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GLASS CONTAINERS
Glass containers
range of different requirements. found in the tombs of the earliest duction and shape of container
They can convey a specific image civilisations, yet the manual pro- glass are focusing increasingly on
through their shape, they can duction process remained highly individuality and specific designs.
make statements, and they are complex until the late Middle Production quantities are smaller,
hygienic. Food and beverages Ages, so that glass was reserved as is the weight of each bottle,
packaged in glass retain both their for the more privileged mem- yet the containers are of a high
taste and freshness, as glass con- bers of society. It was exclusively quality while also meeting climate
tainers do not pass on any taste used for luxury goods such as change targets. Another element
or impurities to their contents. oils, essences and perfumes, and that has substantially impacted
This special quality is immense- people did not begin to fill it with manufacturing processes is the
ly important, particularly in the drinks until much later, when responsible use of resources
food industry, and experts there- production became more efficient through recycling. Paradoxically,
fore describe glass as inert. It’s with the advent of progressive the container glass industry has
what makes this material unique, glassblowing techniques. 17th- been increasingly impacted by
and it’s a quality which consum- century Italy stands out especially competition from PET bottles,
ers clearly value. According to with its artistic glass manufactur- forcing it to find solutions which

a European-wide study commis- ing, continually surpassing itself are now also important to the
sioned by the European Container in the production of carafes, bot- end customer. Furthermore,
Glass Federation, glass packaging tles and glasses. The final victory this focus on the hygienic and
is greatly appreciated throughout of container glass came through inert qualities of glass has been
society because it preserves the industrialisation in the 18th and accompanied by an increasing
taste of the content, is healthy and 19th centuries, and it has been awareness of the environmen-
does not harm the environment. marked by continuous improve- tal dimension, with images of
ments in production and shape to gigantic swathes of plastic waste
FROM A LUXURY PRODUCT the present day. in the world’s oceans, causing
TO AN EVERYDAY ITEM – painful deaths to fish and birds.
THE VICTORY OF GLASS THE GERMAN CONTAINER So the container glass indus-
CONTAINERS GLASS INDUSTRY: try is vehemently working on
Container glass can look back INNOVATIVE, CREATIVE AND ways to modify its products. It
to a long and indeed eventful EFFICIENT does so by adding the largest
history. Small flacons could be Today’s demands on the pro- possible proportion of recycled

glass machinery plants & accessories 6/2018
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