Lightweight wine bottle from Nampak

It is manufactured through a narrow neck press and blow process, the latest technology available for glass container manufacturing, which enables the glass to be distributed more evenly during the manufacturing process, resulting in less glass needed to ensure acceptable strength and durability.

Douglas Green Bellingham's high volume Culemborg range is the first brand to benefit from the ultra-lightweight bottle's raw material, supply chain and environmental savings. Its GM of Operations, Pieter Marais, says, "To illustrate its significance, this represents a 24% weight reduction in glass. The reduction in carbon dioxide equivalent emissions on this brand alone is estimated to be over 100 tons per year."

Nampak estimates the annual volumes to the general trade at 2 million units, a saving of 60 tons of raw material. These volumes are aimed to more than double in 2012. In addition, up to 45% of the raw materials used in the manufacturing process come from cullet (recovered waste glass collected from recycling initiatives).