No.6 2022 www.petpla.net D 51178; ISSN: 1438-9452 27 . 06 . 22 PETplanet is read in more than 140 countries MAGAZ I NE FOR BOT T L E R S AND BOT T L E - MAK E R S IN THE AMER ICAS, AS IA, EUROPE AND AL L AROUND THE PLANET MARKETsurvey Suppliers of 2-stage SBM machinery Page 27 Page 18 MOULD MAKING Page 10 Page 35
ClipAside, drink, love! Tethered ClipAside closure wins high acceptance Contact us and arrange your line trials now! www.bericap.com PET 38 PET 29/25 PCO 1881 PET 33 PET 26 PET 26 GME 30.40 A recent consumer real-life “diary study” conducted in France found a high level of acceptance among consumers for the innovative new closure. After just one or two experiences, even the youngest and oldest users could handle the smart closure without difficulty – often with one hand. What’s more, many praised the eco-friendly nature of the cap, which remains on the bottle neck and avoids creating additional plastic waste. Best of all for you, this premium product can be integrated into most lines and any popular bottle neck format without major modification of your production equipment.
No.6 2022 www.petpla.net D 51178; ISSN: 1438-9452 27 . 06 . 22 PETplanet is read in more than 140 countries MAGAZ I NE FOR BOT T L E R S AND BOT T L E - MAK E R S IN THE AMER ICAS, AS IA, EUROPE AND AL L AROUND THE PLANET MARKETsurvey Suppliers of 2-stage SBM machinery Page 27 Page 18 MOULD MAKING Page 10 Page 35
www.corvaglia.com We think about your caps, so you can think of everything else. Visit us at the Trade Fair Munich, Germany September 12-16, 2022 Hall C5/Booth 275
imprint EDITORIAL PUBLISHER Alexander Büchler, Managing Director HEAD OFFICE heidelberg business media GmbH Hubweg 15 74939 Zuzenhausen, Germany phone: +49 6221-65108-0 fax: +49 6221-65108-28 info@petpla.net EDITORIAL Kay Barton Heike Fischer Gabriele Kosmehl Michael Maruschke Ruari McCallion Anthony Withers WikiPETia. info petplanet@petpla.net MEDIA CONSULTANTS Martina Hirschmann hirschmann@petpla.net Johann Lange-Brock lange-brock@petpla.net phone: +49 6221-65108-0 fax: +49 6221-65108-28 LAYOUT AND PREPRESS EXPRIM Werbeagentur | exprim.de Matthias Gaumann READER SERVICES Till Kretner reader@petpla.net PRINT Chroma Druck Eine Unternehmung der Limberg-Druck GmbH Danziger Platz 6 67059 Ludwigshafen, Germany WWW www.hbmedia.net | www.petpla.net PETplanet Insider ISSN 1438-9459 is published 10 times a year. This publication is sent to qualified subscribers (1-year subscription 149 EUR, 2-year subscription 289 EUR, Young professionals’ subscription 99 EUR. Magazines will be dispatched to you by airmail). Not to be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher. Note: The fact that product names may not be identified as trademarks is not an indication that such names are not registered trademarks. 3 PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net Dear readers, In my last Editorial I waxed lyrical about a peaceful BBQ evening. This time I’m introducing you to a much edgier topic – the machinations of some colourful family clans here in Germany. It might appear slightly off-topic at first but bear with me, I promise it will all make sense in the end. This anecdote, a scarcely edifying story, involves two main characters, the first being the controversial German rapper Bushido, real name Anis Ferchichi. Bushido has enriched the musical landscape with several studio albums. One, entitled ‘Public Enemy No. 1’ took a pop at various federal institutions. The second character in the story, Arafat Abou-Chaker is allegedly a member of the notorious Abou-Chaker Palestinian crime family. In the late 2000s, the above-mentioned duo entered into a financially fruitful collaboration. Unfortunately, this was not a friendship destined to endure. At the end of 2017, Bushido wished to end any business relations with Mr. Abou-Chaker. In an attempt to finally resolve the matter, the parties met in their shared office in January 2018. Soon thereafter, the self-proclaimed public enemy No. 1 decided to cooperate with the prosecution and requested police protection. What could have left such a lasting impression on Bushido that he finally turned to the federal authorities? According to Bushido himself, Mr. Abou-Chaker and three of his brothers had thrown insults and made death threats against him. But it was a very different incident, allegedly at this very same meeting, which seemed to have inflamed German media. And now here is the punchline: It was reported that Mr. Abou-Chaker had attacked Bushido and struck him in the face with a half-filled PET water bottle. Media reaction was enormous but ambivalent. Some commentators were enraged by the violence that apparently is used in such circles. Others expressed amusement that Bushido had specified that the attack was carried out with an otherwise harmless PET-bottle. Am I taken by surprise that a dispute about money and power between two men, allegedly attributed to organised crime, eventually revolves around a PETbottle? Certainly not! I have never questioned the social value of PETbottles. Nevertheless, I confess my disappointment that nobody has asked the vital question: was the PET bottle reusable or single use? Wouldn’t this key detail help to determine the gravity of the alleged offence? Perhaps such technical details are irrelevant. What is important is that this PET bottle has made a significant contribution, at least in the media, to the history of rap in Germany. Yours sincerely, Alexander Büchler
PETcontents 4 PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net 06/2022 Page 35 MOULD MAKING 10 “The opportunities are huge” - Jorge Pucci, Moldintec, on trends and developments in the moulding sector 14 Metal 3D printing technology - Additive manufacturing on food and beverage moulds EDITOUR 18 Beverage trends in Europe - Functional beverages: A growing category with further potential 20 Surfing the pandemic wave 23 A family business, fit for the 21st century MARKET SURVEY 27 Suppliers of 2-stage SBM machinery BOTTLE MAKING 31 Setting the foundations - Interview with Olivier Serre, Managing Director at Competek PREFORM PRODUCTION 34 Same conditions, same result? - In-depth characterisation of the blowing behaviour of preform materials TRADE SHOW PREVIEW 35 Drinktec part 1 36 PET highlights at Drinktec EVENT REVIEW 42 Record sales and growth in Austria BUYER’S GUIDE 48 Get listed! INSIDE TRACK 3 Editorial 4 Contents 6 News 44 On site 45 PET bottles for beverage + liquid food 46 PET bottles for home + personal care 47 Patents 54 Outer Planet Page 23 Page 10 MOULD MAKING
yellow.agency OUR INJEC T ION MOULDS FOR PE T AND PAC FEATURE KEEN, SOL ID SWISS CRAF TSMANSHIP. OT TO-HOFSTE T TER . SWISS A FAMILY OWNED SWISS COMPANY. T OTA LLY SW I S S.
