Advances in Synthetic Closure
Technology January 29, 2007
Presentation Outline
• Current state of the wine closure industry
• Types of synthetic closures.
• What to look for in selecting a supplier.
• Performance characteristics.
• Coordinating closures with the package
• Closure-based promotional mechanics
Current closure market shares
by Closure Type - Unit Volume
(17 Billion Closures)
Punched tree bark
24%
Screwcap
12%
Synthetic cork
16%
Agglomerated,
Colmated, 'Altec'
23%
Technical, 1+1
25%
Cork / Cork Composites market share = 72%
Synthetic Cork Growth – 10 to 15% per year
Total Driven Closure Market by Country
17 Billion Closures
France, Italy, Germany/Austria =
57% of market
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
Italy
France
Germany
and
Austria
Spain
United
States
ROW
Australia Argentina
• 95% of wine consumed within eighteen months of bottling
• 99% of wine consumed within 24 hours of purchase
• 70% of wine purchased from supermarket chain/ discounter
Chile
South
Africa
Synthetic closures - overview
• Two key production processes
– Extrusion / Co-Extrusion –
• Nukorc
– Injection Molding
• e.g.SupremeCorq
Nomacorc
Synthetic closures
-Material overviewNumerous materials
– Polyethylene – e.g.Nukorc, Nomacorc
– Expanded polyvinyl – e.g.Co-plast
– Ethyl Vinyl Acetate – e.g.Integra
– Thermoplastic Elastomer – e.g.SupremeCorq
All are petroleum-based products coated with a food
grade silicon.
Overview of synthetic closure sector
• Approximately 50 producers
• Two key players – SupremeCorq &
Nomacorc – have c.50% market share
• Three ‘second-tier’ global producers
• 45 regional/national/local producers
• 80% injection-molders, 20% (co-)extruders
• 80% of producers based in Italy
• 10% of the production capacity in Italy
Overview of synthetic closure sector
• Big differences between product offerings:
– Extraction force
– Oxygen barrier performance
– Ability to re-insert after opening
– Print quality
– Service – lead time
– Quality and consistency
– Investment in product development
Key Performance Characteristics
•
•
•
•
•
Extraction
Barrier Properties
Removal from a Corkscrew
Reinsertion
Push Test
Extractions after 24 Months Ambient
(73°F/23 °C)
7.5
24 hrs after bottling
Extraction Force (kg)
Standard Deviation
7.0
5.8
50.0
40.0
24 months
6.0
4.7
5.0
4.5
4.0
4.0
3.9
30.0
3.2
4.0
3.0
3.0
20.0
2.0
10.0
1.0
0.0
0.0
NuKorc
Nomacorc
Supreme
Corq New &
Improved
Supreme
Corq
Original
2+2
1+1
Integra
Neocork
Tree Bark
Methodology: Bottled commercial red wine with various closures. Stored all wine horizontally in 55ºF/ 13ºC and 5075% Relative Humidity (RH) at a controlled wine storage facility. After 9 months the bottles were turned to an upright
position to replicate retail shelf conditions. After 24 months the bottles were stabilized to 73ºF/ 23ºC for 24 hours and
extraction values were measured using the ISO 9727 method (Dillon TC2 Extraction Unit). In addition, the standard
deviation was calculated and averaged.
Standard Deviation (kg)
60.0
8.0
Extractions after 24 Months - Chilled
(43°F/6 °C)
8.0
60.0
24 months
Standard Deviation
7.0
Extraction Force (kg)
50.0
5.2
40.0
30.0
6.0
5.1
5.0
4.4
3.7
3.9
3.2
2.8
3.0
2.4
20.0
4.0
1.7
2.0
10.0
1.0
0.0
0.0
NuKorc
Nomacorc Supreme CorqSupreme Corq
Original
New &
Improved
2+2
1+1
Tree Bark
Integra
Neocork
Methodology: Bottled commercial white wine with various closures. Stored all wine horizontally in 55ºF/ 13ºC
and 50-75%RH at a controlled wine storage facility. After 9 months the bottles were turned to an upright position
to replicate retail shelf conditions. After 24 months, the bottles were chilled to 43ºF/ 6ºC for 24 hours and then
the extraction values were measured using the ISO 9727 method (Dillon TC2 Extraction Unit). In addition, the
standard deviation was calculated and averaged.
