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The metal can celebrates its 200th birthday this year, having evolved into an infinitely recyclable and modern packaging form that daily meets a wide variety of consumer needs around the world.
Impress, a global market leader in the consumer metal packaging industry, together with other canmakers and industry bodies, is marking 2010 as "Year of the Can". This milestone celebrates a product that today is seen in a multitude of forms, including paint cans, food cans, aerosols, and a wide range of specialty products.
The first ever "can" was in fact an air-tight glass container, developed in the 18th century by Parisian Nicolas Appert in response to the French government's request to find an effective way to preserve food. Appert's samples were trialled at sea by Emperor Napoléon 1 and his soldiers. When each can was opened and its contents tasted, "every one had retained its freshness", according to Appert. Thus, food preservation was born and Appert's name became part of everyday language through the term "appertisé" - or sterilised.
Appert's discovery took place in 1810. The same year, King George III awarded a patent to the metal can following English inventor Peter Durand's experimental work on canned goods. Durand's work was based on Frenchman Philippe de Girard's research prior to 1810. Durand sold the patent on behalf of Girard to two other Englishmen, Brian Donkin and John Hall, who set up the first canning factory, near London, in 1812. By 1813, British troops were able to enjoy safe, nutritious food straight from the can.
From these early beginnings, canmaking has evolved to become a leader in packaging across the globe. Canmaker Impress says the can is now a byword for quality and content protection. It says the can's outstanding recycling record and constant light weight make it a very attractive and durable solution into the future.
"Technological advancement and highspeed production lines now allow modern canmakers to produce up to 1000 cans per minute, a far cry from the days of handmade cans," says Impress CEO Francis Labbé.
"As The Grocer publication so aptly reminded us all a few months ago, the can has been the greatest packaging innovation of the last hundred years. I am confident that the can - in all its differing forms - will also be the packaging for the 21st century, due to its eco-compatibility, fantastic safety record and ability to keep adapting to changing consumer habits."
Impress' 2010 "Year of the Can" program will include, among other events:
- international seminars in a number of selected countries
- visits by different interest groups to Impress' R&D Centre in Crosmières, France.
Impress will issue ongoing announcements providing updates and details on these upcoming events.
As part of the "Year of the Can" initiative, click on the following link to view the highly commended Impress film "The Can Can": visit http://www.impressgroup.com/460.asp
(To read the rest of this edition, click here.)
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2010: "YEAR OF THE CAN"