PETnews 6 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net Netstal establishes subsidiary in Italy and appoints Alberto Rossi as Managing Director Alberto Rossi has taken over the position of Managing Director at the recently re-established subsidiary Netstal Italia S.r.l. Alberto Rossi thus indirectly succeeds Andrea Bottelli, who had successfully built up the former Netstal Italia S.r.l. since 1995 and then further developed the Italian market for both brands as Managing Director of KraussMaffei Italia from 2013 to 2020. From the new location in Gerenzano (VA), Alberto Rossi and his team will provide support to customers throughout Italy. The new building serves as sales and service hub and offers sufficient space for offices and a spacious spare parts warehouse. Netstal Italia currently employs eight people in sales, service and administration. Alberto Rossi has more than 30 years of experience in various roles with several market players in the plastics industry. His career began with a leading international manufacturer of plastic packaging, where he first encountered Netstal injection moulding machines to produce PET preforms and closures as a production engineer. From 1999 to 2008, he served as a sales and service engineer at Netstal Italia. After a stopover as Production Manager at a Netstal customer, he returned to KraussMaffei Italia in 2016 and acted in the same function for both the KraussMaffei brand and Netstal. Renzo Davatz, CEO of Netstal and member of the Executive Committee of the KraussMaffei Group, states: “Building a subsidiary is one thing. Handing over a healthy foundation with a stable customer base to the next generation is another thing. And that is exactly what Andrea Bottelli has done successfully. I am very pleased that Alberto Rossi is now taking over Andrea’s legacy and will further develop the company together. Alberto and his experienced team will continue to support all our customers in Italy with the same spirit that Andrea has given them over many years. We are delighted that the successful history of Netstal Italia is now writing a new chapter.” www.netstal.com United Caps appoints Vincent Chauvier to newly created CFO role United Caps, an international manufacturer of caps and closures, announced the appointment of Vincent Chauvier as Chief Financial Officer, a promotion from his previous role as Finance Director. Chauvier has an extensive track record in the financial field across a variety of companies and industries. He started his career with accounting firm KPMG working his way up to Audit Engagement Manager. Subsequently, Chauvier had financial management roles with a variety of companies, including his most recent role as Vice President of Finance & Administration for Ion Beam Applications S.A. where he was the Regional CFO and also oversaw legal, sales and marketing operations. He joined United Caps in November 2020 as Finance Director. In his new role, Chauvier will sit on the Executive Committee as a permanent member and report to CEO Benoit Henckes. Henckes said that the CFO role is also necessary since United Caps is now a bigger company than ever with capacity to grow even further, fuelled by customer demand thanks to investment in R&D capability and production capacity. www.unitedcaps.com Alpek concludes acquisition of Octal Alpek, S.A.B. de C.V. announced that it has received all necessary approvals from the regulatory authorities and has finalised its acquisition of Octal Holding SAOC. Pursuant to the purchase agreement, Alpek acquired 100% of the shares of Octal for U.S. $620 million on a debt-free basis. Financing was secured through a mix of free cash flow generated from existing businesses and dedicated bank loans. Alpek will assume control of Octal’s operations starting on June 1, 2022. The company expects an accretive EBITDA effect of approximately U.S. $120 million from these assets throughout the remainder of 2022, largely based on the better-than-expected polyester market conditions prevalent in recent months. This would increase the company’s comparable EBITDA Guidance to U.S. $1,370 million and Reported EBITDA Guidance to U.S. $1,485 million. “We are pleased to have concluded this acquisition ahead of the expected timeline,” stated José de Jesús Valdez, Alpek’s CEO. “We are excited to welcome Octal’s management team and employees into our family, leveraging their long-standing relationships with customers, their diverse backgrounds, and technical proficiency to drive the company’s long-term growth.” www.alpek.com
7 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net Coca-Cola Beverages Africa inaugurates US $100m factory in Ethiopia A new US$100 million Coca-Cola bottling plant at Sebeta in Ethiopia is set to unlock export opportunities, increase local production and ease foreign exchange constraints as it adds 500 employees to the workforce of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) in the country. The inauguration of the Sebeta Dima Coca-Cola factory was attended by government representatives, accompanied by CCBAEthiopia Managing Director Daryl Wilson, CCBA CEO Jacques Vermeulen and Africa President for The Coca-Cola Company Bruno Pietracci. Completion of the bottling plant brings CCBA’s production capacity in Ethiopia to more than 100 million cases a year and will enable the company to integrate the production of inputs such as preforms, closures and other materials, as well as the local production of new products such as Minute Maid Juice, reducing imports and adding to national GDP. The production of these input materials, besides meeting CCBA’s own demand, is planned for the export market to generate foreign exchange and supply the local market to help resolve shortages in the sector. Wilson said the opening of the new plant in Sebeta was another proud milestone in CCBA’s growth in the country and the investment demonstrates confidence in the Ethiopian economy: “The first Coca-Cola bottle was manufactured in 1959 in Addis Ababa in the Abinet Area. Since then, Coca-Cola has built a very strong local business in Ethiopia over more than six-decades of investment, creating shared opportunity for communities and employees as it continues to grow.