(view full article on: Packaging World: News, Trends and Innovations)

AquaDeco overcomes glass bottle manufacturing and filling challenges using a bottle design the founder created before the company even started.

Which comes first: the product or its packaging? Usually it’s the product, but in the case of start-up beverage company AquaDeco, the bottle for its imported water came before the company even started. Arnold Gumowitz, a real estate businessman and art collector with a penchant for art deco buildings, sketched a bottle with an art deco structural shape and offered his design to a gin company. The company turned it down but suggested he use the bottle for water instead. Gumowitz liked the idea, and in 2004 he started AquaDeco, a company that sells bottled water imported from Muskoka Natural Spring Water, Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada. To bring Gumowitz’ sketches to life, New York, NY-based AquaDeco worked with Flowdesign (www.flow-design.com). The 750-ml bottle stands tall, resembling an art deco building with fanned out fins that taper down to a stair-stepped base. Flowdesign also designed a brand name logo, which is silver hot-stamped on a clear, 2-mil, pressure-sensitive film label on the front of the bottle. The 2-mil clear film labels are supplied by WS Packaging Group (www.wspackaging.com). The rear label is six-color UV flexo-printed on both sides. The outside back label contains text while the inside back label shows a mountain image surrounded by a blue glow that is visible when viewed through the front label panel. Once the design was complete, AquaDeco had a new challenge on its hands: finding a company technically capable—and willing—to make the bottle. “We looked in India, China, and Czechoslovakia for someone to produce it cost effectively,” says Evan Cooper, vp of operations. “They couldn’t produce it because of the design. It’s so heavy, and because it’s wide at the top and tapers down to the base, there was a lot of glass on the upper part of the bottle.” The company had molds made and samples run, but each time the bottles collapsed into the base as soon as they were removed from the machine. “The other problem,” says Cooper, “was the quality of the glass. A lot of the samples out of China and India were greenish and dirty looking,” he says. “They didn’t evoke images of pristine water.” Finally, AquaDeco found a company called Steklarna Hrastnik (www.steklarnahrastnik.si/opal/en) in Slovenia, known for producing one of the clearest glasses in the world, according to Cooper. “The Slovenians were able to come up with the optimal wall thickness and weight of glass,” he says. Once AquaDeco had its bottles, the next challenge was filling them. “We approached co-packers, but they weren’t willing to modify their lines for this bottle,” says Cooper. “We also approached manufacturers of filling lines. They took a look at the bottle and said it wasn’t worth it to come up with modifications to their lines.” Eventually, the company found Filler Specialties (www.filler-specialties.com) willing to produce a line to fill the bottles. The filler/capper is a GWFS-93 nine-head, three-capper monobloc. Filler Specialties produced bottle-handling change parts and provided a rinser from McBrady Engineering (www.mcbradyengineering.com) as well as a conveyor system. The bottle’s rectangular shape makes it difficult to fill, so the line has to be run at a slow speed. “We’re looking to rollouts of about 50,000 bottles a month, until we can find a line to run it at production speeds,” says Cooper. Filler Specialties integrated labeling equipment from WS Packaging Group to apply the labels to the bottles. The bottle’s plastic and chrome-plated decorative cap was custom-designed in China and manually popped over a standard tamper-evident plastic cap from O-I (www.o-i.com). “During filling, no one could put on and torque the overcap,” says Cooper, “so we decided instead of modifying the capping equipment, we’d go with a standard plastic top for a glass neck bottle.” The decorative overcap is slightly flared at the base so when turned, the tamper-evident band is broken. In February 2007, the bottle won a gold medal at the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting show. The retail price for the water is approximately $6 to $8 per bottle. It is sold by distributors such as Southern Wine and Bev Max.

Suppliers MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
O-I Toledo, OH 419/247-7265 Profile | www.o-i.com
W/S Packaging Green Bay, WI 800/340-3424 ext. 6231 Profile | www.wspackaging.com
Filler Specialties Inc. Zeeland, MI 616-772-9235 Profile |
Flowdesign, Inc. Northville, MI 248/349-7520 Profile | www.flow-design.com

capper, filler, bottle, base, molds, label panel, aquadeco, glass, line, production, copacker, manufacturer, images, pressure sensitive, flexo, rinser, monobloc, change parts, conveyor, torque

In an emergency we can live for a few days without food, but everyone needs water.

