Yes, we can!

Well, actually, no we don’t! But all our customers do and we add value to their products, so we’re definitely an important part of the canning world. Cans are gaining grounds over bottles, particularly in the beer production stakes and we’re there to make sure that trend continues. Other beverages are available of course and use our services, of which more in a future blog, but let’s start with beer, as we’ve just come back from a very successful and enjoyable beer festival.

As this report from the Brewers Association points out, while bottles continue to be the dominant package of choice for craft brewers in the US, cans are gaining ground and the increase in can sales has actually been greater than the increase in bottle sales.

So is this a push or pull mechanism? It could be a bit of both. Consumers are starting to realise that the product stays fresher for longer in a can, retailers, particularly in emerging markets, like that they cool quicker and brewers love the fact that cans are lighter to transport and therefore add more to the bottom line. Beer lovers also like the fact that cans are more portable than bottles. They also don’t shatter when dropped. Have you ever heard of anyone being cut with a broken can?

OK, so we love cans but how do we add to their value?

We make packaging them, displaying them and carrying them better and easier. WaveGrip technology has literally revolutionised the multi-packing of canned drinks for producers of all kinds and sizes, not just the craft brewers, although we do have a soft spot for them.

We’ve already said that producers like cans because they’re lighter and our carriers are the lightest in the world, if not the universe; using the latest strength-enhancing polymers, WaveGrip carriers are value-engineered to just do the multi-packing job better than anyone else in the market. Basically, we offer choice and producers love that.

And how does using WaveGrip make displaying the cans better?

Like we say, our carriers are the lightest on the market and so teeny-tiny that none of the information on the can is obscured. Think of it like strands of a spider’s web – incredible strength, minimal thickness. That means the producer’s brand is the first thing the customer sees, not the carrier. Which has got to be good. Plus, the carrier fits tightly, so lines are straight and cans stay upright, even when the customer picks the package up.

All this and environmentally responsible!

Yes! Because we use less material than other carrier manufacturers out there, WaveGrip is the most environmentally sustainable multi-packing carrier on the market. The carriers are also fully recyclable and photo-degradable.
To be serious for a moment, we are very proud of our stance on responsibility to the environment and by processing and recycling our manufacturing waste streams in-house, we maintain a strict zero-to-landfill policy. What’s more, we work to implement sustainable practices across the whole of the supply chain.

So what sort of drinks producers use WaveGrip?

We work with huge and small producers, all using the same technology – universal. And we can do that because of our unique applicator machinery, which does away with the need for expensive and complicated multi-packing equipment.
Basically, we have three main types of applicator; the GI is a small, easily transportable bit of kit that enables small, artisanal producers to multi-can, just like the big boys. It’s a manual system, which adds to the charm, but it creates professional multi-packs in seconds and suits any size of production.

The G2, on the other hand, is an automated system that would suit larger craft and medium volume producers. This can pack up to 500 cans a minute and yet takes up very little space. Quite honestly, an incredibly useful and revolutionary piece of kit that offers true scalability for ambitious producers.

Last, but definitely, not least, the G3 is the daddy of the product range, offering high-speed, multi-packing for high volume producers. The G3 won’t even pause for breath while churning out 2000+ packs a minute. Respect.
And if you don’t believe us, take a look at our videos showing the poetry that is WaveGrip technology in motion.

Food – or drink – for thought

If you like what you’ve read so far, the next step is to continue the conversation. We’re ready and waiting to welcome you into the WaveGrip community, so come and ask us questions. Contact Us
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