PETpla.net Insider 04 / 2019

BOTTLING / FILLING PET planet Insider Vol. 20 No. 04/19 www.petpla.net 47 rier PET and cap solutions with the Sidel aseptic filling packaging solu- tion will allow reaching a 5-months yogurt shelf life, plus safety through- out the supply chain for distribution at room temperature. The team at Yili was impressed by the technical support given by Sidel in new product development, as well as in the variety of testing methods implemented to qualify the PET barrier solutions. A partner across the entire aseptic PET line Yili acquired two aseptic PET complete lines in the same year both including Sidel and Tetra Pak Pro- cessing Systems equipment. Every component was thus centred around one supplier, from process solution to PET packaging assessment, and from equipment definition and delivery to fast ramp-up. The lines, featuring a high-speed production capability to answer the growing Chinese market demand of liquid dairy products for Ready-to-drink (RTD) consumption, also offer Yili the opportunity to move from the traditional wet bottle decon- tamination technology they were previously using to the Sidel asep- tic blow-fill-cap solution, equipped with dry preform and cap sterilisation technologies. For the top liquid dairy producer, this was another decisive factor in choosing Sidel. Traditional aseptic solutions use peracetic acid, which requires a rins- ing of the bottles with chemicals or hot water while the Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis sterilises the preform by injecting hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) vapour into the preform, right before the preform heating stage in the oven. This allows Yili to reduce waste and resources while benefitting from a competitive and cost-efficient solution. With no water and almost no use of chemicals for preform decontamina- tion, it also addresses one of the most difficult challenges manufacturers are facing today when it comes to an opti- mal environmental footprint. In addi- tion to greater production sustainabil- ity, it provides high levels of efficiency and bottles’ lightweighting potential, as these bottles do not have the ther- mal constraints associated with the traditional bottle-rinsing process. Designed to adapt produc- tion for future demands As Yili plans to diversify their port- folio with more value-added products to create and maintain a sustainable business, they required a versatile production line to vary the recipes of their products. This is why the Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis integrated as part of their complete lines are equipped with specific dosing valves with wider diameter and a low-high speed regulation to get prepared for the future market requirements. To match the increasing consumer demands, Yili recently invested in three new additional aseptic lines with the Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis to enlarge its production capacity. www.sidel.com l l l consumer bags textile packaging recycling r ECO