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Sterklarna Hrastnik Innovation Day

Glass manufacturer Steklarna Hrastnik held an Innovation Day to bring together industry partners in design, decoration, closures and distribution, amongst others. In addition to exchanging knowledge and experience the day was dedicated to selecting new bottles for the Steklarna Hrastnik HighGlass collection.

Participating at the Innovation Day were Nude, a UK creative agency; the Polish company DekorGlass, a leader in the field of decoration; Vinolok, a producer of premium stoppers; Estal and Vetroelite, distribution companies; Rica Consulting & Design, a French consulting company; and Badel 1862, a Croatian spirits manufacturer.

Recognising the role of glass packaging part when it comes to consumer buying decisions, Steklarna Hrastnik is producing technically demanding bottles, as well as seeking further ways to expand the range of products and services available to customers.

Andrej Božič, general director of Steklarna Hrastnik says: "The standard bottles of super premium quality in our HighGlass collection reflect the latest design trends. Since we are looking not just to maintain our position on the market, but also to co-create trends, we have organised Innovation Days, events dedicated to finding new opportunities in the glass industry, sharing knowledge and searching for innovative solutions that we can implement and use to shape new trends, thus placing ourselves and our partners ahead of the competition."

New bottles in Steklarna Hrastnik's HighGlass collection will aim to reflect the current craft trend.

According to creative agency Nude, 'craft' is the prevailing trend in the drinks industry. This is particularly due to the numerous small, independent distilleries, communicating different values to buyers than large, established brands.

Values, such as honesty and simplicity, also need to be communicated by the packaging, which is often the buyer's first point of contact with the product. The new bottles, aimed particularly at the gin segment, are aimed at appealing not just to smaller producers, but also to international, established brands looking to communicate in this segment.

Steklarna Hrastnik claims that it is able to establish partnerships with both small distilleries and multinationals, as a result of its emphasis on technology and staff welfare, motivation and development. Steklarna is able to produce smaller quantities, giving newer entrants to the market the potential to increase the order as they grow.

Steklarna Hrastnik states that its operations and the principle of sustainability, the company's social responsibility, respect for its employees and involvement in the local environment reflect the values that clients and buyers appreciate and expect.

Steklarna Hrastnik, DekorGlass and TheDrinksReport.com are seeking the best bottle design concepts in the spirits industry in their ongoing competition.

27 November 2016 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, editorial assistant