A better reusable
At the beginning of the 2020s, the Vetropack Group launched a genuine innovation: Echovai, the first reusable bottle made of tempered lightweight glass. Boasting both a weight reduction of up to 30 percent and significantly less scuffing than standard bottles, the innovative lightweight bottles make a major contribution to the reusability rate. In Austria, the bottle has now been introduced as the reusable standard solution for the brewing industry.
Vetropack has developed the special Echovai process at its innovation centre in Pöchlarn, Austria, over the course of ten years. The method allows glass bottles to be hardened thermally, making reusable bottles with a significantly lighter weight possible for the first time. The bottles produced using this technology were extensively tested on the market as part of a pilot project together with the Vorarlberg-based Mohrenbauerei.
The project has been a resounding success! The 0.33 litre reusable bottles saved around 30 percent in weight compared to standard reusable bottles. This had a significant impact on logistics. Other users soon followed: Gösser launched its first organic beer in the Echovai reusable bottle which became the standard solution for the Austrian brewing industry in 2024.
The innovation has won several awards. In 2024, the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) honoured Echovai with a WorldStar Award in the ‘Packaging Materials & Components’ category. The lightweight glass bottles had already won the prestigious Swiss Packaging Award in the ‘Technology’ category the previous year as well as the jury prize, thus qualifying for the WorldStar Awards. Most recently, Vetropack and Echovai were honoured with the Austrian State Prize Smart Packaging 2024 in the ‘Packaging of the Future’ category and once again nominated for the Swiss Packaging Award – this time in the ‘Reusable Packaging / Reusable Systems’ category. In this category, the jury nominates based on the protective function and recyclability of the materials and assesses convenience for consumers, the processes, and the ecological added value of the reusable systems. The numerous awards in such a short period of time emphasise the innovative spirit behind Echovai and the importance of this packaging solution for the beverage industry.
Echovai bottles are currently produced exclusively at the Vetropack site in Pöchlarn. Other plants throughout Europe will follow to be able to meet the growing demand for Echovai: "By being truly innovative, Echovai has what it takes to revolutionise the market for reusable containers both economically and ecologically," emphasises Daniel Egger, Head of Innovation at Vetropack. "In the long term, we are aiming for a more user-friendly return and refill system with 100 percent bottle reuse."