In a disaster situation, water may be a scarce commodity for a few days or even weeks. Municipal water systems have the potential for contamination, especially in floods and earthquakes. Contact authorities in your area to determine if tap water is safe to drink.

Keep Enough Emergency Water

Authorities suggest storing at least 1 gallon of clean water per person per day. Half is for drinking, the other half is for cooking and sanitation. Use your emergency water supply anytime water will touch you or your food. Even if your tap water isn’t fit to drink, it’s still fine for flushing the toilet. It is not good for bathing, brushing teeth, washing dishes, cooking or drinking — that’s what the emergency water supply is for.

Of course, a gallon a day per person (half to drink and half for other stuff) is just a starting point. If you are sick, nursing, have kids or elderly people living with you, you will need more water. Those who are ill, pregnant or nursing may need a gallon a day just to drink. In hot or humid weather, plan on drinking at least a gallon a day for everyone.

Keep enough water to last at least 3 days, although your emergency water may last longer or run out quicker depending on how you use it.

To conserve your emergency water supply, use disposable cups, plates and utensils. You may also clean your hands using waterless hand sanitizers to conserve water.

If you run low on water, you may use tap water trapped in your water heater tank and pipes, but only if your tap water was safe to drink before. Do not ration water. If you run short, drink what you need today and find more tomorrow. Don’t risk dehydration.

Safely Storing Emergency Water

Keep your emergency water supply safe. Follow these tips from the CDC for storing water:

• Keep emergency water in a cool, dark place in your home, each vehicle, and your workplace.
• It’s best to use bottled water. Use water before the expiration or “use-by” date stamped on the container.
• It’s possible to keep water in food-grade containers intended for water storage. Containers must be thoroughly washed, sanitized, and rinsed. Only store clean, ready-to-drink water. Tap water will probably need to be purified. Ask public health authorities or your water provider whether tap water should be used and how to treat it.
• Plastic soft drink containers can be used in a pinch. Clean and sanitize containers before they are used.
• Do not use milk or juice containers for storing water. Even if you try to thoroughly clean these plastic containers, leftover sugars and proteins provide a perfect place for bacteria to grow.

To clean and sanitize reusable containers or plastic soft drink bottles:

1. Wash the inside and outside of the container with water and dishwashing soap.
2. Rinse thoroughly until all the soap is gone from the inside — clear water goes in and clear water comes out, no suds or bubbles.
3. Sanitize the inside of the bottle with a bleach solution. Use 1 teaspoon of non-scented chlorine bleach to a quart of clean water for the solution. Fill the container about a quarter of the way and swish the solution all around the inside of the bottle, touching every surface including the cap or lid. Rinse the solution out of the bottle with clean water.

To fill emergency water storage containers:

1. Fill containers to the top with clean, drinkable water from the tap or other source. Any questionable water needs to be treated before storage.
2. If your water source is chlorinated like many municipal water systems, then just seal the container (step 3). If not, then add two drops of non-scented chlorine bleach per gallon of water (unless you already chlorinated it as described below).
3. Seal container tightly with the original cap. Don’t touch the inside of the cap to avoid contaminating it.
4. Replace water every six months if you’re not using bottled water.

Treating Emergency Water

Treating water to make it safe to drink is not an exact science in your kitchen. There are lots of things that can contaminate the water supply. Be sure to check with authorities for guidance if possible. Without any other guidance, use at least two of these treatment tips from FEMA and the American Red Cross:

• Strain water through paper towels, a clean cloth or coffee filter to remove particles.
• Boil water in a large pot or kettle for at least 1 full minute. This is your best option. Be sure to get it to a full rolling boil. After it cools, pour the water back and forth between two clean containers to improve taste. The bigger the pot, the less of your water is lost during boiling.
• Chlorinate water water using unscented liquid household chlorine bleach. If boiling is not possible, this is the second best option. The bleach should list 5.25 to 6.0 percent sodium hypochlorite as its only active ingredient. Use 1/8 teaspoon per gallon of water. Put it in a large, clean pot or kettle. Stir and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the the chlorination with another 1/8 teaspoon bleach and let stand another 15 minutes. If it still doesn’t smell like chlorine, find another source of water and start over.
• Distill water on the stovetop. This method is complicated. Fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle of the pot’s lid so that the cup will hang right-side-up inside the pot when the lid is upside-down without dangling into the water. Boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled.

