Beverages
Summer in a glass, your polycarbonate options
July 26, 2022
Summer is here, the season of outdoor drinking. However, it can also be a nightmare in terms of breakages. Our supplier partner Alliance Online introduces the idea of using polycarbonate options as a viable alternatives to traditional glassware.
Hello Summer! With the change in season comes the promise of better weather and with sunshine comes outdoor drinking. With drinks moving outdoors not only is it further for servers / customers to walk with their drinks, it also typically has a harder floor. In short, the summer period can be a rather brutal one for glassware stock levels.
Naturally, most industry manufacturers offer toughened options to deal with the demands and needs of commercial glassware, but sometimes that just isn’t enough. In recent years, polycarbonate options have hit the market and over time they have developed into viable alternatives to traditional glassware.
Polycarbonate – What Is It?
Polycarbonate is a transparent thermoplastic material which traditionally has had construction-based applications for many years. Recently, this has evolved to include injection mould glassware which after concerns for the use of Bisphenol A (BPA) being used in the manufacturing in food contact applications led to BPA-free polycarbonate.
The reason for wanting to use polycarbonate for glassware is due to its many benefits up and above the traditional material:
- Impact Resistance – Polycarbonate is not far off unbreakable, especially when compared with its glass counterpart. Where dropping a pint glass is concerned, polycarbonate alternatives can take the impact repeatedly without chipping, marking or shattering.
- Longer Product Life – Glassware itself has a long life, but polycarbonate has a much longer one. Products will keep their shape and maintain their structure for a greater time than glass.
- Heat Resistance – Polycarbonate has a glass transition temperature (temperature at which solids become amorphous and take on liquid properties) of around 147°C and can reportedly withstand high temperatures for several hours without it impacting its integrity or shape.
- Greater Insulation – Due to the structure of polycarbonate it helps to stabilise and even out the thermal value of liquids which are served within them. Helping to keep cold drinks cold and hot ones hot.
Range Options – What’s Available
Lucent
The Lucent range from Utopia offers a decadence and refinery which visually matches most traditional glassware whilst providing the safety which polycarbonate brings. The premium option will give your establishment a feeling of luxury, mixed with unbreakable durability meaning even younger generations can enjoy a more adult looking option. A final benefit from the range is they are glasswasher safe too meaning no need to separate from your glassware ranges whilst cleaning.
Aspen
Aspen offers users a fantastically sleek design with a distinct shape making the drinking experience one to savour. The range is split into Aspen Diamond which includes two stackable tumblers which are perfect for large service establishments or venues which serve breakfasts. The Aspen Summit selection has a variety of wine glasses perfect for dining service.
Ultimately, most venues should still stock and carry and wide collection of glassware, but their polycarbonate offering should be increasing. Not only does it look the same as its glass counterpart, but it also performs better. To access the glassware brochure of our supplier partner get in touch with your operations Consultant to learn more.
July 26, 2022