Industry Leader AriZona Beverage Company is First Major Brand to Commercialize Constar’s VCT PET Bottle

AriZona Beverage Company has recently introduced a range of its ready-to-drink beverages in 20-ounce custom PET bottles. These bottles are made with Constar International’s Vertical Compensation Technology(VCT) panel-less bottle for hot- fill beverages.

18/12/08 Recognizing the intrinsic link between product, package and consumers’ product experience, AriZona Beverage Company has recently introduced a range of its ready-to-drink beverages in 20-ounce custom PET bottles. These bottles are made with Constar International’s Vertical Compensation Technology (VCT), a panel-less bottle for hot- fill beverages. AriZona Beverage Company is the first major brand to commercialize Constar’s VCT technology.

Constar is supplying AriZona Beverage Company with “Tallboy” PET bottles for seven SKUs of AriZona iced teas and juices, including Green Tea, Sweet Tea, Lemon Tea, Half & Half Lemonade Iced Tea, Watermelon Juice, Mucho Mango, and Fruit Punch.

Many of AriZona Beverage Company’s products are hot-filled, which requires bottles that can accommodate the initial heat of filling and the proceeding cooling process. Constar’s PET bottles with VCT technology provide a high performing, highly appealing alternative that employs a special geometry to address the hot-fill process. The new bottles were designed using Constar’s CONSTruct advanced predictive engineering software, which optimizes performance and material use.

“The end result is a more robust, highly efficient bottle that satisfies the operational and branding needs of AriZona Beverage Company,” said Scott Pleune, vice president of marketing and business development, Constar. “What we have developed is a ‘smarter’ bottle in that it accommodates the hot-fill process, but with the smooth side walls, it also allows for the high-speed application of roll-fed labels. While consumers can’t see the bottle’s profile under the label, the rigidity of the bottle is similar to glass and imparts the quality brand image so important to AriZona Beverage Company.”

John Balboni, president and chief business development officer at AriZona stated, “Just as our customers want more from their favorite beverage, we want more from our packaging. Thanks to Constar’s advanced technology, we now have a new PET bottle that not only protects the beverage, but uses less raw material, is lighter in weight, is more rigid, and allows us to fill more product in less time.”

The new AriZona PET bottles with VCT technology also satisfy consumers’ desires for green packaging. PET is among the most recyclable of plastics and is accepted in curbside recycling programs. Used PET has a high market demand and recovery value, finding its way back into bottles as well as products like carpet, clothing and sleeping bags.

Constar’s VCT technology is available in stock and custom design bottles and jars for hot-fill applications.