“We are proud to work with thousands of small businesses throughout the country to serve the millions of Ethiopians who choose to enjoy our products each day. We hire locally, produce and distribute our products locally and are increasingly sourcing locally through local farmers, suppliers and retailers.” Construction of the Sebeta plant began in 2019, following the announcement of a $300 million investment over five years to expand CCBA’s operations in Ethiopia. A sixth plant is planned at Hawassa. PET collection centres CCBA has also set up 17 PET collection centres and trained and empowered more than 14,000 women PET collectors in the country, as well as launching a 20 million-birr women and youth economic inclusion project in partnership with the Job Creation Commission of Ethiopia. Pietracci said: “The Coca-Cola Company believes in Africa’s strong potential as the next growth engine of the global economy: Africa has a growing and rapidly urbanising population which is brand conscious, economically active, highly connected and innovative and will drive the continent’s dynamic growth. Over the past 90 years in Africa, we have built a pervasive and very strong local business, creating shared opportunity in every country on the continent. This has been one of our greatest strengths and we will continue playing a significant role in Africa.” www.ccbagroup.com Husky develops HyPET HPP5e Recycled Melt to Preform (RMTP) system Husky Technologies announced the introduction of its HyPET HPP5e Recycled Melt to Preform (RMTP) system. With one system already running in the field and the second soon to be delivered, this development marks the integration of a preform injection moulding system with melt decontamination unit – enabling the direct conversion of washed flake to preform. “With today’s circular economy driving new package design and more efficient production, we are dedicated to working closely with our customers to ensure their products meet specific regional requirements, particularly around recycling and enabling recycled content in packaging,” said Robert Domodossola, Husky’s President of Rigid Packaging. Next step in sustainable, closed-loop packaging Husky’s RMTP technology is offered as a module of the company’s proven HyPET HPP5e high performance system designed to support the closed-loop conversion of washed flake to preform by accepting food approved grade melt from an upstream provider. By eliminating the drying and melting steps associated with traditional rPET preform manufacturing, this solution facilitates the production of packaging made from 100 per cent rPET material, further supporting the circularity of PET. By streamlining the process to bypass inhouse rPET pellet production and go directly from washed flake to preform, the system is claimed to enable producers to achieve 30 per cent energy savings, helping to further lower production costs. In addition, the system is equipped with Husky’s Advantage+Elite real-time proactive, predictive, transparent monitoring solution as a standard feature. Using the industry’s best processing analytics and service expertise, Advantage+Elite connectivity reduces the variability risk associated with running higher levels of post-consumer-resin (PCR), thereby accelerating the shift to manufacture more circular, sustainable packaging with greater stability and assurance, says Husky. www.husky.co
8 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net New US PET Recycling Coalition The Recycling Partnership, a US force for improving recycling, announced the launch of its PET Recycling Coalition, an initiative informed by industry knowledge and expertise to improve PET circularity. Its work will focus on addressing key opportunities to increase PET recycling: Increasing the capture of PET bottles Broadening the acceptance of PET trays, cups, and clamshells in community recycling collection programs Unlocking new supplies of rPET for packaging manufacturers Strengthening recycling systems for pigmented and opaque PET While eliminating unnecessary usage is an important component of circularity, increased PET recycling is another critical step in advancing circularity, states the Coalition. This along with company commitments and recycled content mandates in proposed U.S. legislation is leading to skyrocketing demand for rPET but supply is currently limited. Most Americans with recycling access are able to recycle PET bottles; however, just 54% can recycle other types of PET packaging like plastic egg cartons and fruit containers. Furthermore, the recycling rate for PET bottles was only 26.6% in 2021. While most PET never makes it into the recycling bin due to insufficient access and participation, as much as 17% of bottles that are recovered are lost at Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) due to sortation challenges. The PET Recycling Coalition will make grants to recycling facilities for sorting equipment and related capital needs. These upgrades are intended to improve PET bottle capture, deliver more rPET for use back into bottles and thermoforms, increase the acceptance of non-bottle rigid items in community recycling programs, and strengthen recycling opportunities for pigmented and opaque PET. Through grants, technical assistance, and knowledge sharing, the Coalition envisions a thriving PET recycling system that captures significantly more material, enabling more circular PET packaging with increased amounts of recycled content. The PET Recycling Coalition is part of The Recycling Partnership’s Pathway to Circularity Initiative and aims to advance the circularity of all packaging. The Coalition is supported by and open to members representing all segments of the material’s value chain, including founding steering committee members Eastman, Indorama Ventures, Procter & Gamble, and the Walmart Foundation. Additional founding members include The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation, and Niagara Bottling. The