PETpla.net Insider 08 / 2014

PRODUCTS 35 PET planet insider Vol. 15 No. 08/14 www.petpla.net PET products A gentle touch KHS says that its new Feedflow feed unit offers reliable and gentle conveying of lightweight PET preforms to the InnoPET Blomax stretch blow moulder, even at high speeds. Its maximum output is 84,000 preforms/hr. The preforms are fed into a silo, which can be equipped with a protective lid. If the machine is going to handle sensitive products, including those with high hygiene needs, it can be fully enclosed. Pre- forms travel from the silo along an inclined conveyor to an interim conveyor, which discharges into the preform sorter. They are then fed in one lane to a discharge rail or, depend- ing on the application, onto the active, horizontal conveying segment. In contrast to a traditional, gravity-fed discharge rail, the Feedflow method actively conveys the preforms along the horizontal feed segment in a targeted flow of air. Frequency-controlled blower motors are claimed to ensure a constant and reliable flow of materials, which also helps to ensure high levels of line availability, KHS maintains. The system is also designed to be compact, to offer easy access and to be easy to operate and service. The combined Feed- max/Feedflow feed system has a controller included in the blow moulder. The KHS ClearLine HMI controls the process centrally, reduces machine complexity and simplifies opera- tions, KHS claims. www.khs.com Soft yellow joins the spectrum New addition to Döhler range Döhler has extended its spectrum of successful Crystal Clear Colours with a new soft yellow shade alongside the vibrant orange and yellow tones. In the past, the only way to achieve a ‘warm orange’, ‘shining yellow’ or ‘soft yellow’ in clear beverages without affecting the taste and stabil- ity was by using artificial colours. All colour tones in the Crystal Clear Colours range display optimum stability and a particularly balanced sensory profile in transparent bev- erages, without the use of any artificial ingredients at all. The Clear Colours range is based on natural colour- ing principles such as paprika extract, beta-carotene and lutein. Thanks to this use of exclusively plant-based raw materials, the colours are also suitable for vegetarian and vegan products. The range of natural, crystal clear orange and yellow tones is therefore opening up new options for the beverage industry in the development of natural beverages. The colours are characterised by outstanding stability under the influence of light, heat and different pH values. These properties and their colour intensity make the range ideal for a wide range of beverage applications, such as still drinks, water plus beverages and clear lemon- ades. This new range allows clear beverages to stand out with a colour spectrum ranging from intense, warm orange tones to bright, shining or soft yellow tones. The company also offers the food and beverage industry a whole spec- trum of products on the theme of colours: from colouring concentrates and natural colours to colour and cloud emul- sions. www.doehler.com French honey gets the squeeze treatment - BericapValve dosing valve made of TPE Several squeezable valves are now used for squeezable food products, most of them made of sili- cone. The Bericap Valve is different because it is made of TPE, which has the advantage, that – unlike the commercial silicone valves – it prevents contamination in the recycling process. Bericaps bi-injected dosing valve closures offer a perfect product security and sup- port controlled dosing of products such as honey. Honey is traditionally packed in glass jars closed with alu- minium twist-off closures as well as in squeezable PET bottles using FlipTop closures with silicone valves. Now it seems that French honey bottlers are showing considerable interest in the TPE valve. The reason is twofold: it is easy to recycle without contaminating the recycling stream and, in addition, the taxes payable for a TPE valve are lower than those for a silicone valve. The BericapValve is available in various shore hardness and cut lengths in order to suit various products other than honey, such as ketchup, chocolate syrup, body lotion and pharmaceu- tical products, all having individual viscosities. Even products containing pieces, such as cocktail sauces, are easy to dose with the valve. Bericap offers a wide range of hinged closures in which the bi-injected Bericap Valve can be inserted. Customised designs can be developed in the company’s R&D centres. www.bericap.com