The packaging company says bottles can be made lighter without redesign

Graham Packaging, the US-based supplier of blow moulded containers, has developed a method to reduce the weight of PET bottles. It says it can do this without the need to redesign the bottle, and without affecting performance characteristics. However, it did not specify how much weight it could cut from a bottle.

“This special moulding process distributes the material where it’s needed and removes it where it’s not needed,” said Toshi Kojitani, director of Graham’s PET product line. Graham has spent two years perfecting the technique. It says that the technique will help to offset rising resin prices.

Kojitani said that tests at a customer’s filling line showed no difference in performance compared to the current container. Graham intends to introduce the technology across its entire family of products, but did not specify a timescale for this.