Coalition set an initial funding target of $25 million over five years and is seeking additional supporters. The PET Recycling Coalition is aided by an advisory committee of industry leaders, including the American Beverage Association, Association of Plastic Recyclers, Closed Loop Partners, Foodservice Packaging Institute, National Association for PET Container Resources, and RRS. www.recyclingpartnership.org New French recycling technology to recycle 50 million PET food trays per year Thai-based Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) with its facility Wellman France Recycling in Verdun, has been working on the PET trays recycling for six years and through an ongoing project with Valorplast and supported by Citeo. The project has the objective to develop and validate recycling for monolayer and multilayer PET trays. Valorplast has collected significant quantities of post-consumer PET trays and several industrial runs have been conducted by Wellman. The produced flakes are being tested by several actors to develop high quality applications. Those tests have led by IVL to develop a commercially feasible recycling solution for monolayer PET trays with the collaboration of Klöckner Pentaplast. The new technology is processing monolayer PET trays used for food packaging (meat, produce and cheese) into a high-quality product, suitable for new tray production. This new recycling innovation will see over 50 million post-consumer PET trays diverted away from landfill or incineration. “PET trays are essential to combat food waste. Their high barrier properties protect food for longer meaning fresh and safe food for all of us.” François Lagrue, Head of Operations – Europe, Indorama Ventures Recycling Group said. “This new technology will mean that for the first time we have a circular recycling solution for PET tray packaging. This will lend significant support in achieving the EU’s plastic collection and recycling targets. This is a true value circle effort. Tests were performed at all levels, including sorting, recycling and conversion. Ensuring the input met the right quality and purity levels is our top priority. Development of tray recycling has been a goal for some time. We are proud that – together with our partners – we have been able to develop a commercially and technically feasible process, that allows us to produce a dedicated rPET flake product for the food packaging market.” Testing has now moved into commercial production. 500t of PET trays are now being processed monthly and transformed into a high-quality tray flake, which can be used to produce new trays. The purity of the flakes is comparable with high-quality bottle flake, claims the company. A further scale up is foreseen, and the company plans to process 10KT of tray flake in 2022. www.indoramaventures.com
9 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net ! "# $ #
MOULD MAKING PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net 10 Jorge Pucci, Moldintec, on trends and developments in the moulding sector “The opportunities are huge” by Gabriele Kosmehl Moldintec is a blow mould solution supplier from Argentina. From bottle design through mould manufacturing to blowing machine tooling, the company manufactures solutions for all brands of blow-moulding machines. Jorge Pucci, co-founder, Commercial Director and Head of I+R&D, explains the known and the new variables in bottle design and how to bring them together at the mould stage. PETplanet: Moldintec defines itself as a one-stop supplier from branding to production tooling. When a client approaches you with a request to produce a new bottle design, what are the questions you need to clarify before proceeding with a mould design? Pucci: The very first step is to establish a detailed marketing brief if they do not have a pre-established bottle design. The mould is an engineering solution to the challenges involved in bottle design. Moldintec’s vision as a “one-stop” supplier has changed our primary focus. The mould as a tool comes after the design stage that will lead to the success or failure of a product in a target market. Designing attractive bottles for consumers is our valueadded package to our clients. Industrial design takes precedence over engineering when a client needs to develop new packaging. From basic questions such as “is there an existing line tooling that can be used for the project?” or “Is there another format of the same capacity in the plant?” to a detailed questionnaire for the quotation of the moulds that we propose to our clients helps us define the scope of supply to deliver a complete solution. We use online forms to gather all the technical information needed for moulds and tooling quotations. The client gets in his email a summary that will allow him to request the same offer from other mould manufacturers. Nothing is better than being compared on a like-for-like basis. PETplanet: What current trends in bottle design are you noticing? Pucci: Sustainability is a nonnegotiable asset. Each design we approach focuses on its impact on the environment. With consumers strongly questioning single-use plastics, if a brand neglects that side of design and communication, it will be compromising its relationship with the customer in the future. In the process, variables known by the industry come into play, such as the low weight of the preform and new ones that are much less tangible but that impact how decisionmaking occurs. The creation of iconic assets has been a driver of change in how Moldintec interacts with its customers. Contributing to creating bottles that linger in the minds of consumers goes far beyond the simple, technically correct drawing. These new values became evident with the successes obtained by the NoLabel project. A trendsetter, without a doubt. PETplanet: The keyword sustainability leads us to the topic of energy savings which have become more relevant than ever. How can this be supported from the moulder’s side? Pucci: In 2008, when we lowered the blowing pressure for the first time from 38 bar to 28, we understood that working hard to improve the energy performance of the moulds was the path of our future. Today, our moulds are designed on an energy-saving strategy to consume less compressed air during blowing: our BaseMax bases for Ultra-Low Blowing Pressure MOULD MAKING Jorge Pucci, co-founder, Commercial Director and Head of I+R&D at Moldintec
