Process for the manufacture of containers which have an integral handle, and containers manufactured thereby

A process for blow-molding a container, the container comprising a handle, whereby the process comprises the steps of:

• (i) introducing a preform into a mold cavity, closing the mold cavity, and stretching the preform with a stretch rod;
• (ii) increasing the pressure within the preform so that the preform expands within the mold cavity in a first blowing step;
• (iii) inwardly moving jaws within the mold cavity so that the preform is partially gripped and fused between the jaws in the handle region prior to full contact between the preform and the mold cavity and prior to a second blowing step;
• (iv) subsequently increasing the pressure within the preform so that the preform expands to the limits of the mold cavity in the second blowing step to form a container;
• wherein the inward movement of the jaws is complete within the first blowing step, the pressure in the first blowing step is from about 1 to about 10 bar, and the maximum pressure in the second blowing step is greater than about 10 bar wherein the container is transparent.