Unfortunately, despite there being some wonderful new things on show this year, they’re few and far between as far as I can see. There are redesigns aplenty, and updates to already existing products and technologies, but true innovation is thin on the ground.
Perhaps tomorrow will be better. (And please do get in touch with me to prove me wrong!)
On a positive note, I caught up with Rexam’s John Revess, who talked to my colleague Bill Bruce about the company’s sustainability plans. We also spoke to Rexam’s Kym Hamer about the success of the Fusion bottle (aluminium), and particularly about Ocóo.
.
It was a fruitful visit to the Closure Systems International stand, where I talked to Javier Cristián Espagnol and Wolf-Friedrich Bähre about the latest in plastic cap innovation and CSI’s new aluminium closure, Alu-Star. Wolf also told me about how CSI’s traditional Talog cap is expanding into new territories.
On the APPE stand, Kinza Sutton talked to me about the company’s new ActivSeal and DeepGrip products, and about challenging people’s perceptions about rPET. FoodBev.com first reported on the DeepGrip last July, so it was nice to finally hold one in my hand. It’s remarkably light and supple, yet robust at the top of the handle (handy for when it’s full of juice and potentially tough to pour).
Jan Mika Unting of Ashland talked me through the ins and outs of ISP’s recent ‘integration’ with Ashland, and how some positive restructuring is taking place.
He went on to blind me with science (my fault, not his) by explaining upstream stabilisation, but we were on common ground when comparing iPhone camera apps.
So, you can tell there’s lots of interactive content to come, and that’s only half of it. You can check out a modest gallery of images from Brau Beviale 2011 at this link and a second gallery at this link.
Let me know your thoughts on this year’s event by registering and leaving a comment below.
Shaun Weston is managing editor of FoodBev.com. You can contact him here or read his blog here.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024