No.11 2024 www.petpla.net D 51178; ISSN: 1438-9452 18 . 11 . 24 M A G A Z I N E F O R B O T T L E R S A N D B O T T L E - M A K E R S I N T H E A M E R I C A S , A S I A , E U R O P E A N D A L L A R O U N D T H E P L A N E T PETplanet is read in 159 countries Palletising and shrink film machinery Page 23 MARKETsurvey Page 26 EDITOURPage 12 BOTTLE MAKING Page 16
Page 12 AF COMPRESSORS EFFICIENCY IN SOBRIETY UNL IMI TED L I FE T IME ! MAINTENANCE COSTS REDUCED BY 50% ENERGY COSTS REDUCED BY 1 5% The world leader of PET oil free piston compressors WWW.AFCOMPRESSORS .COM SALES@AFCOMPRESSORS .COM AF COMPRESSORS ALSO PROVIDES SUSTAINABLE AND LONG LIFE 8 & 10 BAR OIL FREE AIR Brau Beviale 2024 November 26 — 28 Nuremberg Exhibition Centre Hall 7A Stand 423 Visit us
No.11 2024 www.petpla.net D 51178; ISSN: 1438-9452 18 . 11 . 24 M A G A Z I N E F O R B O T T L E R S A N D B O T T L E - M A K E R S I N T H E A M E R I C A S , A S I A , E U R O P E A N D A L L A R O U N D T H E P L A N E T PETplanet is read in 159 countries Palletising and shrink film machinery Page 23 MARKETsurvey Page 26 EDITOURPage 12 BOTTLE MAKING Page 16
We think about your caps, so you can think of everything else. www.corvaglia.com
imprint EDITORIAL PUBLISHER Alexander Büchler, Managing Director HEAD OFFICE heidelberg business media GmbH Hubweg 15 74939 Zuzenhausen, Germany phone: +49 6221-65108-0 info@petpla.net EDITORIAL Kay Barton Heike Fischer Gabriele Kosmehl Michael Maruschke Ruari McCallion Anthony Withers Editorial & WikiPETia. info petplanet@petpla.net MEDIA CONSULTANTS Martina Hirschmann hirschmann@petpla.net Johann Lange-Brock lange-brock@petpla.net phone: +49 6221-65108-0 LAYOUT AND PREPRESS EXPRIM Werbeagentur Matthias Gaumann www.exprim.de READER SERVICES 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. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net Sometimes lateral thinking is needed Weight reduction has been the topic in the PET industry for 25 years. Generally, it is not the multinational bottlers that are pushing ahead, but the regional independent companies. This time it’s not just a regional bottler, it’s a lateral thinker who has triggered the next push for reduction. We found our lateral thinker more by chance during our Middle East roadshow in the Sultanate of Oman. Three years ago, Fahad Mohammed Riaz was still in the timber trading business when he set up a bottling business from scratch. The starting point was just a plot of land with a spring. He now produces millions of bottles a day on Krones and Sipa lines. He has commissioned a new neck finish from Redupet for both companies. It was with some scepticism that the two plant manufacturers started their initial trials. And the new development with 6.85 g (8% lighter than before) of the 250ml bottle with 29/25 neck ran through the blowing and filling systems without any modifications despite the adapted geometry. He favours mass and class and a low consumer price. Two years ago, the 24-pack cost 1.60 euros in the shop, but now it’s 0.80 euros. In Oman, with a population of just under 5 million, this has naturally triggered an earthquake among the other bottlers, who already have a high level of overcapacity. There will certainly be significant shifts here in the near future. Read more details on page 12. Yours, Alexander Büchler Dear readers,
PETcontents 4 PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net 11/2024 EDITOUR 12 From 0 to 4 million bottles per day in 2 years - Visit to Sarooj Water in Oman 14 Once local, now global: PET production in Oman BOTTLE MAKING 16 Sleek bottle base for 100% rPET - StarLite-R Premium targets high-end products 18 Doğanay’s traditional flavours find a modern home - Sipa’s sustainable packaging solutions 19 Premium-look PET for mineral water 20 The essence of purity in every drop 21 Bottle Making Products MARKET SURVEY 23 Suppliers of palletising & shrink film machinery EVENT PREVIEW 26 Brau Beviale 2024 preview, part 2 28 Petcore annual conference 2025: Pro- moting innovation, circularity & growth across the PET value chain EVENT REVIEW 30 “We need more collection, education and fines” - PET Day 2024 32 Fakuma 2024 review OUTER PLANET 46 AI based sorting technology BUYER’S GUIDE 40 Get listed! INSIDE TRACK 3 Editorial 4 Contents 6 News 37 PET bottles for beverage + liquid food 38 PET bottles for home + personal care EDITOUR Page 30 Page 16 Page 14 BOTTLE MAKING
