Capsules in transition: will elevated cost drum tin out of the competition?
* Alternative materials like aluminum, polylam and PVC, and alternative closures including aluminum screwcaps, provide lower-cost options.
* Tin remains the gold standard for premium wine capsules; producers of wines retailing for under $20 are weighing the alternatives.
RELATED ARTICLE: Capsule Suppliers
ALCAN Packaging Capsules of California
(707) 257-6481
stelvin.alcan.com
Alvis--Closures by Esvin
(707) 636-2530
esvin.com
Battistella USA
(805) 785-0200
battistellacapsule.com
Brentacork
(514) 339-1662
brentacork.com
Brick Packaging
(231) 947-4950
brickpackaging.com
C & E Capsules
(707) 603-2500
cecapsules.com
California Glass, a Saxco Co.
(510) 635-7700
calglass-pcc.com
Canals Packaging
(707) 433-4398
canalspackaging.com
Collopack Solutions
(707) 258-3940
collopack.com
Cork Supply USA, Inc.
(707) 746-0353
corksupplyusa.com
Cortica Benicia
(800) 532-2207
cbcork.com
Diablo Valley Packaging, Inc.
(707) 422-4300
dvpackaging.com
ECI -- European Cork Industries
(415) 848-3023
eci-cork.com
Elnova Ltd
(800) 361-9579
elnova.com
Encore!
(707) 745-4444
encoreglass.com
Enocapsule, Inc.
(450) 424-2131
enocapsule.com
European Closure Industries
(707) 863-0648
europeanclosures.com
Fleming-Potter, Inc.
(905) 294-3620
flemingpotterinc.com
G3 Enterprises
(800) 321-8747
g3enterprises.com
Globalcap/Guala Closures Group
(707) 718-3987
globalcap-wineclosures.com
gualaclosures.com
Global Package, LLC
(707) 224-5670
globalpackage.net
Janson Capsules, Inc.
(707) 330-0679
jansoncapsules.com
G.W. Kent, Inc.
(800) 333-4288
gwkent.com
Lafitte Cork & Capsule, Inc.
(707) 258-2675
lafitte-usa.com
Maverick Enterprises, Inc.
(707) 463-5591
maverickcaps.com
North American Packaging
(866) 488-6117
napproducts.com
Novembal, a Tetra Pak Co.
(415) 474-1061
novembal.com
Oeneo Closures USA
(707) 256-2830
oeneoclosuresusa.com
Phoenix Packaging
(800) 661-6481
phoenixpackaging.com
Pickering Winery Supply
(415) 474-1588
winerystuff.com
Ramondin USA, Inc.
(707) 944-2277
ramondin.com
Rivercap USA
(800) 961-2000
corksupplyusa.com
Scott Laboratories, Inc.
(707) 765-6666
scottlab.com
Scott Laboratories, Ltd.
(905) 839-9463
scottlabsltd.com
Sparflex California
(707) 255-6718
sparflex.com
Tecnocap
(304) 845-3402
tecnocapclosures.com
Vinotheque
(514) 684-1331
vinotheque.ca
Waterloo Container Co.
(315) 539-3922
waterloocontainer.com
A.O. Wilson, Ltd.
(905) 857-1511
aowilson.ca
Wine Cap Company
(707) 939-3930
winecap.com
What's Behind Capsule Prices
Tin Capsules: Prices for Raw Materials
Feb. 2002 $3,600/ton
Dec. 2005 $6,600/ton
Jan. 2008 $16,500/ton
Importation Costs: Average per 40-foot Container
Jan. 2006 $4,100
Jan. 2008 $5,200
Number of Wine Capsules per 40-foot Container (approx.)
Tin: 460,000
Polylam: 3,700,000
PVC: 7,400,000
Exchange Rate
End of 2005: 1 euro = US$1.16
Jan. 2008 1 euro = US$1.48
Source: Lafitte Cork and Capsule
