KHS exhibits extended PET portfolio at NPE2018 in Orlando

“A clear trend can be detected within the beverage industry," says Frank Haesendonckx, head of Sales and Technology at KHS Corpoplast in Hamburg, Germany. “The demand for single-serve packs holding between 250 and 800 millimeters is on the rise. We’ve thus developed a new version of our tried-and-tested InnoPET Blomax stretch blow molder especially for this segment.” The system is more compact and at the same time more powerful. The central new feature are its small mold carriers which enable up to 2,500 containers per hour and station to be manufactured.

The stretch blow molder is available as a modular design. Depending on user requirements it can be blocked with other KHS systems – such as the Innosept Asbofill for the hygienic filling of sensitive products, for instance. The new KHS chunk dosing unit for flexible product design can also be integrated into the system. This permits fruit, vegetables or cereals up to 10 x 10 x 10 millimeters in size to be added. “We’re vastly expanding the application options and are thus supplying systems for new markets,” claims Haesendonckx.

At NPE2018 KHS will also be presenting its extremely light packaging solutions. The Dortmund systems provider expects its Factor 100 0.5-liter PET bottle for still water to attract plenty of attention. With its expertise in lightweighting KHS offers its customers holistic consultancy from the design through the technical engineering to the production of their PET bottles. This produces individual containers tailored to suit the required functionality and load. “This allows users to make vast savings in materials while providing the best possible bottle stability,” states Haesendonckx.

Extremely precise neck handling
Further developments as regards preferential heating will also be in focus at the trade show. This setup enables the production of oval containers with an efficient distribution of materials and wide-neck containers with openings measuring up to 70 millimeters and permits extremely precise neck handling – while ensuring a high bottle quality and low energy consumption in the stretch blow molding process. “Wide-neck systems and special packaging forms are also gaining in significance,” explains Haesendonckx. The reason for this lies in the known advantages over glass: unbreakability, a lower weight and the option of inline production, as containers no longer have to be supplied to the plant but can be produced on site.

Optimum protection for sensitive products
Another KHS development which will be on show is FreshSafe PET®. This gives sensitive juices and carbonated soft drinks perfect protection by covering the inside wall of the PET container with a wafer-thin layer of silicon oxide (SiOx). “With our innovative barrier technology beverages have a shelf life which is comparable to those bottled in glass,” says Haesendonckx. This coating method also protects sensitive foods such as tomato sauce, fruit and vegetables – even in transparent PET containers.