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PETnews 6 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net Alpla opens state-of-the-art recycling plant in South Africa – Production plant to supply up to 35,000 t/a of rPET material from 2025 Alpla is entering the South African PET recycling market. The international packaging and recycling specialist has just opened the state-of-the-art plant, which is located on a 90,000m2 site in the coastal town of Ballito, after a construction period of around 18 months. The company has invested 60 million euros in the new plant in the province of KwaZuluNatal and is setting the course for further growth in South Africa, providing an economic boost to the densely populated province of KwaZulu-Natal and the iLembe district. From 2025, the Alpla recycling division will produce up to 35,000 t of rPET flakes and food-safe rPET pellets annually in South Africa The high-quality material will then be processed into safe, affordable and sustainable plastic packaging at Alpla’s production plant in Lanseria. At the opening ceremony on October 31, Alpla Chairman Günther Lehner, together with Dietmar Marin, Managing Director of Alpla recycling, and Plant Manager Gerhard Meyringer, welcomed around 180 guests from the worlds of business and politics including representatives from the South African Ministries of Trade, Industry and Competition and Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, representatives from the province of KwaZulu-Natal, the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and the iLembe District Municipality, as well as Austria’s Ambassador Romana Königsbrun. “South Africa is a strategically important market for us and one in which we want to continue to grow. Together with our customers and partners, our aim is to provide safe, affordable and sustainable packaging solutions to our customers and to continue improving standards of living. With our investments in Ballito and before that in Lanseria, we have laid the foundation for a successful future,” says Alpla CEO Philipp Lehner. “Alpla’s involvement does not only accelerate the industrialisation of iLembe District Municipality, but ensures investing in projects that support UN Sustainable Development Goals, attracting other companies along the value chain and creating several thousand jobs in the collection infrastructure,” says Sihle Ngcamu, CEO of Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal. The Ballito recycling plant will have an initial output capacity of 35,000 t of rPET flakes, of which 16,000 t will be processed into rPET pellets. A state-of-the-art extrusion line has been installed for this purpose. Once all processes have been qualified and the flakes and pellets have been approved by the customer, Alpla will start production in early 2025. www.alpla.com Avantium celebrates the official opening of its FDCA flagship plant Avantium N.V., a well-known company in renewable and circular polymers, celebrated the official opening ceremony of its FDCA Flagship Plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands. The plant opening was officiated by Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, in the presence of international and local dignitaries, partners and Avantium employees. In the world’s first commercial plant, Avantium will produce 5 kt of FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid), the essential building block for 100% plant-based and circular plastic PEF (polyethylene furanoate), known under the brand name Releaf. Avantium’s Releaf is a new material set to transform the plastics industry, with versatile applications including bottles, packaging, films, and textiles. Avantium and SCGC to accelerate the market adoption for FDCA and PEF in Asia Avantium and SCGC, through SENFI Ventures, is a cornerstone investor in Avantium and furthermore collaborates with Avantium in CO2-based polymers technology. Building on their strategic intent letter from January 2024, the companies have decided to take the next step in their collaboration and accelerate the market adoption for FDCA and PEF in Asia. This is backed by Avantium’s achievement in securing global industrial-scale capacity reservations and Flagship Plant offtake agreements in key markets such as rigid packaging and apparel. A joint team will work with local and global brands to validate the market potential, further develop FDCA and PEF applications, and enhance volume commitments across the region to underpin future largescale production in Asia. www.avantium.com
