Arkema & Spraying Systems Co. announced on 9 Nov/07 that they have reached a partnership agreement for the technical & commercial development of coating solutions for returnable glass bottles. Arkema is a leading supplier of proprietary coatings & coating systems to the glass industry. Success for beer & soda manufacturers is about getting the products presented in the right way in pubs, bars & shops where customers experience the product. Bottle appearance can have a significant impact on market positioning, market share, brand image, & therefore on the bottom line. Unfortunately, in the case of returnable bottles, the physical appearance of the bottle can have a negative impact. A major parameter is the degree of scuffing caused by the bottle-to-bottle contact during the filling process. With the increasing number of bottle "trips", the bottle appearance & therefore the marketing value decreases significantly. An internal market survey indicates that bottles do not fulfil the requirements of a premium-packaging segment after 10-15 refill cycles. This scuffing can be masked or delayed significantly by applying a protective coating in the filling plant. Arkema & Spraying Systems offer a full range of services including adaptable chemistry, technical service & new breakthrough spray application technologies which reduce the cost of maintaining a returnable glass bottle fleet. These solutions come as turnkey installations, specifically designed to fulfil individual requirements.
