PETpla.net Insider 04 / 2014

BOTTLE MAKING 31 PET planet insider Vol. 15 No. 04/14 www.petpla.net and Sierra Madre Oriental mountain ranges run parallel to the coastal strips, rising to peaks of more than 9,900ft (3km). The coastal regions, by contrast, are only a few feet above sea level. Climatically, too, Mexico is a country of extremes, between subtropical, Alpine and desert regions. In the north, the prevailing tempera- tures lie between 10°C and 45°C. In the middle of the country, the average temperature for the year is 20°C. The climate in the south is tropical; tem- peratures can reach 40°C. 11bar internal pressure for 60s In order to take due account of these extreme conditions, Krones’ bottle development experts had to come up with something rather special in terms of design, consultancy and optimisation. For example, Krones optimised the 3.0l bottle design by giving it a special base for large-vol- ume bottles, which had to pass stress- crack, thermal and burst-pressure tests without any problems. The big- gest challenge of all was the internal- pressure test. The 2.0l containers, for example, had to withstand an internal pressure of 11bar for 60s. Sampling and laboratory tests were handled in Krones’ PET Technology Centre. The client was present at almost all the sampling procedures in the labora- tory, enabling him to verify in person that the bottles met the requirements involved. This was followed in each case by close consultations on the laboratory results between the client, Krones Applications Engineering and Krones Container Design. The overall design specifications were used to Peñafiel operates two production facilities in Mexico, at Guadalajara in the west of the Mexican highlands, about 500km west of Mexico City, and in Tehuacán in Mexico’s southern Puebla State. It is from there that deliver- ies are made to the entire country. Founded back in 1948, the family firm was taken over by Cadbury Schweppes in 1992. Today, Peñafiel belongs to the Texan Dr Pepper Snapple Group, a leading vendor of non-alcoholic beverages including soft drinks, teas, juices, mixed drinks, waters and other beverages . Their principal markets are North America and the Caribbean. In its portfolio, the group has more than 50 brands, such as 7UP, Canada Dry, Crush Orange, RC Cola, Orangina, Schweppes or Dr Pepper Cola and of course Peñafiel water. Peñafiel is offered as carbonated water which comes in six different flavours, ranging from strawberry and mandarin to pineapple. The plastic closure company committed to your success BERI CAP Technology Research and Development Mould Technology | Global Presence Capping Technology and Know-How Innovation and Flexibility www.bericap.com define the test conditions, after which the bottle design and then the pre- form were optimised. Following the blow-moulding trials and laboratory studies, the test results were evalu- ated together with the client. Krones Applications Engineering made sure the client’s specifications were met, by providing the relevant process exper- tise and the appropriate machinery. Newly designed still-water bottle family After the line had been installed, Peñafiel had another task for Krones. For the first time, the company wanted to bottle not only carbonated soft drinks, but also still water. For this purpose, Peñafiel asked Krones to develop an entirely new still-water bottle. Due to the particular climatic and geographi- cal conditions involved, this container was likewise required to be highly pressure-resistant, and suitable for passing the thermo-test, which with a still-water bottle cannot be taken for granted. For reasons of stability, filled bottles are required to embark on their extensive travels through Mexico with an internal pressure of 0.5bar. During the filling process itself, the bottle has to withstand a filling pressure of up to 11bar. For this purpose, Krones came up with a special still-water base, together with an entirely new container design for a bottle family featuring 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5l sizes in two variants. Fol- lowing successful tests, Peñafiel opted for one variant, and the company can now deploy this family of bottles in the market, with the aim of conquering the still water segment, a new category for Peñafiel. www.krones.com