinks, wine, and other liquids.
History & overview
The aluminium beverage bottle made via the impact extrusionImpact extrusion
Impact extrusion is a process by which products are made with a metal slug. The slug is pressed at a high velocity with extreme force into a die/mold by a punch.-Process:...
process was introduced to the North American beverage market in the fall of 2001 as an ecological alternative to plastic bottles by Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
under the Powerade brand (Psych and Raize) at the National Association of Convenience Stores NACS Show. The Powerade aluminium bottles were supplied by Exal Corporation. Youngstown, Ohio-based Exal Corporation, the world's largest producer of impact-extruded aluminium packaging, is the most significant supplier of aluminium bottles in North America and Europe including most bottles utilized by major brewers. The company also markets a new high speed technology, known as Coil to Can or (C2C), that allows for the manufacture of aluminium bottles at weights 30 - 40% below the weight of impact extruded bottles at 2 to 4 times the manufacturing speed. C2C technology also utilzes post consumer recycled (PCR) aluminium alloy to manufacture aluminium bottles.
Hermitage, PA-based CCL Container a subsidiary of CCL Industries
CCL Industries
CCL Industries Inc. is a Toronto, Ontario-based company founded in 1951. CCL Industries is a specialty packaging company that provides packaging products to the Home & Personal Care, Food & Beverage, Healthcare and Specialty markets worldwide...
, a leading producer of recyclable aluminium bottles, packaging, aerosol containers and other specialty products, started developing bottles in 1989 in North America for non-beverage applications.
Products
- Two Japanese brewers, Sapporo Brewery of Tokyo and Kirin Brewery CompanyKirin Brewery Companyis a Japanese company. It is a member of the Mitsubishi keiretsu.-Overview:Kirin sells two of the most popular beers in Japan, Kirin Lager--the country's oldest beer brand--and Ichiban Shibori. In the happoshu category, Kirin Tanrei is the top seller. Kirin handles domestic distribution for...
, officially introduced the aluminium beverage bottle in 2000 in Japan. * In Japan, over two billion recloseable bottle cans are sold each year. - As mentioned above, the first aluminium bottles came to market in North America in 2001 as Coca-ColaCoca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
marketed two new PoweradePoweradePowerade is a sports drink manufactured and marketed by The Coca-Cola Company. First introduced in 1988, its primary competitor is PepsiCo's Gatorade...
brand energy drinks in bullet-shaped, resealable aluminium bottles. - In 2002 Alternative drink provider, SnappleSnappleSnapple is a brand of tea and juice drinks which is owned by Dr Pepper Snapple Group and based in Plano, Texas. The brand was founded in 1972. The brand achieved some notoriety due to various pop-culture references including television shows.-History:...
, launched Mistic RE, its first energy drink, with a resealable, rocket-shaped aluminium bottle. - The Big Sky Brewing Co. in Missoula Mt. was the first US brewer to put their beer in aluminum bottles. The first beer bottled was Moose Drool Brown ale.
- Anheuser-BuschAnheuser-BuschAnheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
was the first major brewer to launch a national brand in an aluminium bottle in 2004. The success prompted the organization to double aluminium bottle production capacity in 2005 to support the Bud Light, Budweiser, Michelob Lager, Michelob Light, Michelob ULTRA and Anheuser World Select brands. The company has also introduced limited edition bottlecans that commemorate popular holidays and events. Special limited edition aluminium bottles have been marketed through licensing arrangements with Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and the National Football League. Anheuser-Busch has utilized the aluminium bottle extensively in its advertising even saluting,"Mr. Blue aluminium Bottle Maker" believed to be Exal Corporation, as a part of the Bud Light Real Men of Genius advertising campaign. - Pittsburgh Brewing CompanyPittsburgh Brewing CompanyThe Iron City Brewing Company is a beer company that until August 2009 had been located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. On June 11, 2009, it was reported that the brewery was "moving" to Latrobe, Pennsylvania...
was the first brewer to launch a multi region beer product in aluminium packaging. In 2004, it introduced Iron City Premium Lager in an aluminium beverage bottle. The company shipped 20,000 cases to distribution centers in 30 states and these initial units sold out within 24 hours of hitting the shelves. A photo of the Iron City aluminium bottle was the “most viewed” photo on Yahoo! the day following its launch and it was named one of Business Week’s “Best New Products of 2004" in its December 13, 2004 issue. - HeinekenHeinekenHeineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
introduced its H2 brand in an aluminium bottle in 2004. - Vicor International, Inc., Canada’s largest marketer of wine and spirits, and Denmark-based Absolut Spirits Company, adopted the aluminium beverage bottle for their vodka-based beverages.
