A unique partner for the European wine market

O-I, the world leader in glass containers, is set to unveil its new European wine bottle ranges at the forthcoming Sitevi trade fair, to be held in Montpellier, France from November 27th to 29th.
"O-I is located at the heart of Europe’s wine-producing area. With our numerous sites across the continent and the synergies we have built up between the fifteen countries where we have a presence, we can act locally, everywhere", explains Benoît Villaret, Marketing Manager Wine Europe.

In a global market with local origins, the logistical implications are increasingly important. Having a regional presence in proximity to customers has become a key factor. O-I is a European business with a network of plants and logistical platforms that give it a unique deployment capacity.

The company's network of infrastructures means it is right there for its customers on the ground day in, day out, and can adapt quickly to the latest developments in the European market.
O-I's staff have unrivalled experience in technology, quality, productivity and product development, whilst the group's leading-edge glass expertise enables it to meet the needs of its customers and consumers. It can produce everything from large-scale series to customized limited editions.

Thanks to substantial investment in research and development, O-I has always enjoyed a dominant strategic position, and constantly seeks to improve its facilities. Focusing on the innovative possibilities of glass and the manufacturing process, its R&D teams aim to develop pioneering new products, boost quality and performance and help protect the environment. The earliest example of this philosophy was the invention of the very first fully-automated bottle-making machine by Michael J. Owens in 1903. Today, O-I is constantly renews its commitment to creativity and innovation with unique designs tailored to the current and future needs of its customers. The group's design and marketing teams constantly share ideas, develop new product concepts and together with customers, develop over 1,500 innovative products every year.

"Our wine bottle ranges are now wider, deeper and better than ever. Consumers are gradually becoming more discerning and the quality of our products has to improve constantly to keep up with those rising expectations", adds Benoît Villaret.

Like the global consumer market, the market for wine bottles is currently seeing three major trends:
· While value wines must meet economic constaints, consumers nevertheless demand packaging that looks appealing and of good quality.

· In the mid-range, the trend is increasingly towards standardization, with the same basic shapes used in different countries. For example these days, a white Chardonnay comes in a Burgundy type bottle with a dead leaf green tint, wherever it is marketed.

· For the high-end wine range, the emphasis is on customization and differentiation. The most prestigious vineyards are developing their own personalized bottles, customized to fit the image of their brands.

The 1,500 new bottle and jar models created every year at O-I are designed using the very latest techniques, allowing a wide selection of different colours, shapes and finishes. To see the group's latest innovations for yourself, come along to the Sitevi trade fair, Hall 11, stand B14...

crossrelations GmbH
Angelika Frost
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40219 Düsseldorf
Tel: 0211/882736-48
Fax: 0211/882736-11
eMail: angelika.frost@crossrelations.de

About O-I
Millions of times a day, O-I glass containers deliver many of the world's best-known consumer products to people all around the world. With the leading position in Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and Latin America, O-I manufactures consumer-preferred, 100 percent recyclable glass containers that enable superior taste, purity, visual appeal and value benefits for our customers’ products. Established in 1903, the company employs more than 24,000 people with 83 manufacturing facilities in 22 countries. In 2007, net sales were $7.6 billion. For more information, visit http://www.o-i.com.

This release was published on openPR.