BOTTLE MAKING 16 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 10/23 www.petpla.net Vilsa mineral water bottling applies Freshsafe PET Plasmax coating technology to non-refi llable bottles A longer sparkle To date, the KHS coating of wafer-thin, chemically pure glass on the inside wall of PET bottles was primarily applied to improve the quality and shelf life of sensitive soft drinks and juice. VilsaBrunnen Otto Rodekohr GmbH is now the first mineral water bottling plant to embrace Freshsafe PET Plasmax coating technology for its non-returnable containers. With this, the family business is investing in the long-lasting freshness protection of its premium beverages. The mineral water Vilsa extracts from deep underground in Bruchhausen-Vilsen in Germany is over a thousand years old and naturally pure. Thick layers of clay protect the deep spring water from environmental impact and pollution. Through sustainable water ‘harvesting’, the mineral water bottling plant ensures that this precious resource is used in moderation and with great care. For Henning Rodekohr, CEO of the Vilsa Group and a representative of the fourth generation of the family firm, the longterm protection of his spring is a fundamental concern. Besides premium mineral water containing various levels of carbon dioxide, the product portfolio also includes fruit spritzers, soda pop and near-water beverages. All varieties of Vilsa mineral water have been organically certified since 2021 and are thus subject to strict threshold values and high sustainability standards commonly applied on the German mineral water market. The bottler has also been provably climate-neutral since 2021. By actively promoting various sustainability measures in agriculture, in cooperation with local farmers Vilsa intends to help to maintain a high quality of the soil and groundwater in the vicinity of its spring. This striving to protect the local environment ultimately triggered the bottler’s decision to switch over to KHS Plasmax coating technology for all non-returnable containers used by the mineral water bottler. Product protection Back in 2019 the mineral water bottling plant switched the material of all of its non-returnable bottles over to rPET. Freshsafe PET is claimed to combine the low weight and robustness of the plastic container with the much better barrier properties of the glass bottle. The tried-andtested system are claimed to protect the bottle against oxygen pickup and carbon dioxide loss, which both extends the shelf life and increases flavour stability. KHS says that Freshsafe PET also provides a number of key positives when it comes to establishing closed recycling loops: Unlike PET bottles that contain additives to improve the barrier effect and shelf life, the Freshsafe equipment permits full bottle-to-bottle reuse as the interior coating is completely washed off during the recycling process. Both the EPBP (European PET Bottle Platform) and North America’s APR (Association of Plastic Recyclers) have confirmed that The designs of the 0.25-, 0.5-, 0.75 and 1-litre bottles were already suitable for coating; only the largest and thus most challenging container holding 1.5 litres had to undergo minor changes to ensure its vacuum stability during the process. This makes it the very first 1.5-litre Freshsafe PET bottle on the market.
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