MOULD MAKING PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net 11 are helping customers to reduce air consumption to as low as 16-20 bar. There are many mould makers worldwide, but few can propose a blowing operation solution that uses compressed air efficiently. The energy consumption of high-pressure compression rooms is undoubtedly one of the highest in any beverage production plant. The technique applied in our BaseMax moulds improves the energy efficiency of the blowing system. A BaseMax mould versus a conventional mould from any manufacturer is like comparing an LED light bulb to an old-fashioned incandescent bulb. There is a tendency to think that reducing the blowing pressure to be more efficient in energy terms also implies significant changes in the generation of high-pressure air. In the case of a pressure reduction project, it will be necessary to make changes to the compression equipment, but the first step is optimising demand to change that old incandescent bulb for a LED before rearranging the generation matrix. We use this simple example when a client wants to know about our technology in the first meeting. Ultra low-pressure blow moulds allow us to take that first fundamental step to reduce massic air consumption. Only after reducing the blowing pressure to target values and stabilising a new process standard can you move forward to change the piping network or the compressors themselves. Without improving demand, the question of generation cannot be addressed. Even when you keep the compressors at high pressure for an HR PET line, you will be able to save air on your NR PET lines with BaseMax moulds. Some compressors will stop entirely due to the less massic consumption of those NR moulds. The savings can be captured immediately and are cumulative as the existing compressors will continue to deliver the massicflow they were designed for. The blowers will require fewer kilograms of air to blow the same quantity of bottles per hour. Each new or converted set, because BaseMax could be a retrofit of existing moulds even from other manufacturers, and will use less air. The excedent in the ring-type installation will be used in the next blower, thus leading the compressor to change state sooner. PETplanet: For what formats do you recommend optimisation most urgently? Pucci: Moldintec offers its customers a calculator to fill in with data on their compressors, bottles, blowing speed, and current-target pressure to obtain financial information for decision making. Not all formats need to be optimised, or, at least, not in the project’s first phase. It is common to think that the first bottle to optimise is the bigger one. But it is also essential to consider the blowing speed, and the number of bottles produced per month or year. Optimising a mould that works a few days per month does not make sense. The technology involved in the process of blowing a PET preform is exciting. The balance of thermal and mechanical energies combined with a high-performance mould makes a huge difference. We still see plants, even in Europe, blowing at 32 bar. The opportunities to save money, but above all, to reduce the carbon footprint are still huge. PETplanet: What ‘design for recycling’ aspects currently influence the design of stretch blow-moulds? Pucci: From a packaging design point of view, less is more. The technology that we developed for NoLabel, without a doubt, proposes a complete prepared packaging for recycling. Also, fewer grams of PET will have a positive impact on the environment. During 2020, we spent the isolation time completely redesigning our core engineering platform. As a result, we achieved a 20% reduction in the use of raw materials and much lighter moulds for the new high-speed blowers. Again, less is more, fewer materials to recycle at the end of the mould life cycle. The concept “made for recycling” is multidimensional for us. We think laterally and challenge our clients to give a second life to their assets in disuse due to obsolescence of the product before sending it to the recycling bin. Our ReShape program proposes re-machining the moulds to give them a new life on a new product. It also reduces the time to market to just one week, with minimal investment because if the mould was in operation before, it also means that all the bespoke tooling is available. PETplanet: For the label-free bottle that you made with Danone and Val Group you have already won several prizes, including the World Packaging Award. There must have been quite some challenges to overcome before it was ready? Pucci: That project was highly challenging and fulfilling for our team. There were many development loops to optimise the design of the bottle and the readability of the customer information. The creation of the iconic assets proposed by Danone required profound technical changes in engineering as Moldintec applied the laser machining techniques in the moulds. Today, that experience has resulted in technical changes in the mould venting systems created by the laser when we emboss or deboss the characters. We’ve also reached high readability for customer information on the CSD bottles. A fully readable nutrition facts table under the high internal pressure is now possible, even with a non-crystalline liquid. PETplanet: So all the consumer information that is normally printed on the label can all be found engraved in the bottle now? Pucci: The answer is constantly changing. Since 2017, when we showed the first bottle with the product brand engraved on the PET skin, the SRA teams have now developed ways of conveying legal requirements with the same level of innovation as the NoLabel project itself. But first, we always look for them to be on the surface of the same bottle and for it to be legible.
