Belgium-based DW Reusables, a company devoted to the development and production of injection moulded reusable packaging, has come up with a cleverly designed bottle bridge that eliminates the spills and dribbles associated with bottle returns.
The Bottlebee, as the product is called, has been created as a replacement for conventional cardboard bridges and offers the same convenience but without the waste.
Made of PP or HDPE, Bottlebees last for decades and can be recycled entirely at the end of life with no need for additives or water, the company said. The IML labels are made out of the same material, so no need for sorting.
Users pay a small deposit on the packaging to ensure it remains in a closed loop system.
“The Bottlebee offers different advantages for different stakeholders. For end consumers it is a drastically improved experience as returning empty bottles becomes easier and cleaner,” said Paul Baeyens, CEO of DW Reusables.
Retailers benefit as well: the system provides a more secure grip on the bottles, leading to fewer broken bottles and mess, he said.
The packaging is brandable for optimal product visibility at the point of sale and can be stacked two layers high. It is also compatible with existing beverage crates as the Bottlebee is placed on the bottles in the crates and can be designed for any shape of bottle or crate.
“Brands will improve loyalty while maintaining tight control over the look and feel,”Baeyens added.
The company has also developed technology to produce the Bottlebee from recycled material derived from post-consumer waste or regrind plastics. The products have the same rigidity specifications as Bottlebees made from virgin and are currently the most popular option amongst its clients.
An independent study has revealed that a Bottlebee with reusable glass bottles has a 64% smaller CO2 footprint compared to conventional packaging.
As a leading producer of returnable packaging - beverage crates, pallets, trays and totes - DW Reusables operates four manufacturing sites in Belgium, Poland, Spain and Croatia. The company is specialised in closed-loop systems in which one-way packaging is replaced by durable and fully recyclable packaging options.