New twist gives O-I something to shout about

The 'Vortex' bottle created by Owens-Illinois Inc. lets beer spiral into the glass. Enlarge

One of metro Toledo's largest companies is getting accolades for figuring out a way to add a twist to beer that doesn't involve citrus fruit.

In 2010, Owens-Illinois Inc., headquartered in Perrysburg, introduced a bottle design called the "Vortex" that makes the beverages swirl as they exit the container.

After a year on the market, the new twisty beer bottle is being touted as the main reason for a marked improvement in sales of its exclusive beverage, bottled Miller Lite beer.

Amid a crowded marketplace where it competes against microbrews and international beer behemoths, sales of Miller Lite bottles experienced a 6-point sales trend improvement since switching to the Vortex bottle, according to MillerCoors Inc.

The same thing has happened locally.

"It did generate some buzz," said Joe Schetz, controller at NWO Beverage Inc. in Northwood, which holds the distributorship for Miller Lite bottled beer across 16 counties of northwest Ohio. Mr. Schetz did not have exact local figures on hand, but he said the new bottles caused enough of a stir in the marketplace that it was noticeable.

O-I engineers began developing the bottles several years ago, using a new technique they developed called internal embossing -- placing designs on the inside of glass packaging that could be seen on the outside. The internal embossing had two benefits: it provided food and beverage companies with a way to make their products more distinctive from their competitors and it made the outside of the package smoother for easier labeling.

"The Vortex bottle demonstrates the value glass packaging and innovation can have on brand performance," Sean Seitzinger, O-I's North American vice president for marketing, said in a written statement.

"By creating a new and eye-catching package, O-I was able to support our customer's brand with increased shelf impact and consumer appeal."

In addition to boosting sales, the Vortex bottle also drew a number of awards from the glass packaging industry.

Most recently, it received a bronze award in packaging and graphics at the 2011 International Design Excellence Awards.

That is a juried international competition sponsored by the Industrial Designers Society of America.

Contact Larry P. Vellequette at: lvellequette@theblade.com or 419-724-6091.