MOULD MAKING PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net 12 Then other very creative solutions arise depending on the target sales channel. As a result, the minimum legal information that must be included on the bottle changes and allows us to go a little further in terms of design. As an example, for a container intended for the supermarket in a multipack, we keep the brand, the logo, the product statement, and content on the bottle surface. All other information related to the composition, the barcode, etc., is then moved to the outer packaging. What is the point of hiding 24 water labels behind a printed heat shrink? Labels that the consumer does not even see when making a purchase decision... PETplanet: As a mould maker, how can you meet the increasing bottlers’ demand for flexibility? Pucci: Moldintec as an independent manufacturer, has worked on this flexibility approach since its inception. Hybrid concept mould engineering, in which the primary development platform is intended for quick conversions between different blow moulding machines, has always been a strength valued by our customers. It is common to see bottling plant machines from different brands so diverse that, in principle, they block the possibility of operating a mould from one to another. Moulds with quickly interchangeable inserts have also been a solution that we use to reduce investments and increase flexibility, especially for the marketing teams that enjoy the advantages of our FlexMoulds for promotional use. It’s quite easy to provide them with dedicated inserts for Xmas, sports events, and many others. Advances in manufacturing techniques and a more rational design of moulds today lead us to propose base and shell combinations that are so flexible that they allow our customers to change the bottle capacity to make dynamic price adjustments in the final product as fast as the market changes. PETplanet: Let’s talk about the moulds as such. What is your material of choice, aluminium or stainless steel? Pucci: We offer both solutions depending on how and where the mould is to be used and the diameter of the bottle. We also offer aluminiumstainless steel hybrid use options where we take advantage of the mechanical resistance of stainless steel and the high thermal conductivity of aluminium. Therefore, with this unique combination, we achieve durability and high performance that is paramount, especially in large BaseMax petaloids that will operate at ultra-low blowing pressure. Aluminium has come a long way and allows us to supply cavities with thin walls that adequately support the production process. In addition, the reduction in blowing pressure thanks to our high-efficiency BaseMax petaloid results in lower mechanical stresses that the mould has to withstand. PETplanet: What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Pucci: If we talk about beverage producers requiring more flexible solutions, we are talking about even shorter product life cycles. There is no doubt that the aluminium mould has an advantage under these conditions due to the cost and life cycle equation for final recycling. Technically, each material offers intrinsic characteristics that respond to different needs. For example, aluminium is an excellent ally in improving the physical performance of containers, thanks to its thermal conductivity. Innovative use of aluminium substantially improves the mould’s ability to cool the preform as blowing cycles get shorter and shorter. The mechanical properties of the aluminium alloys we use meet the mechanical requirements while allowing us to design low-weight tools favourable to the kinematics of blowing machines. And on the other side of the equation of the material selection process, stainless steel offers higher mechanical and corrosion resistance, but it’s heavy and costly in manufacturing. Many of our clients have an oldfashioned view of the durability of blow moulds, losing sight of the average life cycles of the bottles getting shorter and shorter. It is enough to see plastic materials and aluminium evolution in the automotive industry. More profitable and recyclable materials have arrived and will continue to do so. It is indisputable that aluminium is in itself the recyclable material par excellence. The selection of one material or another, or a combination of both defines the engineering quality of the tool. To say that it is an aluminium mould is not enough. The alloy, the temper, and even the production plant of the material determine the quality of the tool. At Moldintec, we work closely with our Swiss aluminium supplier to be at the forefront of material evolution. PETplanet: Do you use coatings? Pucci: Coatings are resources that we apply according to the project and the needs of each client. Our sales approach is based on consultations with our clients. We know our clients in-depth and understand the bottle they intend to produce, the process they will use to blow it, and their operating characteristics. For example, if we know that the customer has a cooling water quality problem, we will protect certain mould parts by anodising them at a specific thickness. For years we have promoted the idea of eliminating the exterior anodising of the aluminium shells. It is undeniable that the anodic coating improves the surface resistance and protects it from scratches. We are aware of those advantages, and we take advantage of them only when we deem them necessary because anodising is an electrochemical process that consumes high amounts of energy and is potentially dangerous for the environment when not managed responsibly, so again, less is more for our team of engineering. If it is not absolutely necessary, we tell our clients so before proceeding. www.moldintec.com
An endless range of production possibilities with single-stage SIPA S.p.A. - Via Caduti del Lavoro, 3 - 31029 Vittorio Veneto (TV) - Italy - Tel. +39 0438 911511 - sipa@zoppas.com - www.sipa.it ECS SP models stand for a guarantee of quality based on 35 years of experience in Injection Stretch-Blow Molding technologies (ISBM) technology. Their robust system, produced in Italy, allows for the production of high quality containers in a wide variety of different sizes, threads and shapes. Tooling investment can often be optimized by using one single (i.e. shared) hot runner withmultiple cold halves. ECS SPmachines have features that enable quick change-overs, accept legacy molds and are also characterized by their compact layouts and high HQHUJ\ HIĆFLHQF\. Injection Stretch BlowMolding System
