The packaging industry in 2011 is on a sustainability mission. As the wine industry continues to adopt environmentally friendly practices, the pressure to go green has forced suppliers to create products that are lighter, smaller, more cost-effective and ultimately reduce the carbon footprint. Here are 10 new packaging items that are both useful to wineries and help make the world a greener and cleaner place.

Landaal Packaging Systems creates Green Cell Foam
Landaal Packaging Systems, Burton, Mich., introduced Green Cell Foam, an eco-friendly, insulated wine-shipping container. It is produced almost completely from 100% U.S.-grown corn, contains no petrochemicals and is compostable. This alternative insulating material also has up to an 80% reduction in greenhouse gases and a 70% decrease in energy requirements from polystyrene, which reduces the amount of time it would take to biodegrade in a landfill. Green Cell Foam is one of the longest-used, most-tested and effective biodegradable cold-chain shipping materials on the market. For more information, visit greencellfoam.com.

Nomacorc introduces Select Series wine closures
The Select Series wine closures from Nomacorc, Zebulon, N.C., are an innovative, high-performance line of co-extruded synthetic closures. They are each designed to play a specific role in post-bottling oxygen management, wine preservation and development. These closures have a visual appearance and texture that very much resembles natural cork. The ends of the closures have a bark-like roughness and chamfered edge that allows for end-printing; they are the first synthetic closures in the world with this capability. The first Select Series product, “Select 700,” is offered in 38, 44 and 47 mm lengths and is available for delivery. For more information, visit nomacorc.com.

Global Package announces Decanter MBS bottle
Global Package, Napa, Calif., is now distributing the Berasategui System bottle, recently awarded the Packaging Oscar for its innovation and functionality. Designed by Basque restaurateur Martin Berasategui and produced by the Spanish company Estalpackaging, the Decanter MBS bottle prevents sediments from reaching the wine glass. The design consists of a double base, with the lower base having narrowing perpendicular ledges that inhibit impurities from leaving the bottle. The design also can eliminate pre-bottling filtration processes, allowing for optimal wine sensory characteristics to be maintained. For more information, call (707) 224-5670 or visit globalpackage.net.

Canadian Supplier launches wines in first 1-liter PET bottle for airline industry
Societé de Vin Internationale LTEE, Laval, Québec, debuted the first 1-liter PET wine bottle for the North American airline industry. The lightweight PET barrier container is supplied by Amcor Rigid Plastics, Manchester, Mich., and gives airlines the option to mimic glass while delivering reduced fuel consumption and cost savings. The 54g PET stock bottle is one-eighth the weight of the previously used 430g glass container. Its KHS Plasmax Silicon Oxide (SiOx) barrier coating seals the container from the inside to protect wine from oxidation and resist cracking, abrasion and delamination. For more information, visit groupegeloso.com and amcor.com.

O-I expands lightweight bottle line
Glass manufacturer Owens-Illinois, Perrysburg, Ohio, expanded its line of lightweight bottles in North America. These new 1-liter bottles, manufactured in California, weigh 14 ounces and come in claret and burgundy. Part of O-I’s Lean+Green initiative, the bottles are designed to reduce weight and energy consumption, without noticeable changes in appearance and feel. The bottles are available in a variety of colors, including champagne green, flint, emerald green and dead leaf green and are between 16% and 27% lighter than current offerings. For more information, visit o-i.com.

Standard-Knapp debuts Tritium multipacker
Packing machinery manufacturer Standard-Knapp, Portland, Conn., unveiled the continuous-motion Tritium multipacker, a packer that wraps single-, double- and triple-lane configurations in films, eliminating the need for trays and pads. It comes equipped with easy-access “gull wing” guard doors, which provide a clear view of all moving belts and chains. The multipacker also features an innovative Robo-Wand wrapping section and a servo-driven film cutting system that allows for wide product range capabilities, increased speed and reliability. It sends the packs through an energy-efficient heat tunnel to shrink-wrap the film, thereby reducing the amount of overall packaging material used. For more information, visit standard-knapp.com.

G3 increases closure options, expands mobile bottling
G3 Enterprises’ closure division, Modesto, Calif., added the Royal 90 Performa to screwcap production capabilities. This printing process transforms top- and side-printed artwork from a flat aluminum sheet to the formed dimensions of the final cap. The single-step printing process not only allows for more flexibility in package design but also saves printing time and is cost-effective. The Royal 90 is offered in three variations: standard (single color, top printed and top and side printed), performa (top and side printed) and performa plus (torque-on). G3 also added three new bottling lines offering alternative packaging options, increased capacity and the first bag-in-box line in the United States. For more information, visit g3enterprises.com.

KDM Global Partners reveal “Complete” Wine Bottle and Flute
Vino Solo, a complete 187ml bottle, cap and drinking flute combination, was launched by KDM Global Partners, Philadelphia, Pa., an international wine importer and producer specializing in private label wine brand creation and marketing. This single-serve PET package offers convenience, freshness and inventory control. Because it is one-sixth the weight of glass, it reduces inventory management costs by trimming freight weight and bottle storage. It also decreases service time, as the server just opens the tamper-evident seal and hands the package to the customer. For more information, visit kdmglobalpartners.com and vinosolo.com.

Zork introduces collaborative POS
Zork USA, Sonoma, Calif., introduced a new collaborative point-of-sale marketing program for wineries. The program offers wineries that buy a minimum volume of Zork closures to qualify for print-ready, co-branded POS materials such as bottleneckers, shelf talkers, table tents, wait staff cards and distributor sell sheets. With pre-designed templates for the POS pieces, wineries supply their logo, bottle shots and text, then Zork integrates it into print-ready artwork. Zork may also subsidize printing costs, depending on the closure order volume. For more information, visit zorkusa.com.

A-B-C Packaging bottle packer offers quick changeover
The new Model 101 casepacker by A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp., Tarpon Springs, Fla., reduces changeover downtime up to 30% while packing with gentle precision. It packs glass, plastic bottles, jugs, jars and specialty shapes as well as metal, composite cans and many styles of cartons. The packer is designed with complete gripper assemblies for all pack/bottle patterns, and guide-rail placement is simplified with sliding and locking handles to allow quick adjustment to new specifications. The servo-driven pick-and-place operation also ensures gentle product handling to maintain container and label integrity. For more information, visit abcpackaging.com.