Cork Producer ACI Conserves Water in Production, Cuts Water Usage 17%

ACI Cork USA Announces Eco Progress in Producing Natural Cork Wine Stoppers: Uses 17% Less Water in its Portuguese Cork Factories, Fabrication Systems

Fairfield, CA, USA -- Water usage reduction of 17% in two years makes cork wine stoppers from ACI CORK USA a closure alternative that is more environmentally friendly than any other option available in the wine industry today. Statistics recently released by ACI CORK USA show that the production facilities of parent company Àlvaro Coelho & Irmãos, S.A., in Portugal have greatly reduced water used per kilo of corks produced. (See chart below)

Vineyard managers and wineries know the value and importance of water conservation, re-use and recycling. Water rights issues and climate change has resulted in concerns about water availability and quality all through the winemaking system, and now ACI CORK reports significant reduction in their water consumption in cork processing.

The sealed autoclave process, NBS, used by ACI in its cork processing plants not only assures high quality clean cork, but also is more conservative of water than other types of cork processing systems. ACI recycles all water from its cork processing and cork finishing plants.

Àlvaro Coelho & Irmãos, S.A., has achieved its 17% water reduction per kilo of corks produced in several ways: they have optimized the amount of water used in cork production (sorting, washing and other production processes), and tightened up the supply system to assure water conservation practices all through the company including both industrial and domestic wastewaters.

The sustainable and ecological benefits of ACI’s cork as natural wine stoppers are already well known. Portugal accounts for one-third of the world’s cork oak forest area, and Portuguese foresters have added 3.3% more acreage in the past 10 years, to 736,700 hectares (1,820,400 acres) under cultivation.

Cork oak trees “fix” huge amounts of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Calculated on a basis of tons of natural cork stoppers, 2 tons of CO₂ is fixed per one ton of cork stoppers produced. An average of 357,145 stoppers is produced per 1.3 acres of dense cork oak forest. The regenerating bark of the cork oak is harvested under stringent guidelines at the rate of only once every 9 years.

In the water conservation arena, ACI augments its progress in water consumption reduction by going one step further: treating wastewater in its own water treatment plant so that water can be forwarded back to the water supply company pre-cleansed for final treatment.

The ACI treatment plant technology is based on biological treatment with a macrophytes layer. Macrophytest are aquatic plants that are introduced into sealed treatment tanks, and they produce oxygen and remove contaminants. In the treatment process, wastewaters enter a septic tank where the pH is adjusted, and the water is filtered in a way that suspended solids are retained. This filtered water proceeds through a series of tanks with machrophytes where bioload and other contaminants are eliminated. This water then goes back to the water supply company for final treatment. After treatment in the regional facility, the water from ACI’s cork wine stopper production facilities can be totally re-used.

ACI has achieved 17% water reduction per kilo of corks produced

For more information, contact Armando Andrade, General ManagerACI CORK USA2870 Cordelia Road, Suite 150Fairfield, CA 94534 USA sales@acicorkusa.com or Henrique Figueiredo, Sales Director, Àlvaro Coelho & Irmãos, S.A., AP. 56, Zona Industrial de Prime, 4536-902 Mozelos - VFR Portugal, henriquefigueiredo@acoelhoirmaos.com

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Disclosure: As part of my portfolio of writing and marketing communications skills, I also do press release writing for a few wineries and a few suppliers to the wine industry for pay. This blogpost originated as a press release for this client.

Cape Dreams Brand Promotion leads with Water Conservation Notes

The Cape Dreams brand (to be launched in October by Heritage Link Brands) will be promoting the Rooiberg Winery Area's water conservation practices as part of the launch. What a smart thing for this group to do -- to attract US consumers to whom not only good wines, but sustainable practices, are important.

"Produced by: Rooiberg Winery Area, South Africa
Conserved: 6343 ha
Wine District: Robertson
Biodiversity highlights: Area conserved – 6343ha.

The natural area represents some 57.3% of the total land belonging to Rooiberg. An endangered, indigenous fish called the Breede River Redfin was discovered on one of the members farms, and a number of rare succulents and other plant species have been identified on some of the others.

First co-operative cellar to become a member of BWI in South Africa!
Rooiberg Winery near Robertson has made history by becoming the first co-operative winery in South Africa to achieve membership status with the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI).

They have achieved this by conserving valuable natural habitats on their member’s farms within an important succulent karoo region, and by embracing the principles of sustainable production.

Eight out of the 18 farms belonging to Rooiberg were selected as having the most conservation-worthy land and a letter of commitment was signed by each of the respective property owners and Rooiberg’s CEO, agreeing to not develop new vineyards on the pristine areas identified.

The 8 farms collectively contain some 6343 hectares of unploughed, natural land which represents 57.3% of the total area belonging to co-op (11 069ha). These are areas that have pristine lowland vegetation, wetlands, rivers or mountain regions.

The Breede River valley between Worcester and Ashton provides a remarkable meeting place for 3 major vegetation types namely Succulent Karoo, Renosterveld and Fynbos. This explains why the number of plant species found here is exceptionally higher than in other areas and cannot be matched anywhere in the world for a comparable arid region of the same size.

Preliminary surveys were made of flora, fauna and bird species on Rooiberg’s farms. One exciting finding was an endangered, indigenous fish called the Breede River Redfin (previously called Burchells Redfin), which is found only in a few, untouched Western Cape Rivers and is a superb indicator of river health. This special fish was discovered in the deeper pools of the upper Noree River in the Vinkrivier area."

This note was submitted by Selena Cuffe
Selena Cuffe is the President and CEO of Heritage Link Brands, LLC. She presides over the company's strategic and operational direction. With over 10 years of general management experience, she has served in key roles for United Airlines, Procter & Gamble, and the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), overseeing initiatives for over 20 countries.

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