Worldwide demand for stainless steel KEGs will continue to rise in the short and medium term. Thatâs the view of Guido Klinkhammer, Business Unit Sales Director at SCHíFER Container Systems, and he is not only referring to the order books in his own company. The expert sees the ban on one-way plastic products currently being debated by the EU as one additional reason. Mainly responsible, however, is the general trend towards sustainability and the increasing variety of beers for which stainless steel KEGs, both large and small, are much better suited.
âThough PET KEGs do have their benefits, their use will be considerably reduced over the coming yearsâ?, says Klinkhammer. Reusable KEGs offer breweries greater options regarding volumes and branding potential and those made of stainless steel donât influence the flavour of the beer they contain. This is in complete contrast to plastic, from which substances can generally leach into the environment and have quite harmful effects.
Stainless steel KEGs are much more ecological and economical. They can be used for up to 30 years and their average of 4 cycles per year significantly cuts down CO² emissions, compared with those generated by the production of new one-way containers. At the same time, they are 100 % recyclable. This means that, taking the scrap value and multiple usage into account, the cost proportion of a 30 litre stainless steel KEG for each dispensed beer, for instance, is around one twentieth of that of a plastic KEG, despite the initially greater outlay.
