SAKU ÕLLETEHAS                    NEWS RELEASE                        17.05.05



Investments in a new washing equipment for reusable glass bottles



Saku Õlletehas invested EEK 8.5 million in new environmentally friendly bottle

washing equipment



Saku Õlletehase AS invested EEK 8.5 million in new washing equipment for reusable

glass bottles with a view to reducing water and electricity losses and enhancing

the environmental friendliness of its washing technologies.

Today Saku Õlletehase AS collects 98% of its glass bottles for recycling.



In 2004, 54 million litres of the overall 110 million distributed in the beer

market was sold in glass bottles; 15 million litres in cans, 7 million in kegs

and 34 million in ordinary plastic packaging. In February 2004, new quality

packaging - the AM bottle was launched in the Estonian market with a view to

restraining growth in the consumption of cheaper beers marketed in ordinary

plastic packaging which was occurring at the expense of premium beers, and to

provide the latter with a new competitive edge. In the Estonian beer market the

share of both glass and AM bottles is 44%.



In connection with the deposit system that was implemented in Estonia on 1 May,

Saku Õlletehase AS has supplied its products with a deposit marking, has

rearranged its accounting, and in cooperation with other beverage producers has

established packaging recovery organisation Eesti Pandipakend OÜ.





Kristina Seimann

Communication Manager

+372 6 508 303