Polyethylene terephthalate is a high-performance material for the packaging industry and is widely used for the production of bottles for carbonated and non-carbonated mineral water, soft drinks, food-grade vegetable oil, tea, juices and isotonic beverages. PET is also used in the manufacture of containers for detergents, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, and for thermoforming applications. Increasing quantities of beer are sold in PET barrier bottles.

The global PET market in 2007 is estimated at about 13 million tons, with an expected growth rate of 7% p.a. The bottle application represents approximately 90% of the total PET demand. Interesting to note is that the total bottle demand is met by three main grades, differentiated by their level of Intrinsic Viscosity (IV):

• Low viscosity (IV 0.76), used in the flat mineral water segment;
• Medium viscosity (IV 0.80), mainly used in the carbonated mineral waters segment;
• High viscosity (IV 0.84), used in the carbonated soft drinks segment.

Bottles produced from these three grades present different mechanical
properties as stress cracking- and creep-resistance.

PET meets the strictest hygiene requirements for the packaging of cosmetics
and foodstuffs, where product purity is paramount. It is a material with an
extraordinary future, offering a unique combination of benefits from the
bottle production to the end-users.