Lightweight Containers, producer of innovative, circular plastic kegs, KeyKeg and UniKeg, has changed its name to OneCircle. The move underpins the company’s commitment to building a global community with the circular economy at the heart of its ambition. The aim is that the high-quality raw materials used in its kegs are recycled and reused with the goal of creating 100% circular kegs. The kegs provide premium protection for draught beverages like beer, cider and wine, ensuring they reach the consumer as fresh as the day they were produced.
Both KeyKeg and UniKeg are fully recyclable and can be used in a circular way as raw material for new kegs. Currently, 30% of a KeyKeg and UniKeg is made from recycled material thanks to the collection and recycling projects established by OneCircle which operate alongside existing waste streams. There are now successful schemes in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, Switzerland, France and Belgium, with more planned around the world.
The kegs provide other significant sustainability benefits including reduced CO2 emissions and water use, and there’s no need for harsh cleaning chemicals. OneCircle has also joined the Plastic Alliance and signed its declaration that its products meet the environmental criteria of the European Union so no additional tax needs to be levied on them.
Anita Veenendaal, Chief Executive Officer of OneCircle comments: “Our innovative kegs are revolutionising the way beers and other beverages are distributed but we are committed to doing this without a cost to the environment. OneCircle’s mission is to leave the world a better place and we will do this by working closely with our customers and the supply chain to ensure our shared interests and needs contribute to the circular economy.”
KeyKeg expands its global footprint in Mexico, France
KeyKeg, a supplier of lightweight, recyclable plastic kegs, has continued its reach in Mexico and France.
It has expanded its global footprint with the appointment of a new official reseller, Maltas e Insumos Cerveceros SA de CV (MICerveSa) in Mexico. MICerveSA complements KeyKeg’s global network of warehouses and reduces the supply chain, helping minimize CO2 footprint and save on logistics and response times. The headquarters of MICerveSA is located in Chihuahua, Mexico, with warehouses in Chihuahua and Tijuana. MICerveSa started when it identified the need for smaller brewers to obtain ingredients nationwide and with the aim to develop the craft beer industry in Mexico.
“I am pleased to welcome MICerveSA to our reseller community,” said Annemieke Hartman, board director at KeyKeg and UniKeg. “It is good to see that we strive for the same goal; to create a business in the complete supply chain. We feel that our reseller partnerships are an important part of our growth strategy. It is ensuring that we maintain and grow our global market-leadership position and continue to provide customers with the highest quality products and service.”
Also read: First Mile and KeyKeg kick-start a closed-loop recycling program for plastic beer kegs
The KegKeg and UniKeg technical support and customer service teams work closely with resellers providing training and technical advice. This way they ensure that customers enjoy the high-quality standards expected from the product and premium protection for draught beverages like beer, cider, and wine, ensuring they reach the consumer as fresh as the day they were produced, thanks to the bag-in-keg technology.
“At MICerveSA we are always looking to offer the highest quality products to our customers,” commented Jose Ruiz, CEO of MICerveSA. “KeyKeg is a reliable supplier with excellent quality products. We are very proud to be their official reseller in Mexico, and thus be able to help our customers to take their beer further!”
“At this moment already 81 % of our kegs can be reused as a raw material in new kegs, “Bianca Hofland of KeyKeg told Reusable Packaging News. “Our keg is made of more than 30% recycled material. The black parts are made out of 10% reused PP. Our kegs are 100 % recyclable.
“We don’t reuse the product, we reuse the materials of the product,” she continued. “The use of our kegs reduces costs on transport up to 65% and the compact design means that our kegs have a 25-30% higher loading capacity than steel kegs, meaning more beverage can be transported in one go. In addition, you save on intensive cleaning with chemicals, rinsing and water spoilage because every keg is new and ready to fill.”
KeyKeg serves thousands of customers from warehouses and sales offices spread worldwide and production facilities in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, and the company’s native Netherlands. Customers include breweries, winemakers, producers of soft drinks and other beverages.
The family-owned business has an eye for the long term and especially for the environment. For this reason, it launched OneCircle (www.onecircle.world) to create and implement collection networks in a number of countries and, where possible, adding to the existing waste streams. To date, OneCircle has started successful collection and recycling projects in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, and Belgium and is exploring effective networks in other countries around the globe.