O-I Launches New Line of Lightweight Wine Bottles

PERRYSBURG, Ohio, May 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- O-I (NYSE:OI), the world's largest manufacturer of glass containers, is launching its lightest-ever North American wine bottle, which is up to 27 percent lighter than similar wine bottles. Manufactured at the company's California manufacturing facilities, the new bottles weigh just 11.6 ounces.

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The company is also launching a 13-ounce 750 mL claret bottle, available to customers on the East coast. The first customer receiving the new 13-ounce container is wholesaler L.D. Carlson Co.

The new line of 750 mL lightweight claret and burgundy bottles is part of the O-I Lean+Green® initiative designed to create strong, durable, yet lighter bottles using advanced manufacturing techniques. The Lean+Green line is available in a variety of colors, including Champagne Green, Flint, Emerald Green and Dead Leaf Green, and will be between 16 and 27 percent lighter than current offerings.

With the addition of the new 11.6-ounce and 13-ounce 750 mL bottles, O-I North America now offers lightweight wine bottles ranging from 11.6 to 16 ounces. The new lightweight line retains the premium image of glass without noticeable changes in appearance and feel.

"O-I developed its lighter wine bottles to meet the same strict quality standards of our traditional wine bottles," said Stan Gossett, VP and Category Director for North America Wine. "We are proud to offer additional lightweight packaging options that help customers realize higher environmental savings, while retaining the strength and premium image for which O-I packaging is known."

Glass wine bottles are the only packaging available made from 100 percent natural resources and, when lightweighted, reduce the emissions released into the environment. Use of the O-I lightweight bottles will provide strong environmental benefits, including carbon dioxide savings of more than 89 tonnes. This is the equivalent of reducing semi-truck travel by 57,000 miles or the CO2 absorbed by 4,100 trees*.

"Our retailers sell a significant amount of bottles to home winemakers across the country and innumerable cases are shipped direct to their doorstep. The reduced weight of the lean and green wine bottle will decrease shipping expenses. Additionally, the more environmentally-friendly bottle is a great fit for our boutique and urban wineries," said Brian Wright, Sales & Marketing Manager, L.D. Carlson.

L.D. Carlson has provided premium products and services supporting U.S. home wine-making needs since 1970.

Learn more about lightweight glass packaging and glass' environmental benefits at www.winelovesglass.com.

*These savings numbers are based on production of 1 million bottles.

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 22,000 people with 78 manufacturing facilities in 21 countries. In 2009, net sales were $7.1 billion. For more information, visit http://www.o-i.com.

SOURCE O-I