Sustainable packaging: Graham Packaging’s new Slingshot PET Bottle

-- Packaging Digest, 5/14/2010 12:39:39 PM

AriZona Iced Tea is getting the benefit of that improved carbon footprint from Graham Packaging's new Slingshot proprietary lightweight barrier PET bottle, which is currently being introduced in markets across the country as an upgrade for the AriZona Iced Tea 16-ounce bottle.

Mark Leiden, vice president of global marketing and PET business manager for Graham Packaging said the Slingshot bottle is 20 percent lighter than AriZona Iced Tea's old bottle and packs nearly 350 more bottles to a pallet.

"That translates into a truckload that carries more than 7,650 additional bottles yet weighs more than a thousand pounds less," Leiden said. "The space, weight, and fuel savings accrue both to AriZona and to the environment. The consumer also gets a lighter bottle that's easier to handle."

Based on the production volume estimated for the new bottle and the savings in material to make the bottle and fuel to transport it, the reduction in carbon dioxide equivalents is significant--a reduction of more than 3.3 million pounds per year, according to Leiden.

"Our customers have made it clear that reducing the carbon footprint of their products is a real goal, not just something they give lip service to," he said. "Graham Packaging has responded by making a major commitment to improved sustainability."

The Slingshot bottle for AriZona features an amber color to protect the natural antioxidant properties of the beverage and a barrier technology to prolong the fresh taste of the natural flavors without the use of preservatives.

The Slingshot technology eliminates the need for vacuum panels in the label area, which allows for a sleek cylindrical design. This also makes the bottle easier to handle and label during filling and creates a package that provides a more ergonomic feel in the consumer's hand.

Source: Graham Packaging Company

.