The 24oz stock hot-fill containers, targeted for food applications such as jams, jellies, salsas, apple sauce, and pesto sauce, are a drop-in solution for manufacturers, providing reduced total cost of ownership and environmental benefits such as reduced carbon footprint. The shift to A-PEX63 TM PET containers requires no capital investment and can be adapted to existing capping and filling equipment.
The A-PEX63 TM containers sport a 63mm finish with a functional "pop" tamper-evident indicator button on the closure. The "pop" that consumers hear when opening a jar has long been associated with freshness and product security. The containers are also hot fillable up to 96°C and available with Amcor's unique PowerflexTM vacuum absorbing base for those applications that require enhanced vacuum performance.
Among PET's key sustainability benefits are a 36% energy savings and a reduction of 2024 tonnes of CO2 emissions which is equivalent to electricity use for one year for 278 homes. Versus the 330-gram glass container, the 51-gram PET container results in an 85% material reduction per jar. The weight reduction results in major transportation cost benefits including the shipment of 30% more product by weight per truck.
A recent consumer focus group conducted by Amcor showed that A-PEX63 TM containers maintained a product's brand equity and reassured consumers about freshness. Consumers also liked the "pop" feature, the reduced weight, and the easy-to-grip, easy-open feature. The hot-fill containers also passed distribution abuse testing including variation, impact, and 5-ft vertical drop evaluations.
Amcor has conducted extensive lab scale and line trial testing to prove the technology. The 24oz containers are commercially available for food manufacturers throughout the U.S. Amcor is also evaluating the potential of expanding the technology to include 16oz and 48oz containers for similar hot-fill food applications.
