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Tom Hygaard is president of Arctic Chiller Bottled Water, a sherwood park company that has launched a new, biodegradable bottle that can also be recycled. Photograph by: Shaughn Butts, The Journal, Edmonton Journal

Sherwood Park firm builds greener bottle

Arctic Chiller's plastic biodegrades in 10 years
By David Finlayson, Edmonton Journal

Tom Hygaard wants to make it clear that the new biodegradable bottles Arctic Chiller is offering to its customers are not designed to discourage recycling.

"It's an option we've introduced in response to feedback from consumers over the years who have told us they prefer a green product.

"We are 100 per cent in favour of recycling, but if this bottle is not recycled it will biodegrade in about 10 years."

Eighty one per cent of Albertans recycle, so it's not likely they'll be thrown away anyway, Hygaard says.

The patented material for the "Green 2Go" bottles was originally developed for
plastic shopping bags by a U. K. company called Reverte.

It uses light, oxygen and microbial action to decompose the thermoplastic polymer resin.

And unlike some biodegradable bottle materials, especially biopolymers made from corn starch, it can be recycled into new products, Hygaard says.

It has just been added to the Arctic Chiller line of distinctive, diamond-pattern bottles that roll off the state-of-the-art production line in Sherwood Park.

Business is good for Arctic Chiller, founded by Tom's father, Dave, after he sold his successful Hygaard Foods business 10 years ago.

More distribution space and a third bottling line have been added as an increasing number of food wholesalers and businesses such as hotels, restaurants and golf courses want to add their own labels to the bottled-water boom.

An average of two truckloads of water leave the plant every day, bound for destinations across Western Canada.

While Arctic Chiller does offer pure spring water, the majority of customers order tap water demineralized and purified by reverse osmosis because it's cheaper, Hygaard says.

The 500-millilitre bottle is the most popular, and the sophisticated, Italian-engineered production lines can pour out 450 of them a minute, packaged in six-, 12-or 24-bottle clusters at the push of a button.

The company has also found a niche within a niche by producing four-litre bottles for northern work camps.

And if you want a small order for your wedding or other event, complete with your own label, they'll do that, too.

They've become efficient enough that they can turn around almost any order in 24 to 36 hours or less, Hygaard says.

The majority of their business currently comes from Sysco Corp., the giant provider of food and beverages to restaurants and institutional clients.

Arctic Chiller is already producing Sysco's house brand of bottled water for the Regina, Calgary and Edmonton markets, with Vancouver and Winnipeg coming down the pipe, Hygaard says.

"The great thing is that Sysco's salespeople are selling it for us. And they hope to develop an overseas market for the biodegradable bottles, especially in China and Japan."

And with business up 30 per cent in the last couple of years, he doesn't see any flow reversal in the next five years.

"We've probably made private-label products for 5,000 customers over the years, many of them still with us. And we're getting new customers calling us every week."

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal

Arctic Chiller Completes 60,000 Square Foot Expansion Project

Arctic Chiller has recently completed a massive expansion project at their state of the art facility located at 100 Cree Road in Sherwood Park, AB. With quick access to Yellowhead Trail and over 60,000 square feet, our expanded facility efficiently moves raw materials from receiving to production and finished goods on through to shipping lanes.

Click here to find out more information (download PDF)

Click the pictures to view them at a larger size

Introducing Custom Bottle Tags

Ideal for the hospitality industry, where consumption chargesor complimentary statement can be communicated. PLUS many other highly useful applications:

• Discount coupons, silent salesman
• Recognize event sponsors, fundraisers
• Communication – reinforce your corporate message
• Highlight attractions recommend services, dining, & amenities
• Provide flyer / brochure information that otherwise would be crowded on the label of your bottled water such as technical data or specifications

For pennies each, these die cut, custom designed, bottle tags are the perfect companion to your custom labeled bottled water. Available for $50.00 set up fee, plus:

All Bottled Water is Not Created Equal… 

At Arctic Chiller we’ve gone a step beyond what is required, for the testing and inspection of our product and for our facility. 
We’re proud to announce our NSF Certification.

Visit the NSF website at www.nsf.com or click here to find out more information (download PDF)

Now Order Bottle Collection Bins

• Arctic Chiller is environmentally focused and supports programs to keep beverage containers out of Alberta landfills.
• We have reduced our product packaging, we encourage recycling by bottling in 100% recyclable bottles, we remind consumers to recyle, and we are continually researching and developing green manufacturing practices and bio-friendly product packaging.
• When you plan to distribute bottled water, plan to provide for the collection of the empty bottles and support the recycling process. Recycling matters.
• Recycle bins available for $32.00, shipped flat atop your order.
• Clear plastic liner bags $8.25 for 25 count, each holds approx 300 bottles.