Quest Industries builds a strong customer following while pushing suppliers to ever greener inks and technologies
About a dozen mini-factories are in constant motion at Quest Industries’ Hillside, NJ glass package decoration facility. High-tech automation meets hand-made attention to detail at each Santa-like workshop.
 At one line, clear glass bottles for cosmetics, which hold perhaps two ounces, make their way around a series of stations: an emerald-green ink is sprayed on all but the rim, then it rides conveyor like to where a screen printed label is applied and cured using a UV light, and finally the tear-drop shaped bottle is mechanically turned just enough for the application of a pressure sensitive label on the bottle back.
 And so it goes at each small factory. From glass bottles that hold a few ounces to ones that hold over two liters and in every imaginable curve, angle, and shape. They all pass through a myriad of decoration processes to create eye-popping, premium glass packages. “Most products are going to have to go on a couple of lines to get the decoration complete,” says Shri Pradhan, Quest V.P. Business Development. “But everything can be done under the same roof.”
Started in 1999, Quest has built a loyal customer following in the cosmetics, wine, spirits, and beverage markets. And their operations have expanded. “To meet the needs of west coast customers and reduce transportation requirements and costs, we opened the Stockton, California plant,” says Pradhan. “This increased our customer base and virtually eliminated any coast-to-coast transportation.” The third facility was acquired in Frostburg, MD. “It’s also proven a strategic location for our customers, like the Kentucky distillers, as well as being close to glass manufacturing plants,” says Pradhan. More
Mark your Calendars: Two Months until Recycle Glass Week!
During GPI’s second annual Recycle Glass Week, September 12-18, glass container manufacturers, suppliers, and recyclers, will again unite to hold nationwide activities and events to build awareness and boost glass bottle recycling. Get involved! Check out the top 10 reasons to recycle glass
“Consumers need to understand the impact they can have when they recycle glass bottles and jars. Glass is endlessly recyclable and there are big energy savings when recovered glass is used to make new bottles,” says Joseph Cattaneo, president of the Glass Packaging Institute. “We hope these Recycle Glass Week events will call attention to the value of glass container recycling and ultimately help us reach the goal of using 50 percent recycled glass in the manufacture of new containers by the end of 2013.”
During Recycle Glass Week, GPI will also announce the 2010 Clear Choice Awards winners, and recognize Friends of Glass, those organizations or persons that recycle glass or promote the recycling of glass as a way to better the environment. GPI will announce specific 2010 activities and events soon. Learn more
And check out what happened during our Re-Cycle Across America events earlier this year.
Join the Recycle Glass Week e-hunt, Win an iPod
Chance to Win Prizes during Recycle Glass Week, September 12-18
 GPI has launched the “Recycle Glass Week e-hunt”, a virtual scavenger hunt to educate consumers about the value of glass bottle recycling. Little Bottle, an animated character created by Saint-Gobain Containers, will guide recycling enthusiasts, glass lovers, and green people everywhere through this easy online search for a chance to win iPod shuffles, t-shirts, cash, and more. Check out participant tweets about recycling glass
“We hope the recycle e-hunt proves a fun way to educate about the environmental benefits of glass container recycling, and that it will encourage people to recycle more glass bottles and jars,” says GPI president Joseph Cattaneo. “Recycling glass saves energy, reduces use of raw materials, and lessens CO2 emissions. Recycling your glass containers will help glass container manufacturers to meet the goal to use 50 percent recycled glass in the manufacture of new glass bottles and jars by 2013.”
GPI has partnered with Earth911.com, O-I, Race Across America, and Saint-Gobain Containers to host recycle e-hunt clues. GPI will announce recycle e-hunt prize winners during GPI’s second annual Recycle Glass Week, September 12-18. Start the e-hunt now
Glass Container Industry Equipment Donations Establish Student Labs at Stout and Cal Poly
A glass packaging lab at University of Wisconsin-Stout has been in operation now for two semesters and another will open in the fall at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. This is all the result of donations from the glass container industry and a long partnership with the universities and GPI’s academic lecture program.
At Stout, the glass lab is already proving invaluable. According to Dannette Casper, who was an instructor at the university, “You can have a much better discussion about glass with students after the lab exercises.” For, example, measuring the glass bottle and matching it to a specification “was a big learning experience for the students,” says Casper. “To have a school partner with an industry is really beneficial to students and instructors,” says Casper. “And it keeps us very up to date.” Learn how it all got started
PACKAGING TRENDS
1,000th “ChooseGlass” Twitter Follower Wins iPod Shuffle
@embergrl is the 1000th follower of @chooseglass and the recipient of a brand new iPod shuffle. Ember is a Southern California "green mom" of two boys who chooses and recycles glass! You can win more prizes from GPI by participating in our recycle e-hunt. Join the hunt now! Prizes will be announced during Recycle Glass Week, September 12-18.
Clear Choice Awards Winners Announced during Recycle Glass Week
The entries are in, but who will win?
Be the first to find out the winners of GPI’s 2010 Clear Choice Awards during Recycle Glass Week, September 12-18. Winners will be announced on the GPI website through a satellite video presentation. Mark your calendars to get an inside look at the 2010 top glass container designs in North America. Don’t miss out.
LEGISLATION
Congress Resumes Consideration on Climate Change Legislation
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced that the Senate will begin debate on climate change legislation, which he expects to be released prior to the August recess. The energy package is expected to focus on the oil response, increase and possibly set renewable energy standards, and work towards reducing oil consumption. There is also a possibility of placing a carbon cap on the utility sector, which would impact the glass industry. A full scale cap and trade program is not expected to be part of the proposals.
GLASS RECYCLING
NC Launches Social Marketing Campaign Targeting “On the Go” Recycling
 Recycle More NC is North Carolina’s third social marketing recycling campaign to launch in 2010. While previous campaigns targeted children (Recycle Guys) and 18-34 year olds (RE3.org), Recycle More NC is designed for the 35-55 demographic who has access to curbside recycling, but may not be recycling away from home. With Recycle More NC, the N.C. Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance is hoping to increase the amount of curbside recycling, but also recycling at work and when people are on the go.
Recycling “On the Go” is more than just finding a bin nearby. It’s about holding onto your empty bottle until you get home, or asking the manager of your favorite restaurant to provide recycling. It’s about keeping that valuable commodity out of the waste stream and into a recycling bin, where it can be remade into a new product, like glass bottles or jars. More
1000 WORDS
GPI Leader Reminds Us to Choose Glass
GPI president Joseph Cattaneo helps to spread the word in the U.S. and abroad that drinking out of a glass or glass bottles is good for you. Glass is 100% pure and endlessly recyclable, so next time you reach for your favorite brew, make sure it’s packaged in glass.
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The GPI’s Standard Edition X FLEXO Color Guide for printing inks on corrugated is now available for purchase on the 
Niall Wall, CEO of Ardagh Glass, the third largest container glass manufacturer in Europe, has been elected as the new president of FEVE, the EU association for container glass. Niall Wall succeeds Dominique Tombeur who led the association for four years. Michel Toussaint from Saint-Gobain Packaging, the company recently rebranded as Verallia, was elected Vice President. 
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O-I, a world leader in glass packaging, provides beer customers with flexible, innovative glass packaging solutions to differentiate and build brands.