BOTTLING / FILLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 03/22 www.petpla.net 24 we sent raw milk to were able to meet our high production standards. After all, we wanted consumers to continue to have Imlek products in their usual top quality.” At the start of reconstruction a clear decision was made to make the new factory the most modern in the region – a complex task that was completed quickly and so successfully that the impact of the fire, in which luckily no-one was hurt, was soon forgotten. The new InnoPET BloFill ACF-L block system is largely instrumental in this, where a latest-generation KHS stretch blow moulder, an Inno-PET Blomax V, has been combined with a KHS aseptic filler, the Innofill PET ACF-L, for the first time ever. The block boasts a number of developments that make it more powerful than the previous filler and also more sustainable and economical – by saving up to 40% in energy, for example. A special transfer module has been designed to join both machines that feeds the continuous PET bottle flow from the rotary stretch blow moulder to batch processing on the linear filler. To this end, ten consecutive containers at a time are picked from the bottle flow, accelerated and separated from the following units as a group so that they can then be easily removed by grippers at their downstream stop position and placed in the filler’s carrier plates. Combining the stretch blow moulder and filler does away with the need for an air conveyor, resulting in a system that saves space, cuts energy consumption and eliminates a potential source of error. Despite the misfortune of losing their proven system and the considerable amount of extra organisation this subsequently incurred, Imlek can now enjoy a new machine that thanks to its numerous further developments is much more than simply a replacement investment. However, the Serbian dairy group does not need to risk any experiments here. “Our specifications were basically the same as when we commissioned the first machine,” Samardžija explains. “The main emphasis was to ensure product quality and production stability. And with our new acquisition we again attached great importance to a high degree of flexibility so that we can produce our various volume formats on the same machine.” The block setup means that a full format changeover can now be performed in the space of just ten minutes, taking up to 40% less time compared to single machines with an air conveyor. The filling volume accuracy has also been improved by around 30% over the old filler. Electromagnetic induction flow meters with new evaluation software and tried-and-tested algorithms are also used in the aseptic zone to achieve this. They ensure consistent head space volumes and thus identical fill levels in the bottles and minimise the risk of excessive foaming. Modular aseptics The modular design of the Innofill PET ACF-L aseptic filler is also new. It allows optional empty modules to be planned for on procurement. These leave space for filler retrofits, such as foil sealers or dosing units for fruit chunks, should these need to be later included in the portfolio. Finally, the KHS Innopack Kisters SP Basic from 2012, a shrink packer that can wrap up to 10,800 packs/hour in film, also forms part of the restored line at Imlek. The packaging unit is one of the few pieces of equipment in the machine park to have survived the fire unscathed. Following a general overhaul, it’s again now fully functional. In the near future Imlek wishes to further exploit the various new options already provided by its state-of-the-art technology and associated increase in flexibility. “We can imagine expanding the portfolio of our aseptic filler in the future to also include milk shakes and flavoured milk,” the dairy’s chief supply officer tells us. Product range The Serbs currently process around 200 products. The majority of its sales are generated with fermented milk products and fresh and ultra-heat-treated milk. Financially no less significant but much smaller in volume are product categories such as dairy spreads, butter and standard value-added products. The company is not just looking ahead when it comes to its production technology but also with respect to its portfolio: besides standard and organic milk products this includes lactose-free products and the probiotic Imlek Balans+ line for all those who pay particular attention to digestion and immunity. “This year we launched Imlek Protein to market, a protein-rich, lactose- and sugar-free milk beverage specially geared towards people who watch their diet and do sport,” states Samardžija. “Products like these have been a focus of the international milk industry for some time now.” The milk magnate’s modernity also encompasses a strategic commitment to more sustainability. “With a mind to our responsibility to the environment, we’re the first local milk producer to fill our Moja Kravica brand into packaging made of recyclable, bio-based plastic,” Samardžija tells us. “Even the caps are made of plastic that comes from plants, namely from sugar cane.” www.khs.com The roof of the block also serves as the filler’s service module with easy access to the maintenance area. Filled and capped PET bottles leaving the stretch blow moulder/filler block on their way to the sleever.
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