PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2013

BOTTLE MAKING 22 PET planet insider Vol. 14 No. 03/13 www.petpla.net Single-stage machinery for high end cosmetic packaging A single step to beautiful packages Key features of PET containers for cosmetics High-grade PET cosmetics appli- cations are very different from, for example, PET containers for food, where light weight and short cycle times are major design factors. The cosmetics market, by contrast, has a strong demand for health and beauty products that closely imitate or even surpass the highest quality that the glass industry can produce. Price is not a driving factor in high-grade cosmetic packaging. The market is driven by the desire for the peak of quality, one that pushes the boundaries of what is achievable in moulding PET. The retail price of these filled containers can be in the region of €50 to €100, which means that the container cost is a small fraction of the total price, even with decorative features, heavier weight and consequently longer cycle times. The container will stay in consum- ers’ homes for quite a while – weeks, months or even years. It will be picked up and used many times before it is finished with, so its appearance is very important, as it is often conceived as a an objet d’art. Decoration and design techniques The appearance and impression of high quality and luxury are essential to the market appeal of cosmetic pack- aging, and this means that techniques are very different. Decorative options include matt/frosted appearance, which can be created using a special masterbatch, rather than having to rely on spraying after moulding. Pear- lescent and iridescent masterbatches produce a finish with constantly-shift- ing colours as the container is han- dled, while graduated, spray-on coat- ings provide a colour that blends from top to bottom of the container, without the need to use shrink sleeves. Injec- tion moulded collars, fixtures and attachments can be used to embellish the shoulder area for visual impact, as well as enabling sharp details. The shoulder of the bottle can be injection moulded in the lip cavity as a flange on the preform; the preform’s body is then blown out and upwards result- ing in absolute sharp corners on the shoulder. The glass-like look and feel is created by very high product weight, which requires specialised grades of PET to avoid crystallisation. The thick wall section and low stretch-blow mould ratios of these premium packages allow greater extremes of detail, as well as embossing. Nissei ASB offers converters wish- ing to enter this market one-step injec- tion stretch blow moulding, which can be used with PETG, PP, COC, COP, HDPE, PS and PC, as well as PET. The process is also claimed to allow custom preform design; scuff and damage-free neck finishes; perfect neck orientation for screw-on caps; and very high optical quality. www.nisseiasb.co.jp/en Premium cosmetic packages in PET, ... ...manufactured with single-stage machinery. H E A L T H & B E A U T Y C A R E P A C K A G I N G High-grade PET bottles have to provide a feeling of luxurious quality for market appeal and they can do so using techniques and designs that would be impossible in glass. Karel Keersmaekers, Managing Director of Nissei ASB Europe, maintains that the needs of this market can be satisfied with single-stage machinery.