Manufacturer of corks and bottle closures for wine, sparkling wine, spirits and fine foods
Heinrich Gültig Korkwarenfabrikation GmbH
Heilbronn · Flexbourg (FR)New on Amplifa
Company
Heinrich Gültig Korkwarenfabrikation GmbH is a third-generation family company based in Heilbronn that has been manufacturing bottle closures since 1953. The portfolio includes wine corks made from natural cork and micro-agglomerate (Evolution and Carat series), sparkling wine corks with natural cork discs or made from agglomerate, stopper corks (t-bar corks) with caps made of plastic, wood, metal or glass, barrel and special corks as well as BVS aluminium screw caps (G-CAP® BVS 30x60), which are custom-printed, foiled and embossed in-house. Core processes are steam sterilisation according to the proprietary GÜLTIG PROCESS, weight sorting, and individual testing of every cork for cork taint (2,4,6-TCA). Customers include the wine and sparkling wine industry, spirits producers, and suppliers of edible oils and fine foods. In addition, Gültig distributes filter sheets for winemaking as a partner of Filtrox AG. Products are delivered worldwide; a own sales office is located in Flexbourg, France.
- Site
- Heilbronn
- Processes
- Manufacture of natural corks (wine corks) with GÜLTIG production technology, Steam treatment / sterilisation of corks (GÜLTIG process), Individual testing for cork taint (2,4,6-TCA) using state-of-the-art technology (Evolution, Weight sorting of corks, Manufacture of micro-agglomerate corks (Carat series), Manufacture of sparkling wine corks with discs (agglomerate body + 2 natural cork discs), Manufacture of stopper corks (caps made of plastic, wood, metal, glass), Manufacture of barrel & special corks
- Materials
- Natural cork (corkwood), Micro-agglomerate (cork), Standard agglomerate (cork), Aluminium, Plastic, Wood, Metal, Glass
- Certificates
- HACCP, Systecode (CE Liège), FSC (licence C100526), Sustainability and Climate Neutrality Certificate, FSC (C100526), Sustainability/Climate neutrality (die-no), ISO 9001
- Founded
- 1953
- Industries
- Wine and sparkling wine industry, Spirits, Edible oils and fine foods (oil, vinegar, spices, mustard), Edible oils/fine foods (oil, vinegar, spices, mustard)
- 01
Selection and incoming goods inspection of the cork material
- 02
Steam treatment / sterilisation (GÜLTIG PROCESS)
- 03
Manufacture of the corks (natural cork, micro-/standard agglomerate)
- 04
Weight sorting and individual testing for 2,4,6-TCA
- 05
Printing, foiling and embossing (screw caps, corks)
- 06
Assembly of stopper corks (t-bar corks)
- 07
Outgoing goods inspection and shipping
Materials & Processes
Natural cork (corkwood)
Pure natural cork for wine corks, optionally from FSC-certified stocks (Bioconcept).
Micro-agglomerate (cork)
Cork material with binder and micro-spheres for homogeneous, TCA-reduced corks of the Carat series.
Standard agglomerate (cork)
Used for simple sparkling wine corks without natural cork discs.
Aluminium
Material of the hermetically sealing screw caps G-CAP® BVS 30x60.
Plastic
Cap material for stopper corks as well as alternative closure parts.
Wood
Cap material for custom stopper corks.
Metal
Cap material for custom stopper corks.
Glass
Cap material for premium stopper corks.
Locations
Heilbronn
DEHeadquarters / Production
- Materials
- Natural cork, micro-agglomerate, aluminium
- In-house solar system (energy generation)
Flexbourg
FRSales company Bouchons Gultig S.A.R.L.
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacture of natural corks (wine corks) with GÜLTIG production technologyPlastics | Length: nominal ± 0.5mm; diameter: nominal ± 0.4mm | – | – | – | Natural cork (FSC-certified available) |
| Steam treatment / sterilisation of corks (GÜLTIG process)Heat treatment | – | – | – | – | Cork |
| Individual testing for cork taint (2,4,6-TCA) using state-of-the-art technology (EvolutionTesting | – | – | – | – | Natural cork |
| Weight sorting of corksTesting | – | – | 100 kg/m3 – 250 kg/m3 | – | Natural cork |
| Manufacture of micro-agglomerate corks (Carat series)Plastics | Length: nominal ± 0.3mm; diameter: nominal ± 0.2mm | – | – | – | Micro-agglomerate (cork material with binder, micro-spheres) |
| Manufacture of sparkling wine corks with discs (agglomerate body + 2 natural cork discs)Plastics | Length: nominal ± 0.3mm; diameter: nominal ± 0.2mm | – | – | – | Cork agglomerate, Natural cork |
| Manufacture of stopper corks (caps made of plastic, wood, metal, glass)Assembly | – | – | – | – | Plastic, Wood, Metal, Glass, Cork |
| Manufacture of barrel & special corksPlastics | – | – | – | – | Cork |
| Printing, foiling and embossing of BVS aluminium screw caps (G-CAP® BVS 30x60)Surface treatment | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
| Manufacture of screw caps (G-CAP® BVS 30x60, hermetically sealing)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
| Distribution of filter material / filter sheets (sales partner of Filtrox AG)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Measurement of stopper corks based on sample bottles (free service)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Cork, Plastic |
1 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-house solar system (energy generation) | – | 1 | – | – | Heilbronn |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
Quality assurance is carried out at the stages of incoming goods, production and outgoing goods; for Evolution Exclusiv/Premium every cork is individually tested for cork taint (2,4,6-TCA). The processes and products are audited annually according to HACCP; Systecode is the quality seal of the European Cork Confederation CE Liège.
| Evidence | Heilbronn |
|---|---|
| HACCP | |
| Systecode (CE Liège) | |
| FSC (C100526) | |
| Sustainability/Climate neutrality (die-no) | |
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 1953
Company founder Heinrich Gültig develops the GÜLTIG PROCESS for sterilising wine and sparkling wine corks with sulphur dioxide, supported by the Weinsberg Viticulture School – now a worldwide standard.
- 1969
After the founder's death, Günther Bleckmann acquires the company; the chlorine molecule TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole) is identified as the main cause of cork taint; changeover from chlorine washing to peroxide treatment.
- 1991
Günther Bleckmann hands over management to his son Rüdiger; quality improvements for natural corks (Geisenheim test seal, HACCP, Systecode).
- 2007
Expansion of the portfolio to include BVS aluminium screw caps (G-CAP), which are custom-printed, foiled and embossed.
- 2020
Awarded the certificate for secured sustainability and economics (die-no).
- 2021
Konstantin Bleckmann joins the company – 3rd family generation in the business.