- In the Dominican Republic, Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana, the Dominican National Brewing Company, moved their premium products to aluminium beverage bottles.
- Bright Brothers, a Portugal-based winery, was the first company to introduce wine in aluminium bottles.
- In 2008 two North American marketers stepped forward in using light weight, C2C aluminium bottles. Blue Spike Beverages (Montreal) introduced Octane 7.0 a vodka/guarana based drink and Eaux Vives Water Inc. (Toronto & St. Mathieu) introduced ESKA still and sparking water.
- Also in early 2009, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Coca-ColaCoca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, SamsungSamsungThe Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
and SapientSapientSapient may refer to:* Sapience, the ability of an organism or entity to act with judgment* Sapient Corporation, a NASDAQ-traded company...
introduced a dynamic, touch screen aluminium bottle vending machine that brings the latest interactive technology to the vending process. The completely interactive touchscreen front panel allows a potential buyer to scrutinize a product prior to purchase - just like consumers do at a retail store. Consumers can select a Coca-Cola product, packaged in an aluminium bottle; give it a spin to peruse its ingredients, consider the package and review anything else they would like to know prior to purchase. The technology is documented on You Tube.
Characteristics and advantages
The aluminium bottlecan is made of 100 percent recyclable aluminium similar to that of an aluminium beverage can. However, it is shaped similar to a traditional beverage bottle, with many designs including resealable lids. A broad range of aluminium beverage bottle profiles, styles, and configurations, are available for commercial production, including “traditional”, “oval”, and “sport shapes”.A variety of standard finishes are available for aluminium bottlecans that are designed to work with industry standard closures and caps, in addition to standard bottle filling operations. Some traditional finishes include: 26 mm standard crown cap, 38 mm lug finish, 38 mm continuous thread with plastic sleeve, 38 mm ROPP and 28 mm continuous thread finishes.
Beverage marketers choose aluminium bottlecans for many reasons, including the fact that they are resealable, recyclable and durable. The bottle itself serves as the label and bottles can also be shaped in a variety of ways.
"Cooler longer" claim
A study conducted by engineering science students at Loyola College in MarylandLoyola College in Maryland
Loyola University Maryland is a Roman Catholic, Jesuit private university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Established as Loyola College in Maryland by John Early and eight other members of the Society of Jesus in 1852, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges...
suggested that the liquid content of aluminium bottles stays slightly colder than the liquid content of glass bottles when allowed to warm at room temperature. These results were not corroborated by a 2005 study at Bucknell University
Bucknell University
Bucknell University is a private liberal arts university located alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River in the rolling countryside of Central Pennsylvania in the town of Lewisburg, 30 miles southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles north of Harrisburg. The university consists of the College of...
, which found that "the fluid in the aluminium bottle cools much faster than the glass bottle, and once removed from a cold source and exposed to room temperature, the glass bottle remained cooler longer than the aluminium bottle."
This conclusion is consistent with the fact that the thermal conductivity
Thermal conductivity
In physics, thermal conductivity, k, is the property of a material's ability to conduct heat. It appears primarily in Fourier's Law for heat conduction....
of aluminium (237 W/(m·K)) is significantly higher than that of glass (1.1 W/(m·K)). While the glass versus aluminium debate may make sense in connection with beer bottles, soft drinks are another matter. The majority of those bottles are currently plastic, while most beer bottles are glass.
Fabrication
AluminiumAluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
is a silver-white, soft metal and the most abundant metallic element, comprising 1/12 of the Earth's crust. It must be combined with oxygen and other elements and processed to produce the aluminium used in bottlecans. Bottlecans are made from 100 percent recyclable aluminium through either an extrusion or Coil to Can (C2C) process to a wide range of shapes and sizes. Impact extruded bottles are produced with three times the aluminium of a traditional beer can, which provides for increased insulation.
C2C bottles use 30%-40% to less aluminium than impact extruded aluminium bottles. Exal Corporation has pioneered the use C2C technology to manufacture aluminium bottles.
In terms of sustainability aluminium bottles and cans are the most desirable product in the recycling stream as the use of recycled aluminium requires only 5% of the energy required to manufacture virgin aluminium. According to Earth911.com each year, the US aluminium industry pays $800 million dollars for empty aluminium bottles and cans to the benefit of communities, industry and the environment.