BOTTLES SHORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23970, 21 May 1941, Page 10

BOTTLES SHORT

SHIPMENT OVERSEAS BEER SENT TO TROOPS EXPANSION OF GLASS INDUSTRY The shipment to New Zealand troops abroad of bottled beer, aerated waters and cordials involves such heavy withdrawals of bottles from the Dominion that the glass and bottle making industry is unable to meet requirements for certain other classes of bottles. It is concentrating on the manufacture of bottles for medicines, beer, aerated waters and cordials arid food bottles generally, and in the circumstances it does not expect to cope with the demand for toilet bottles, for example, for some months. Requirements in bottles for New Zealand overseas troops are expected to involve a cost approaching CIOO.OOO within the next year. and. as such bottles are not returned to the trades concerned, the extra strain imposed on the industry can be appreciated. Toilet bottles of all shapes and sizes are now required from the New Zealand industry, whereas before import restrictions they were obtained from abroad. Manufacturers of various produets which have hitherto used tin for packing cannot now obtain supplies of that metal and have turned to glass containers. Structural and plant alterations, which should increase productive capacity bv at least one-third, are now in progress at Penrose, where the glass and bottle making induslrv is located. The extensions are estimated to cost between 1' 100,000 aml £ lot), 000. A large stone tank for melting glass of a size larger than each of the other two now operating is involved in the scheme. It may be possible to have the new plant in operation before the end of the year, when opal pots such as are used by chemists for containing ointments will be included in the industry's manufactures. In the meantime, it is suggested that manufacturers of toilet preparations will be compelled to purchase back second-hand bottles used for their products. These are not usually marketed, although they may cost anything tip to 6d a bottle. Tt is pointed out that, an ordinary Soz. medicine bottle eosts / nearly 2]d wholesale, and the special shapes and qualities needed for toiletbottles naturally involve higher manufacturing costs