PET packaging for beer set to take off, predicts Sidel

Developments at Sidel in relation to PET packaging for beer are ongoing, added Aury, and he outlined how the company is looking to accelerate market take up of PET in the brewing sector.

One billion 500ml beer bottles were produced using Sidel’s Actis internal coating technology last year but glass – with a 65 per cent share - constitutes the most widely used material in the global packaged beer market.

Sidel claims the main advantage of PET over glass is the lighter bottle. The supplier estimates consumption of PET in beer applications globally will increase by 11 per cent annually to 2012, rising to 15 per cent a year from 2012 to 2016.

Aury also spoke about the fact that Sidel remains focused on production line redesign to help processors in the more mature markets get the maximum out of their existing equipment but that it is also looking to serve the emerging markets through increasing line installations there.

And he stressed that 2010 has been very positive for the company in comparison to sales performance the previous year.