7 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 Suntory introduces first commercialised PET bottles using bio-paraxylene Starting this November, Suntory Group began introducing PET bottles using paraxylene derived from used cooking oil (bio-paraxylene) for select products in Japan. This will be the first commercialised PET bottles using bio-paraxylene and will help significantly reduce CO2 emissions compared to those made from conventional virgin petroleum-based materials. The group will introduce this to approximately 45 million beverage PET bottles with consideration underway to expand its use across its product portfolio. PET resin, the raw material for PET bottles, consists of 30% monoethylene glycol and 70% terephthalic acid. Since 2013, Suntory Group has been using plant-derived materials for monoethylene glycol in its Suntory Tennensui brand PET bottles. In this new challenge, the group has succeeded in producing terephthalic acid at a commercial scale by using paraxylene derived from used cooking oil, a biomass resource. To achieve this, the group established a global supply chain in collaboration with corporations such as Eneos Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation to procure bionaphtha derived from used cooking oil and ultimately produce PET bottles. Bionaphtha can be produced from the manufacturing process of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), among other things, and as SAF production is expected to increase, the importance of developing a bio-naphtha supply chain is also growing. Suntory Group aims to build a more robust mass production system for bio-based PET bottles in cooperation with stakeholders. In September 2023, Suntory Holdings announced its collaboration with Eneos Corporation for the collection of used cooking oil in Japan. Suntory Group is also considering taking advantage of this collaboration to make bio-based PET bottles using bio-naphtha domestically produced at Eneos Corporation’s SAF plant which plans to start its operations after 2027. www.suntory.com CREATING FUTURE STANDARDS Japan’s leading Aseptic PET Filling System Provider. Our website Our solution high quality reliable technology safe & secure
8 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net SGR inaugurates its second PET recycling unit in France: a strong commitment to the circular economy SGR, a subsidiary of the SGT group, has officially inaugurated its second PET recycling unit located in Rezé, Loire-Atlantique, further reinforcing its commitment to the circular economy and sustainable development. The Rezé site, with a production capacity of 16,000 t/a of rPET, becomes one of the first PET recycling units in Loire-Atlantique in the west of France, as highlighted by JeanMichel Buf, Regional Councillor of Pays de la Loire. This ambitious project, supported by local and regional authorities as well as ADEME (the French agency for ecological transition), is part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce carbon footprint and promote the valorisation of post-consumer PET bottles. During the inauguration, guests were able to discover the process of transforming PET flakes into premium quality rPET pellets. This recycled material is intended for the manufacture of new preforms for food applications, adhering to the most stringent safety and quality standards. This project represents an ambitious investment of €20 million over five years, enabling SGR to achieve a total production capacity of 28,000 t/a of rPET, distributed between the Rezé and Chalon-sur-Saône sites. The recyc l i ng un i t i n Rezé i s equipped with cutting-edge technologies, ensuring efficient sorting and good rPET quality. Notable equipment includes advanced sorting systems using artificial intelligence, liquid phase decontamination technology ensuring compliance with the strictest food standards, and a highprecision control laboratory equipped with modern chromatographs to analyse recycled flakes. SGR is also equipped with the Flake Analyzer from Canadian manufacturer Eagle Vizion. This device combines infrared identification, artificial intelligence, and colour recognition to map the flow of recycled flakes with high precision. With this technology, every particle is claimed to be detected, and the different components of the flow are analysed with accuracy. The Flake Analyzer ’s constantly evolving database contains over 40 types of polymers, including multilayers, as well as materials such as wood, metal, and glass, providing good sorting and analysis capabilities. “This new facility will also help reduce our carbon footprint, with a decrease of 250 inter-site trucks per year, thus promoting more sustainable logistics,” states Frédéric Mignot, President of SGT/SGR. The inauguration concluded with a visit to the recycling unit, during which participants were able to closely observe the various stages of the process, from feeding PET flakes to producing rPET pellets intended for the agri-food market. They also had the opportunity to explore the SGT injection workshop, equipped with 21 presses dedicated to the manufacture of preforms, all integrated at the same site in Rezé. www.sgt-pet.com STEPS TO THE PERFECT BOTTLE. www.roeders.de www.roeders.de Idea & Design Technology Manufacturing Blow Mould 100% Service Y O U R PA R T N E R F O R B L OW MO U L D S .
