South African aluminium semi-fabricator Hulamin supplies some 3 000 t of aluminium to the wine and beverage closure industry, with a large percentage used for wine bottle closures.The wine trade is a multibillion-rand international industry and the ongoing debate on the different forms of closures is a significant issue affecting Hulamin’s supply of aluminium to the bottling industry, the company reports.

South Africa is fast catching up with the global trend of changing from cork closures to screw cap closures, with aluminium making up 48% of closures in 2009, and rising to 70% by the end of 2010. Australia’s wine closures consist of 70% to 80% screw cap of 1,2-billion bottles, and New Zealand’s make up 90% of 200-million bottles. 
South Africa looks set to follow these trends, which means good news for Hulamin, the company believes.

A major hurdle in the advance of screw caps is the change in consumers’ perceptions of screw cap wine, as many traditionalists prefer the conventional cork closures, believing that wine needs to ‘breathe’.