PETpla.net Insider 07+08 / 2011

BOTTLE MAKING 17 PET planet insider Vol. 12 No. 07+08/11 www.petpla.net Increased capacity and wider range “Our current capacity was and still is not enough,” Mr. Sobczyk said. “If we want to implement all of our projects and produce more effec- tively without, for example, having to change formats often, we needed a second line.” Both Combi Predis FMa complete lines will be able to fill more than 25,000bph (over 150 million/a) in 0.3l and 0.5l formats. Because of its greater filler capacity and cap change flexibility, Sokpol is aiming to run their new line with overall efficiency of over 90%. That is an ambitious goal but the company believes it is realistic. The Sidel aseptic filler has been found to permit continuous runs of 120h in high acid production, without intermediate sanitation. Cleaning and sterilisation can be completed in three hours, ‘bottle to bottle’. Sokpol’s new Combi Predis FMa will extend its bot- tling range and will produce 300ml, 500ml, 1.5l and 2l sizes, as well as a variety of capping formats such as sport caps for isotonic drinks for the ‘on-the-go’ market. From the environmental perspec- tive, the Combi Predis FMa replaces bottle rinsing by peracetic acid (PAA) with dry decontamination of preforms using hydrogen peroxide vapor (H 2 O 2 ). The system reduces the number of machines and the overall footprint and delivers high decontamination performance without Predis and Combi Predis Sidel started with the dry preform decontamination by H 2 O 2 spray in 1998, with the Combi Disis. Originally the system was developed for liquid food prod- ucts sold in the cold chain specifically for flavoured milk. A few years later, the system was introduced for UHT chocolate milk sold at ambient distribution. In 2006, the first Combi Predis with dry preform decontamination by H 2 O 2 vapor for ESL dairy products sold in the cold chain, with drinking yogurt as the first product in use, was launched. In 2008, Combi Predis was also sold for high acid, carbonated juices without preservatives at ambient temperature. Finally, the year 2009 marked the first Combi Predis for aseptic low acid products sold at ambient temperature, especially for UHT milk. The Combi Predis FMa replaces bottle rinsing by peracetic acid (PAA) with dry decontamination of pre- forms using hydrogen peroxide vapor (H 2 O 2 ) . The system reduces the number of machines and the overall footprint. It guarantees high decontamination per- formance without water consumption and uses only tiny amounts of chemicals. Sidel sold its 50 th Combi Predis to Sokpol, Poland. water consumption, using only small amounts of chemicals. The time taken to heat preforms and the temperature level achieved during preform heating in the oven are sufficient to activate the small quantity of H 2 O 2 cold con- densate and ensure even distribu- tion on preform walls. This ensures a 100% bottle decontamination rate for a totally secure bottle production process. In combination with UV-C decontamination devices, air used for bottle blow-moulding and the air within the Combi keeps the bottles sterile until the filling and capping steps. The preform infeed uses ionization for dust removal, blow-moulding air is filtered to the 0.01 micron level and by-the-neck transfer of bottles under a controlled atmosphere all maintain The Sidel Combi Preis FMa line was delivered to Sokpol in April 2011 sterility. The continuous by-the-neck transfers and absence of any thermal stress on empty bottles have led to company to conclude that the Combi solution offers notable bottle light- weighting potential and greater bottle shape design freedom. Sokpol is converting technology to commercial advantage and using it to optimise the entire downstream pack- ing process. By the end of 2011, it will have 19 different lines, including car- tons, glass bottles, jars, aseptic and classic PET. The aseptic line takes up less space than other standard line configurations and the company has just finished construction of a 10,000m² storage depot, ready for its increased output. www.sidel.com sensitive BEVERAGES