Screwcap closures for wine

Amcor is installing new equipment at its closures plant to produce metal screwcap closures for wine bottles. Production of screwcaps will commence in mid 2005.

The investment will more than double the existing production capacity of wine screwcaps within Australia. Amcor will produce around 100 million screwcaps per year and the facility has been designed to incorporate high quality top and side wall decoration. The company is already supplying a range of screwcap bottles to the wine industry from its glass manufacturing plant in South Australia.

Amcor will use Vinguard technology under a licence agreement with United Closures and Plastics (UCP), a subsidiary of Crown Cork & Seal Company. Amcor and Crown have extensive technology transfer arrangements in place around the world.

The Vinguard technology combined with Amcor Closure Systems' expertise in capping equipment and engineering field support will assist the wine industry achieve a smooth transition from cork to screwcap closures.

Demand for screwcap wines has been growing strongly over recent times both in Australia and overseas. Screwcaps now represent approximately 20% of all wine bottles sold in Australia and close to 50% in New Zealand.

Amcor's second glass manufacturing furnace at the Gawler site is currently under construction and will double Amcor's annual production capacity to around 400 million wine bottles when commissioned early next year.