PETpla.net Insider 05 / 2011

PET products 34 PET planet insider Vol. 12 No. 05/11 www.petpla.net Idea-to-mould collaboration R&D/Leverage and Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DNS) have launched the first prod- uct of their ‘idea-to-mould’ collaboration: a new design for the 20-oz ‘Legacy’ bottle. The project began with consumer research and resulted in a package designed for efficient manufacture that enhanced both visual and tactile design elements and is intended to contribute to effective brand building. The new bottle will be used for DPS brands including 7Up, Sunkist soda, Canada Dry, Sun Drop, Squirt and other soft drinks in the company’s portfolio. DPS said that the package had to look good on the shelf, run efficiently in all its manu- facturing locations and work in vending machines, as well as having aesthetic appeal to consumers. The entire process, including consumer work, was conducted in an accelerated 28-week ‘idea to mould’ process that included comprehensive qualitative and quanti- tative consumer validation. Specific ‘tactile tactics’ research tools were developed in order to identify consumer likes and dislikes. The tactile element was regarded as equally impor- tant as shape, graphics, label size and placement. www.rdleverage.com 1881 ‘light’ sport closure In response to the drive for sustainability in the bever- age industry, dispensing systems manufacturer Aptar Food + Beverage, part of the Aptargroup, has announced the release of its light sport closure. The new product uses less plastic but without any reduction in performance. The lower profile of the 1881 light Original weighs 25% less than the 28mm PCO/BPF version, and is also claimed to enable weight savings on the preform. Aptar says that its new closure maintains the perfor- mance and aesthetics of its existing ‘Original Sports Closure’ system, including pressure containment up to 3bar; high flow rate; an active hinge; high transparency and a two-colour option for shelf appeal. The closure is available with a stand- ard seven-millimetre opening or with a SimpliSqueeze silicone beverage valve, which is compatible with the PET recycling process. www.aptar.com Monobloc multi-dress labeller The offer held out by Krones AG is that its DecoBloc labelling system will make it possible to create a monobloc configuration synchronising a modularised labeller with a Sleevematic carousel, a Shrinkmat tunnel and a Lin- adry unit for predrying containers. The company says that the DecoBloc monobloc will run all labelling processes in common use, including cold-glue, pressure-sensitive, hot- melt or shrink and stretch sleeves. The machine’s docking stations have motorised height adjustment, which means that labelling stations can be prepared for product change- over at the touch of a button, regardless of the floor level involved. Different machine sizes offer outputs of up to 72,000 containers/h, with servomotors providing accurate dress positioning. There is also an option for camera-based alignment of the containers with embossed markings or special contours, with the intention of ensuring optimal posi- tioning of labels or sleeves. www.krones.com ‘Next-generation’ hysteresis capping head After offering its BVK capping head for more than seven years, Bericap has announced the launch of its next-generation hysteresis capping head, designated BNX. The new machine provides application torque at an even narrower range than its predecessor, and inde- pendent of the head speed. The BNX is shorter, which makes it compatible with all major capper configurations currently on the market. The BNX capper is liquid tight, in order to prevent lubricant leakage, and application torque can be adjusted by hand, without special tooling. www.bericap.com