Standard Deviation (kg)
48 hrs after bottling
Permeability of Closures
(cumulative)
Fraction of Closures
Tested by Southcorp Packaging, Australia, presented at 2005 ASEV Conference by Richard Gibson
1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Raw Data
Gaussian Fit
0.006
0.001
0.01
0,006
0.1
1
Permeability (CC O2 /Closure/Day)
35 randomly selected 44x24 ref 2 natural corks
Synthetic corks
SupremeCorq X2
10
Oxygen Transmission Rate (cc/pkg day)
38mm - Oxygen Permeability
0.020
0.018
0.018
0.016
0.014
0.015
0.014
0.011
0.012
0.011
0.010
0.008
0.006
0.006
0.006
0.004
0.002
0.000
tu
Na
r
o
al C
rk
Su
m
p re
eC
X
o rq
Su
2
p re
rq
Co
e
m
O
in
r ig
al
No
m
r
a co
c
ss
Cla
ic
eg
I nt
ra
k
Nu
o rc
N
o
e oc
rk
Methodology: Testing was performed on an Ox-Tran 2/20 (MOCON, Inc.) at Impact Analytical
(Midland, Michigan, USA) per ASTM F1307.
Torque to Remove from Corkscrew
Ambient Temperature (70oF/21oC)
Standard Deviation
2.5
12
Removal Torque (in lb)
10
2.0
1.71
1.55
8
1.5
6
1.04
1.0
4
0.48
2
0.35
0.5
0.26
Standard Deviation (in lb)
2.14
0.0
0
SupremeCorq SupremeCorq
Original
X2
Nomacorc
Integra
Tree Bark
Nukorc
Neocork
Methodology: A “Waiter’s Friend” type corkscrew with a pigtail style auger was inserted into each of the five closures setup in
the Electronic Torque Tester, manufactured by Secure Pak, Inc. The torque required to remove the corkscrew from the closure
was measured from the digital reader in inch pounds. The five readings were averaged.
Torque to Remove from Corkscrew
Chilled Temperature (42oF/4oC)
12
2.5
10
2.0
1.55
8
1.5
6
0.98
0.87
4
0.72
1.0
0.78
0.66
0.64
0.5
2
Standard Deviation (in lb)
Removal Torque (in lb)
Standard Deviation
0.0
0
SupremeCorq SupremeCorq
Original
X2
Nomacorc
Integra
Tree Bark
Nukorc
Neocork
Methodology: A “Waiter’s Friend” type corkscrew with a pigtail style auger was inserted into each of the five closures setup in
the Electronic Torque Tester, manufactured by Secure Pak, Inc. The torque required to remove the corkscrew from the closure
was measured from the digital reader in inch pounds. The five readings were averaged.
Ease of Manual Cork Reinsertion into Bottle
(at Ambient Temperature*)
Easy
Impossible
Supreme Corq Supreme Corq
X2
Original
Tree Bark
Neocork
1+1
2+2
Nomacorc
Integra
NuKorc
Note: 12 bottles of each closure were used. The closure was extracted and reinserted after a ½ hour. Rating of Ease of
Manual Reinsertion methodology per AWRI study (Godden 1999).
Corq Movement Under Heat Stress
Push Height (mm)
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
gr
a
In
te
k
eo
co
r
om
N
ac
or
c
c
uK
or
N
O
or
q
eC
N
rig
in
al
1+
1
Su
pr
em
Su
p
re
m
eC
or
q
X2
0
Methodology: Bottles were filled with tap water and the closures were inserted into each bottle with a semi-automatic bottler
and vacuum at –5 psi (-0.34 bar). The insertion height of each closure was measured before and after incubation for 24
hours vertically at 100°F/38°C.
Quality Assurance
Guiding
Principle
Program
¾American
Food Safety
Product
Performance
Process Control
Innovation
Institute of Baking
(AIB)
¾HACCP Program
¾British Retail Packaging
Standard (BRC)
¾Quality
Control & Monitoring
¾ISO 9001:2000
¾Active R & D Department
Recap of Key Criteria for Closure Evaluation
• Technical performance
– Ease of use on bottling line – mechanical
– Ease of removal—mechanical
– Wine sealing characteristics—preservative
– Food safety – quality control certifications
• Consumer experience
– Must be easy to insert the corkscrew
– Must be easy to extract from the bottle
– Must be easy to re-insert into the bottle
– Must not flake crumbs of material into the wine
– Must look good!
Marketing managers with Synthetic closures
Packaging Design
• Brand managers often forget to design the
closure
– What colour? Complement or contrast
– What length? Technical and aesthetic choice
– What colour of ink? Complement or contrast
What to print on the corq?
Examples of considered design
• Complementary colour choices
– E.g.Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery, Chile
– E.g. Aresti Vineyard, Chile
Communicate on the closure
• Develop consumer relationship
– Website or phone number on the closure
• E.g.Domaine Bourillon Dorléans, France
Closure links to the website,
including tasting notes,
winery history and closure
information
Other Consumer Marketing Ideas
• Print a web address that links to a site
with a promotion campaign or game
• Return ‘x’ number of corqs from a
brand to receive a discount voucher
• Offer branded merchandise
• Co-promote with key retailers
The only limit is your imagination!
Thank you for your attention!
Jim Cahill
Vice President North American Sales
Supreme Corq LLC