MOULD MAKING PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net 14 Additive manufacturing on food and beverage moulds Metal 3D printing technology The characteristics of beverage mould parts and the shortcomings of conventional water channels manufacturing technology led GDXL to adopt metal 3D printing technology to several mould development projects since 2020. All of which have demonstrated good operational results. Challenges and solutions Shrinkage, flow lines, ovality, slow cycle time and other quality problems led GDXL to investigate metal additive manufacturing for the manufacture of mould parts and, since 2020, to use the process for commercial scale production. When conventional machining is used to manufacture mould parts, water channels are, generally, made up of lines connected horizontally and vertically. Many areas on the parts cannot be processed with water channels because of technology limitations. This particularly affects movable mould parts that are susceptible to operational failure and, consequently, leads to problems such as uneven cooling, large flow pressure loss and cooling blind spots. This results in unsatisfactory moulding efficiency and quality problems. Beverage mould parts are generally small, which makes water channels difficult to process. Accuracy requirements are relatively high, especially for moving sliders, inclined roofs and other structures. 3D printing technology – additive manufacturing – is an ideal solution to resolve the problem of poor cooling critical parts and has a relatively good cost/benefit ratio. At present, steel alloy powder materials most frequently used for 3D printing mould parts include stainless steel, high-strength steel and tool steel types. GDXL uses steel alloy powder materials with hardness reaching HRC48-52 after heat treatment, with tensile strength above 1,700MPa and good rust resistance properties. Selective Laser Melting (SLM) powder bed fusion technology is one of the most widely used technologies for the production of industrial parts. It offers high printing density, no void bubbles or similar internal defects, and less shrinkage. GDXL uses leading SLM equipment to manufacture critical mould parts and integrates the process with vacuum heat treatment, fine machining and cutting. Application on preform mould: In the middle of 2020, a customer reported that their preform mould for making hot fill 38mm preform neck finish had an ovality issue: the key dimension was out of tolerance. Preliminary analysis found that the wall of the bottle neck was relatively thick; the poor cooling of the conventional machined water channel caused it to shrink and deform in an oval shape. The size was also out of tolerance. In order to solve the problem, GDXL suggested using 3D printing technology to process mould parts with conformal water channels. According to the theory of heat transfer, increasing the heat exchange area between the solid and the liquid zones can increase the heat transfer efficiency. The application of 3D printing, when compared with the conventional machined water channel, not only significantly increased the heat transfer area but also maintained a uniform distance from the moulding surface, and had no flow dead angle. Therefore, cooling rate and cooling uniformity could theoretically be improved. GDXL designed a neck ring part with a conformal water channel and used simulation analysis software to compare and verify the cooling effect of the neck ring part with the original design. It was found that the cooling rate and cooling uniformity were better. Four new neck rings with conformal water channel were made for trial at customer’s facility. After the trial, the customer reported that the ovality issue was reduced by about 45%, which met the quality requirements, and demoulding temperature had also been reduced, to a certain extent. Schematic diagram of the structure of conventionally machined neck ring parts Schematic diagram of neck ring parts with 3D printing conformal water channels Schematic diagram of surface temperature distribution of conventionally machined neck ring parts Schematic diagram of surface temperature distribution of neck ring parts with 3D printing conformal water channels MOULD MAKING
MOULD MAKING PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net 15
MOULD MAKING PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net 16 Schematic diagram of preform neck finish temperature for conventionally machined neck ring parts Application on beverage closure mould: At the beginning of 2021, a GDXL customer reported that a set of their existing injection moulds had some quality issues. It was being used for the production of wide-mouth bottle closures with an outer diameter of 116mm and a handle. The closures had ovality out of specification and were thus unable to tightly seal with the bottle finish. GDXL’s analysis found that the issue was due to a small, movable, inclined top part in the mould. Its cavity parts could be machined on the outer side of the cylindrical area with only one ring of annular water grooves by conventional means. There was no cooling water channel in the large metal area in the centre, which led to insufficient cooling of the closure. This resulted in large shrinkage and deformation of the closure after demoulding, which eventually caused ovalisation and poor sealing. GDXL proposed 3D printing to process two mould cavity parts with conformal water channels, for trial. The mould cavity parts with conformal water channel were found to be able to reduce demoulding temperature by about 10 °C; ovality was reduced by more than 50%, making it able to properly seal the bottle. GDXL will continue to develop different applications of 3D printing technology in beverage mould manufacturing and will continue to establish the relevant intellectual property registrations. The company hopes that, through the above sharing, it will inspire additional new and valuable applications of additive manufacturing technology and promote a deeper integration of it in mould manufacturing. GDXL Precise Machinery Co., Ltd. (GDXL), which was founded in 1993, has been focused on the food and beverage packaging industry for nearly 30 years. The company has experience in design, application, engineering and manufacturing technology of moulds for preforms, bottle blowing and bottle closures. GDXL provides food and beverage mould products and related engineering services. www.gdxl.com Schematic diagram of preform neck finish temperature with 3D printing conformal water channel Application on bottle blow mould: Carbonated beverage (CSD) bottles need to withstand high internal CO2 pressure and the base needs to resist stress cracking and base-roll-out. Improving the cooling rate and cooling uniformity during the blowing process can improve stress distribution, thereby enhancing the ability of the base to resist stress cracking and base-rollout. A faster cooling speed also helps to shorten the blowing cycle and thus improve production efficiency. GDXL applied 3D printing to process the base mould of carbonated bottles with conformal cooling channels. The new base mould was then replaced on the bottle mould for blowing and filling testing. Results indicated that the blown carbonated bottle had improved resistance to stress cracking and base-roll-out. Schematic diagram of the structure of the carbonated bottle base mould with 3D printing conformal water channel Cavity design for conventional machining (the water channel is a ring of water grooves on the outer cylindrical area) Cavity design for 3D printing integral machining