Research and Markets: Bottled Water – a World Market Report
PROVIDED BY Business Wire – 2:30 PM 01/13/2010
DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/a172ba/bottled_water_a) has announced the addition of the “Bottled Water – A World Market Review” report to their offering.

Bottled water represents a key segment of the global beverage market . Market stimulants for bottled water include rising population, consumer spending patterns, lifestyle trends, and growing levels of health consciousness, among others. Bottled water also is gaining prominence due to growing consumer concerns about fitness, water quality and health. The major challenge for most companies is product innovation and differentiation as water is still just water. Even look, weight and price of the product are as significant as the water itself.

These and other market data and trends are presented in “Bottled Water: World Market Review” by BizAcumen, Inc. Our reports are designed to be most comprehensive in geographic coverage and vertical market analyses.

Key Topics Covered:

1. METHODOLOGY

2. GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW AND OUTLOOK

3. MARKET SNAPSHOTS

4. BOTTLED WATER CONSUMPTION TRENDS

5. MARKET STRUCTURE

6. OUTLOOK

7. TRENDS SHAPING THE MARKET

8. PRODUCT FACTS

9. COMPETITION

10. DISTRIBUTION SNAPSHOTS

11. CORPORATE DEVELOPMENTS

12. MAJOR PLAYERS

13. MARKET ANALYTICS

14. THE UNITED STATES

15. CANADA

16. JAPAN

17. EUROPE

18. ASIA-PACIFIC

19. LATIN AMERICA

20. THE REST OF WORLD

Companies Mentioned:

Aqua Gold International, Inc. (Canada)
Boreal Water Collection Inc. (Canada)
China Water & Drinks, Inc. (China)
Groupe Danone (France)
Danone Naya Waters Inc. (Canada)
Isbre Holding Corp. (USA)
Nestle SA (Switzerland)
PepsiCo Inc (USA)
Quilmes Industrials Sa-Adr (Argentina)
Saint Elie (Canada)
San Miguel Corporation (Philippines)
The Coca-Cola Company (USA)
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/a172ba/bottled_water_a

Source: Research and Markets

Copyright 1998–2008 FMR LLC
All rights reserved.

Research and Markets: Bottled Water - a World Market Report

Research and Markets: Bottled Water - a World Market Report

►With ever growing new products/brands,which are
grabbing customer mind share and market,
Buzz Marketing is becoming more important.
Few marketers use Promotional Products to create Buzz.

Using Promotional Products How do YOU create BUZZ?
Let me explain,the promotional product creates buzz such that
customers want to buy main product because of promotional product.

► There are 3 questions to explore
1. How do you plan for BUZZ marketing?
2. How to choose promotional product that creates BUZZ?
3. How to measure BUZZness?

BUZZ marketing is important to both
acquire customers and fight competition.

The present scenario has changed a lot of things. There were times when things were easily communicated by limited mediums. Now with the growing mediums the things are changing. You should first understand your need then you can understand the consumer’s requirements. A positive attempt should be made to fulfill all the requirements in the given condition. The benefits which you can derive from the products should be long lasting. The idea of promotion is to create a positive word in the market. Not only positive but a different thinking should be introduced. Corporate promotional products can be hyped to create a good response. There are so many mediums to advertise your products. Promotional items are always available to create the long lasting impression. A dedicated team is assigned to design the not for sale promotional items. These promotional items like promotional bags are given exclusivity and may not match with the regular products. Regular items are normal and plain looking items meant for daily use.

So any ways to compete in the present scenario with the application of advanced technology and methods which make corporate promotional products available. Many people believe that promotional items such as promotional bags are effective in catching consumer attention. There are so many products available in the market and the search for effective products is always on. The corporate promotional products provide wide range of varieties with other benefits. Promotional bags are the surplus which is given to all consumers as a marketing strategy. Many people think that if their product is highlighted well and endorsed by a famous style icon it will create a good impact on the end users.

All promotional items require a better platform and they should come with exclusive quality. The business runs on requirements and if you map the requirements you will reach a good conclusion which will be beneficial. Promotional bags and corporate promotional products are designed in a special way for better response. There are so many ways to pitch your products in the market. The response to various ways depends upon your target group. If your product is designed for a certain section of the society then your marketing and advertising plans needs a special touch up. There are many products which are universally targeted and they are basically daily use product.

