Amcor Rigid Plastics, the PET packaging division of Australian packaging specialist Amcor (Abbotsford; www.amcor.com), has introduced a 12 oz ring neck PET bottle as a glass replacement option for premium food and beverages including sauces, dressings, condiments and ready-to-drink teas and juices. Amcor says the hot-fill container offers an alternative that provides performance and cost advantages including portability, light weight, and reduced transportation costs.

The bottle features Amcor’s “PowerFlex” technology, which provides a panel-less design capable of hot-filling at 85 °C. It is designed to absorb the vacuum in the container by using a diaphragm within the base that draws upward as the liquid cools. Unlike conventional hot fill PET alternatives, “PowerFlex” bottles offer ease in labelling as they don’t have sidewall vacuum panels, Amcor said.

The container, which weighs 29 g, is available in two versions, one with three horizontal ribs for hot-fill (85 °C) applications while the other has smooth walls for ambient temperature products (77 °C). The bottles have a premium look and mimic the appearance of glass, Amcor said.