Silicone on the bottle: Test the taste

Business development means different things to different people. For some it simply means prospecting, to others it can mean developing a new product or technology, while yet to others it means developing new applications for new market trends based on the current technology. In its simplest definition, business development at the commercial level means prospecting and providing solutions. It also means hunting new customers in new segments or markets by cold-calling. These activities require highly developed skills, such as ability to focus on the market needs, ability to deal with customers´ demands and strong personal skills to handle ups and downs. It’s certainly not suited for the faint-of-heart. The job gets difficult and frustrating, especially when you face customers’ complaints, or when the customer expects best-in-class product performance, the best market price or when the customer demands support immediately with no regard for your schedule or work load. However, these challenges have brought opportunities to me beyond silicones! Recently I’ve experienced this while visiting two end-users, solving issues with labels performance, in one of the largest wine regions in the world located in Mendoza (Argentina) and Casablanca (Chile). Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. The city is a frequent stopover for climbers on their way to Aconcagua (the highest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemispheres). The region around Greater Mendoza is the largest wine producing area in Latin America. As such, Mendoza is one of nine cities worldwide in the network of Great Capitals of Wine, and the city is an emerging ecotourism destination and base for exploring the hundreds of wineries in the region. Wide red wine varieties include Merlot Carménnére, Zinfandel, Cabernet franc, Pinot noir, Syrah Sangiovese, Sangiovese and the most well recognized of the region, Malbec. Visiting a vineyard and a winery is a wonderful experience. We can admire the combination of architecture, tradition and highest style of Argentina’s cuisine. Mendoza offers an alternative to what can be found in the region and also serves as a complementary destination for the very serious wine enthusiast that might be travelling through the other wine region such as Casablanca (Chile). Another exciting experience is taking a flight from Mendoza to Santiago, where you can appreciate the magnificent view of Aconcagua and the Andes and arriving at the Valley of Casablanca, which is also gradually developing a reputation for high quality wine production. Casablanca is one of Chile's cooler wine regions and is often compared to the Californian wine region of Carneros. Influenced by the sea and situated close to the coastal mountain range, the Casablanca Valley has a very unique climate, which allows for slow maturing of its grapes, such as, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. It also produces cool climate red wines like Pinot Noir, Merlot and Syrah. Chilean winemakers have been developing a distinct style for their Cabernet Sauvignon, producing an easy drinking wine with soft tannis and flavors of mint, black currant olives and smoke. Many different tours can be enjoyed that include vineyards, but there are also many cultural sites, such as Isla Negra, the house of the Nobel Prize winning poet Pablo Neruda, the cultural city of Valparaíso, and all this while you’re already there for work and the day with your customers is done. To conclude and to tie this back to how much our products matter, sometimes we do not realize the importance of a simple label on a bottle, but labels bring brand recognition to the prestigious vineyards and uphold their image and reputation. Our silicone release coating is a critical part of the label that is used on the bottles. Keep enjoying your customer visits. Cheers! Ariete09