Corporate promotional products needs special attention in the market and their target should be mapped well. You need to educate the customer with the promotional products such as promotional bags. The best way to execute your strategy is to make a fool proof plan with minimal risk factors. You cannot ignore the risks with the launch of new products. The only thing you can do is to take calculated risk. Many people feel that their products will create a buzz in the market with the launch but things takes time to shape up. You will come across a cross section of consumers who take their own time judging a product and hence you should invest well in the promotional campaigns. If you hit the right chord your results will speak volumes.

The Catskill Mountains are known for it’s rugged, rocky terrain, numerous mountains, valleys, streams, waterfalls and wild forests. Hikers stop to take cool drinks from groundwater seeping from mountainside springs; fishermen test their skills against wary trout in cold, clear creeks; and millions of people rely on the water that streams supply to large reservoirs.

In the Catskills, it seems that every valley has a stream coursing through it. Streams are what define the Catskills, both literally, in the fact that streams carved the mountains we see today, and figuratively, in that streams have played a central role in man’s past and present endeavors in the Catskills.

Historically, streams were used for water power at mills, and for transporting timber and man-made products to ports. Recreation activities on streams, including fishing, tubing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, nature study, and site seeing, are favorite past-times of Catskill residents and visitors, and are important for the local economy.

Around the world, mountainous areas are critically important in the supply of pure drinking water.  The City of New York alone, harnesses this clean Catskill surface water to supply high quality drinking water to over nine million people. For more information visit:

www.borealwater.com

T 845.794.0400   T 866.429.0101

environmentally friendly - Once considered to be a fly-by-night fad, green has gained so much credibility that it’s safe to say it isn’t going away.

In fact, its only continuing to get stronger. Survey results show that a majority (75 percent and above in some cases) of customers are purchasing green. Sustainability has evolved consumers’ interest into “greener” products, and by reducing waste and conserving resources, they also often generate cost savings.

Because of green’s mainstream appeal and industry-wide acceptance, distributors say it has made selling green products increasingly easier than in years past. This widespread push towards purchasing anything and everything green has taken many in the industry by surprise.

The green fever isn’t dying down either. Distributors should take note that even more customers plan on making the switch to green. In fact, 63 percent of businesses who currently do not use green products plan on implementing them into their programs in 2010, while 70 percent of businesses not using green products are planning on switching to green in the near future.

2. Aquifina                                                 $717,864,000       -0.62%

3. Glaceau Vitamin Water                      $705,472,500      -5.29%

4. Poland Spring                                      $401,945,100     +14.94%

5. Nestle Pure Life                                   $319,945,700     +30.44%

6. Glaceau Smart Water                         $294,835,500     +29.35%

7. SoBe Life Water                                   $271,135,200      +22.70%

8. Deer Park                                              $240,759,200       +4.17%

9. Arrowhead                                             $203,449,500        -10.33%

10. Ozarka                                                  $190,120,200       -4.02%

11. Fiji                                                         $173,761,300       +6.12%

12. Glaceau Vitamin Water Zero           $164,633,600       +317,901.39%

13. Propel                                                  $159,896,300       +19.87%

14. Ice Mountain                                       $155,517,300       +5.36%

15. Zephyrhills                                          $140,947,700        -0.37%

16. Evian                                                    $94,970,980          +0.80%

17. Crystal Geyser                                    $88,317,620          -12.21%

18. Aquafina                                              $76,587,840           -16.20%

TOPLINE CATEGORY: VOLUME (52 Weeks)

BEER                             $18,551,400,000                          -0.40%

BOTTLED JUICES       $5,178,790,000                            +0.96%

BOTTLED WATER       $7,783,166,000                            +2.60%

ENERGY DRINKS        $6,890,656,000                            +15.29%

SPORTS DRINKS        $3,880,301,000                            +12.52%

TEA/COFFEE                $3,052,518,000                             +11.19%

No matter how well you eat, if you aren’t drinking enough water you won’t be healthy. I’m always surprised by the people I meet who say they don’t drink much water. They live off soda, coffee or juice and they wonder why they never feel up to par.

Bottled water is a safe and portable beverage that is a healthy alternative to sugar-filled, caffeinated beverages.

A good way to make sure to stay hydrated is to drink 16 ounces of water upon waking in the morning. This gets your body off to a good start for the day, rehydrates your body after a long period of sleep, and wakes your body up much better than coffee.

Whether you’re a health nut or a couch potato, you need water.  

 www.borealwater.com

T 845.794.0400   T 866.429.0101

Water is no longer just found in a simple plastic bottle, it can come in all shapes and sizes. Bottles of water can be made in small batches or made to last with recyclable materials and environmentally friendly manufacturing methods. Here I show off some ‘designer’ water bottles made by high end designers which have gone into production and some other great ideas of packaging water.