MOULD MAKING PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net 17 The all-new PET-LINE comes with a variety of advantages to maximize output and minimize costs: • Maximum compatibility with legacy molds and PMC • Shortest cycle times for increased output • Lowest level of energy consumption to minimize the ecological footprint • Improved 100 % rPET processing to enable the circular economy • New control unit including Smart Operation to ensure easy, fast and safe start-up and production • Now available with 3000 and 4000 kN clamping force More details on www.netstal.com FLIPPING THE WORLD OF PET UPSIDE DOWN AND EVEN SIDEWAYS THE ALLNEW PETLINE WITH SIDE ENTRY. drinktec 2022 I 12-16 September I C5.363
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net 18 Functional beverages: A growing category with further potential Beverage trends in Europe Döhler is a global supplier of technology-driven natural ingredients and integrated solutions for the food and beverage industry. As part of our European Road Show, the company has summarised trends in the European beverage market for PETplanet: Being fit and healthy is among the most important lifestyle and dietary trends today. Consumers are actively looking for products that both taste delicious and offer healthy nutritional value. This has driven demand for “Functional Beverages”, which are enriched with ingredients such as plant-based proteins, botanicals and amino acids. They taste good and have established themselves as top sellers in recent years, in line with the trend towards a health-conscious, natural and plant-based diet. These solutions offer to combat tiredness, improve digestion, support the immune system and help in recovering from stressful days, among other benefits. Natural ingredients and product positioning Functionality in food & beverage is often achieved through the addition of artificial ingredients. However, consumers increasingly and explicitly want to avoid artificial additives and so brands are seeking functional solutions that also qualify as ‘natural’ and deliver a solution that balances taste, functionality and outstanding product stability, to meet consumer demand. Brands often search for ingredients that evoke positive emotions for consumers and thus add an emotional benefit to products. However, consumer perceptions of benefits differ by region, as do the regulations around positioning and claims. Doehler’s global network of experts understands the intricacies of these positionings, whether functionality is offered with a ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ claim. Doehler’s application teams create products with emotional added value by using botanical extracts, juices & purees, as well as teas & botanical infusions that also deliver unique taste sensations and offer positive benefits to consumers. Immune-boosting ingredients, such as vitamins and minerals, can allow claims with scientifically backed effects. Sustainability as a key driver Consumers are, increasingly, demanding responsibly crafted products and supporting those that contribute to environmental protection and fair trade, with transparent origins and production conditions. This means that successful offers should focus not only on naturalness of ingredients and added value, but also on factors such as eco-friendliness and sustainability. Whether for ethical or health reasons, plant-based nutrition is seeing continued growth, with more and more consumers deciding to reduce or eliminate animal products from their diet. Plant-based proteins, fruits and vegetables and dairy-free ingredients made from oats, almonds, rice or coconut can be used to create inspiring product concepts that meet the current lifestyle & spirit. Plant-based proteins are becoming increasingly important. Functional drinks that support physical performance as well as recovery of the body through high protein content derived from dairy or plants, as well as meal replacement drinks, are in demand. Tour Sponsors:
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net 19 Doehler offers a wide range of certified organic ingredients within its portfolio of high-quality natural ingredients. Its global sourcing network, including its own on-site fruit and vegetable processing in the growing region and agri-sustainability programmes around the globe, means that Doehler has a transparent supply chain and access to a broad range of responsibly grown raw materials. Naturally healthy Botanicals are rated highly as ingredients that are perceived to support overall wellbeing and are optimal for use in energy and sports drinks. Essential amino acids such as Branched-Chain Amino Acid (BCAA) and Essential Amino Acid (EAA) are ideal functional ingredients for beverages as they cannot be formed by the body itself and must be supplied through diet. Within the energy drink market, Doehler intends to provide unique multi-sensory experiences combined with functional added value. Doehler Natural SuperHeroes such as the ImmuneHero acerola, echinacea, turmeric and ginger as well as Doehler’s GutHealthHeroes baobab and topinambur, which is also known as sunchoke or Jerusalem artichoke, are good solutions for immunity and gut health trends. Botanicals and adaptogens such as ginseng, lavender, ashwagandha and passionflower from Doehler’s RelaxationHeroes range support good mood and relaxation. Lavender is known for its relaxing, calming and mood balancing effects, for example, and have long been used to alleviate feelings of anxiety and stress. Beautyfocused functional beverages can improve the appearance of the skin and can be enriched with botanicals such as aloe vera, hibiscus, rose and honeybush. Aloe vera, for example, enhances energy levels and has antioxidant (e.g. vitamin E, vitamin C), antimicrobial properties and extends into the emotional functional positioning of “immune boosting”. Doehler offers a wide variety of naturally and sustainably sourced ingredients that are tailor-made for innovative beverages with functional benefits, such as popular vitamin and mineral blends, trendy plant-based proteins and exotic botanical extracts. All of these ingredients provide improved nutritional values and a good taste profile. Its variety of product solutions and application expertise mean that the company’s products support brands in in creating applications for positionings as diverse as digestive health, bone and joint health, immune system, mental health and energy. The Döhler experts thus serve the trends among customers and consumers alike. www.doehler.com
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