How you cope with the heat and the dust
...is made clear by rally driver Fernando Gonzales..
Rallying is pure passion. Going right to the limit and a bit further in every race. And the absolute classic rally: the ‘Dakar’ with its cult status. Where’s the thrill? Exciting contrasts and merciless challenges. Raw wilderness meets rational hi-tech. Archaic and futuristic at the same time. And a human being right in the middle of it all. Daring. A modern-day nomad hurtling powerfully forward – always in the direction of the finish. (Photo: fotolia/ José 16)
All-rounder triumphs in desert heat
„When we’re on the road, we run on water and energy drinks,“ explains Fernando Gonzales, the pilot of the winning team. „When we’re driving off-road it is important to have reliable packaging for the precious contents. Our experienced crew relies on the classical indestructible form of packaging: the beverage can.“
Swirling desert dust. Jagged-edged scree. Thunderous impacts as the heavy vehicle bounces over the rough terrain. Pilot and co-pilot battle doggedly with the unknown trail. The unexpected can occur at any time and anywhere along this apparently endless route. So the crew work meticulously on everything they can plan for in advance. With reliable technology and crash-proof materials.
In the camp in the evening, vehicle and driver are got ready for the next day. The heat of the day has given way to severe cold. After all the exertions of the day, the body craves for a hot meal. Hungry, the team queues for food. A delicious smell drifts upwards from the appetisingly filled aluminium trays and the hot vapours disappear into the dark, starlit sky.
„After you have checked the chassis, engine and tyres, you have to take care of the details,“ is how the team captain explains the maintenance work on the vehicle. Just then, a young assistant with a stubbly beard wearing a team overall lifts a box into the off-road vehicle.
Small time-out on the go
„That’s our emergency drinks ration. We don’t really want to transport the packaging, only what’s inside it. That’s why we use aluminium standup pouches.“ Now he checks the coolbox inside the vehicle. The employee piles a couple of glittering coloured metal containers into the box. They fit perfectly.
The sun-tanned pilot takes two beverage cans from the team assistant’s stocks and weighs them in his hand. „Everything needs to be incredibly unbreakable in the car. And what is more rugged than this here?“ Without waiting for an answer, he continues: „And a can like this sits perfectly in your hand.“ To demonstrate his point, he deftly spins one of the slim aluminium cylinders around its axis with his fi ngers. „Its like holding a gear stick,“ nods the racing driver. With practiced skill he casually opens both metal containers at the same time with the sinewy index fingers of his strong hands. He hands one can to his team colleague. „After we’ve crossed the finishing line, we love to celebrate a successful race with a good can of beer or bubbly. But fi rst of all, here’s to the adventure!“
Some twelve hours later the sun again blazes down from a cloudless desert sky. The extreme athletes have already been navigating through the sandy nowhere land for a good many hours. Far from their destination. Thirst and exhaustion are creeping slowly but surely into their heat-affected bodies. Time to grab a beverage can. A good thing that they can replenish lost energy so conveniently without having to make a refuelling stop. The pilot rolls the smooth, cool metal over his temples that are throbbing from the heat, while the thermochromic ink on the can indicates that the temperature is ideal for drinking. Tingling with excitement, he effortlessly opens the can with his left hand, while his right hand keeps the vehicle safely on course. Cold as ice, the liquid washes the dust from his burning throat and leaves it as fresh as the morning dew. It’s that truly luxurious moment! Here in this gigantic sea of dunes there is a feeling of eternity even when one is ploughing through in a restless state of agitated melancholia. But for a short while, this feeling takes a back seat.
Raise your can – to a familiar all-rounder!
Since it was first introduced at the Krueger Brewery in Richmond, Virginia in 1935, the can has been regarded as the perfect protective packaging for every type of drink. And it no longer comes in the shape of a small chunky suit of armour: it is now a chic hi-tech designer’s item, whether it be a standard, slim or mini can. Numerous developments have continually made the beverage can more attractive and – thanks to innovative aluminium alloys – ever lighter. It can be shaped, printed or embossed in a multitude of different ways, with or without interactive QR codes. There are even beverage cans that can be resealed. Retailers and logistics companies could write volumes about “stacking high with wonderful ease” – that is if they work with beverage cans. Because the extremely lightweight cylindrical can is made for easy stacking. It utilises transport and storage space highly efficiently. The ratio of product to packaging is exemplary. If one loads a truck with beverage cans, one can transport twice the amount of liquid as a truck laden with bottles. This saves lots of fuel and energy.