Boxed Water: about 85% of the Boxed Water container is made from a renewable resource, 20% of the profits go back to the resources from which the product is composed of; water and trees.

Plant it Water: Made from 60% renewable resources, with the famous Tetra Pak design.

GO Water: This has an oxygen concentration that is 35 times higher than regular water, and the packaging design is pretty sweet as well.

Ty Water: Designed by well know evolutionary biologist and designer Ross Lovegrove this water bottle was designed in 2001.

Evian 2005 Limited edition: Looks more like a fragrance bottle or something to hold your favourite liqueur.

Paul Smith Evian Water Bottle: The water bottle is adorned in vibrant colors with a festive theme and a nod to Smith’s signature stripes.

Ô Water: The bottle mimics the effect of a test tube based on the idea of a ’specimen of purity’.

Lanjaron Water: The sleek, clear, groove-less shape of the bottle magnifies the Mulhacén mountain (Sierra Nevada, Spain) arising from its base.

Viz: Claims to be in a category of its own and packs a punch offering a fizz when you open the bottle each time increasing the potency life of the drink.

SEI Water: Inspired by the military canteen we all know this bottle does again look more like an aftershave bottle by a snotty french company, the bottle is based on the principles of portability and utilization of space.

Rustad Spring Water: Designed by Norwegian design agency Strømme Throndsen Design, the bottle and can design show great subtle qualities and would definitely be something consumers would latch onto being a product they would love to be seen with.

1Litre Water: Featuring an integrated cup this design and was awarded the gold medal for “People’s Choice in Packaging and Design at the Berkeley Spring Water Tasting Competition.”

Farraelle: Mineral water presented as clean, simple and minimal.

For more information on packaging & products visit:

 www.borealwater.com

T 845.794.0400   T 866.429.0101

National  Brands such as Aquifina , Vitaminwater , Dasani , Deer Park and Arrowhead  take big hits from private label bottled water .

(Find More Like This - Recent Search Results)

BUILDING BRANDS ONE BOTTLE AT A TIME

Since 2004, testing by water utilities has found 315 pollutants in the tap water Americans drink, according to an Environmental Working Group (EWG) drinking water quality analysis of almost 20 million records obtained from state water officials.

More than half of the chemicals detected are not subject to health or safety regulations and can legally be present in any amount. The federal government does have health guidelines for others, but 49 of these contaminants have been found in one place or another at levels above those guidelines, polluting the tap water for 53.6 million Americans. The government has not set a single new drinking water standard since 2001.

Water utilities spend 19 times more on water treatment chemicals every year than the federal government invests in protecting lakes and rivers from pollution in the first place.

Based on these data, EWG believes the federal government has a responsibility to do a national assessment of drinking water quality. It should establish new safety standards, set priorities for pollution prevention projects, and tell consumers about the full range of pollutants in their water.

Because it has not, EWG launched a 3-year project to create the largest drinking water quality database in existence. This user-friendly, interactive resource covers 48,000 communities in 45 states and the District of Columbia.

EWG's Top-Rated and Lowest-Rated Water Utilities

TOP RATED WATER UTILITIES		LOWEST RATED WATER UTILITIES
1	Arlington, TX Arlington Water Utilities	100	Pensacola, FL Emerald Coast Water Utility
2	Providence, RI Providence Water	99	Riverside, CA City of Riverside Public Utilities
3	Fort Worth, TX Fort Worth Water Department	98	Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas Valley Water District
4	Charleston, SC Charleston Water System	97	Riverside County, CA Eastern Municipal Water District
5	Boston, MA Massachusetts Water Resources Authority	96	Reno, NV Truckee Meadows Water Authority
6	Honolulu, HI Board of Water Supply (Honolulu/Windward/Pearl Harbor)	95	Houston, TX City of Houston Public Works
7	Austin, TX Austin Water Utility	94	Omaha, NE Metropolitan Utilities District
8	Fairfax County, VA Fairfax Water	93	North Las Vegas, NV City of North Las Vegas Utilities Department
9	St. Louis, MO City of St. Louis Water Division	92	San Diego, CA San Diego Water Department
10	Minneapolis, MN City of Minneapolis Water Department	91	Jacksonville, FL JEA

See all cities

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