Handle
with Care
There
is an increasing demand for glass packaging and the requirement of glass
containers in the food industry is estimated at 30,000 mt, says G Kannan
Processed
food, fruits and vegetables can be packed in various ways but glass
containers are preferred worldwide due to various reasons. For example,
glass is impermeable and non-porous, thereby directly addressing safety
concerns; it can be recycled thus there is a certain cost saving involved.
It is also ideal for high speed filling lines and is re-sealable, microwavable
and transparent. Glass can be hermetically sealed, thus prolonging product
shelf life. It is also economical compared to other kinds of packaging
and has proven customer appeal. Glass, as a suitable packaging material,
also has US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval. Thus glass
packaging is internationally acceptable.
The
processed food sector utilises glass bottles for packing pickles, sauces,
jams, malted foods and dairy products.
Pickle:
Besides bulk packing, pouches and pet containers; glass is traditionally
the preferred medium for packing and export of pickles from India. The
unorganised sector accounts for 25 per cent to 50 per cent of pickle
manufacture in the country and the growth in this sector is around 5
per cent. The most popular bottle size for packing pickles is 400 g
and
500
g, with lug neck sealing. India is a major exporter of pickles and almost
all the gherkin pickles (a form of pickle in brine) produced in southern
India is exported to super chains in Europe, Russia, Australia and the
demand annually for jars is estimated at 50 million pieces with 82 mm
lug neck. This is an area of great potential with the demand set to
increase in the future.
Sauces
and ketchup: All significant players except the three multinationals
Kissan, Maggi, and Heinz, operate in the unorganised segment and continue
to pack 80 per cent of their products in used recycled glass bottles
causing serious concerns of health and violation of the FDA regulations.
There is a regular demand for 200 g, 500 g and 1 kg glass bottles with
crown finish, and the growth rate in this segment is 6 per cent approximately.
Jams:
Nowadays 30-35 per cent of the jams produced in India are packed in
standipacks, plastic tubs, pet jars or cans which have lower shelf life.
But
customers are keen to see the product they buy and therefore glass is
a preferred medium and there is a requirement for 500 g, 200 g and 300
g bottles and in this sector too the growth rate is around 6 per cent.
Malted
foods: This sector is dominated by large multinationals in the organised
segment, which hold up to 90 per cent of the total manufacture in the
country. Currently, 60 per cent of the product is packed in glass bottles
of size 200 g, 500 g, 1 kg and the balance in flexi packs or refill
packs. As malted foods absorb a lot of moisture from the atmosphere
there is a need to reseal or close the container to prevent ingress
of moisture, which is easily possible in glass bottles.
Coffee
and cocoa: Instant coffee is packed in glass, cans or refill packs and
this segment too is dominated by multinationals. The growth rate in
this sector is 8 to 10 per cent and the popular sizes that are increasingly
in demand are 50 g, 100 g, 200 g. Glass bottles hold 40 per cent of
the total market share and the rest is packed in foil lined paper cartons.
Milk:
All the suppliers of milk have, over a period of time, shifted from
glass bottles to pouches due to convenience. However, the introduction
of flavoured milk by major dairies in India has triggered a growth in
demand of 200 ml non-returnable glass bottles. There is a projected
demand of 12,000 million tonnes of glass bottles per annum to meet the
requirements of this segment.
Infrastructure
required
The
technology for filling any product in a glass bottle can be manual,
semi-automatic or automatic. All other kinds of packing require huge
investments, technology and technical expertise, which sometimes prove
to be beyond comprehension for small time players. Most glass bottles
only require a simple crowner or a lug sealing manual machine and can
work even without electric power. The technology is low-end and therefore
the input costs are negligible.
The
bottles manufactured by glass factories have to maintain international
hygiene standards. During the manufacturing process glass bottles should
be untouched by human hands thus a picker or placer arrangement is preferred
for packing. The bottles should also be packed in CC boxes and shrink-wrapped
before being shipped. The area or warehouse should be treated for pest
control and the stocks stored in areas free of dust and dirt. The stocks
can be further covered with...
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