9 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net
10 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net Coca-Cola Europacific Partners: Production line for refillable PET bottles put into operation After approximately a year of renovation, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Deutschland (CCEP DE) has restarted a production line for 1 l reusable PET bottles at its Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler site in Germany. The modernised facility now fills around 36,000 bph with carbonated beverages such as CocaCola, Fanta, Sprite, and their sugar-free variants. This is about 6,000 bph more than the second reusable bottle line at the plant. The beverage manufacturer has invested around 15 million euros in modernising the existing line in the Ahr Valley and has created a total of 30 new jobs. Hannes Bessinger, who has been the plant manager at the site since May 2024, is proud of the production line now back in operation: “The modernisation of the old PET refillable line is a positive signal to our employees and the region. With this investment, we have not only increased production capacity but also secured our long-term competitiveness. The plant now has four production lines again – three for refillable glass and PET bottles and one for single-use PET bottles,” said the 38-year-old plant manager. Successful renovation during ongoing operations All components of the PET refillable line are claimed to meet the latest technological standards and operate in an energy- and water-efficient manner. The comprehensive modernisation of the previously decommissioned facility was successfully completed while the plant remained operational. While key components, such as the filler and the washing machine, were already in place, new equipment such as level meters, bottle inspectors, and packing machines had to be installed. Additionally, the connection to essential supply areas, such as the syrup room, was established. Until early 2021, the line was used to bottle Apollinaris brand mineral water. 1-litre refillable PET bottles in the market The existing production capacities for beverages in refillable PET bottles at nine of Coca-Cola’s 14 regional production sites in Germany are heavily utilised. With the additional line in Bad Neuenahr, seasonal demand peaks as well as maintenance and repair work in the German production network can now be better managed. Moreover, the newly restarted line in Bad Neuenahr enables even stronger, predominantly regional distribution of Coke classics in the Rhineland region. www.cocacolaep.com Josef Hochreiter takes over operational management of NGR GmbH Josef Hochreiter, shareholder and CEO of the Next Generation Group (NGR), is assuming the role of Managing Di rector of NGR GmbH, a key member of the group, effective immediately. Hochreiter has previously led the company and is now returning to its operational management. He takes over the position from Gerhard Ohler, who has led NGR in recent years and will be leaving the Austria-based recycling machinery manufacturer. Josef Hochreiter stated, “I would like to thank Gerhard Ohler for his dedication and contributions to NGR. Diverging perspectives on the company’s future direction have led to this decision. I will now take responsibility and, together with our strong team, help shape NGR’s future. Our mission to develop innovative plastic recycling solutions for a sustainable future remains unchanged.” Josef Hochreiter will continue in his role as CEO of the Next Generation Group, overseeing both the strategic direction of the entire group and the operational management of NGR. www.ngr-world.com
11 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net " "ĸrĸ ĸ ň (b- -7ࢼ 7;Ѳ -ouoĶ Ɛ ň ƐƎƍƏƔ (boubo (;m;|o Ŏ$(ŏ ň |-Ѳ ň $;Ѳĸ ƱƐƔ ƍƑƐѴ ƔƎƎƒƎƎ ň vbr-Şorr-vĸ1ol ň ĸvbr-ĸb| SIPA’sXFORMGEN4XP ru;=oulňloѲ7bm] |;1_moѲo] 7;Ѳb;uv |_; lowestconversion 1ov| -Ѳom] b|_ unmatched ;m;u] ;L1b;m1 -m7 ease of useĸ | umv b|_ loѲ7v =uol Ə |o Əƍƍ 1-bࢼ;v -v ;ѲѲ -v legacy tooling. $_; b7; HMI b|_ v;Ѳ=ňv;࣌m] ruo1;vv v;|ňr -m7 |uo0Ѳ;v_ooࢼm] ||oub-Ѳv 0ubm]v -m ;@ou|Ѳ;vv v;u ;r;ub;m1;ĸ * ! bv built to last ث |_bv l-1_bm; _-v 0;;m ;m]bm;;u;7 |o 1om; |_; _b]_;v| rѲ-oul uo0v|m;vv -Ѳom] b|_ less than1%of total investment om maintenancecostsĶ l-hbm] bu]bm PETandrPET ru;=oul l-m=-1|ubm] |_; 0;v| ;r;ub;m1; ;;uĸ <200 Wh/kg energy 1omvlrঞom 100% rPET pellets 1-r-0bѴbঞ;v 1 million cold half cycles guaranteed 100% 1olr-ঞ0bѴb| with legacy tooling <1% maintenance cost of total investment : an extraordinary preforming experience
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net 12 Visit to Sarooj Water in Oman From 0 to 4 million bottles per day in 2 years by Alexander Büchler In Oman, just three years ago, a 24-pack of the favourite 250ml single-serve water bottle cost 1.60 euros in a discount supermarket. That’s not even 7 eurocents per bottle. Supermarkets are now offering the same 24-pack of 250ml Sarooj water for 0.80 euro - just half the price, or just 3.5 eurocents per bottle. What is behind it? We asked the driving force behind Sarooj Water, Mr Fahad Mohammed Riaz. Four years ago, Fahad’s world consisted primarily of trading in wood for house and furniture construction. In search of another site for his logistics operations, he was offered a site in Muladdah, near Muscat. At first he wasn’t convinced, but when he heard that it included a deep well licence for the best underground water in Oman, his ears perked up. The water is virtually sodium-free and has a tangy but balanced flavour. The two quickly came to an agreement and Fahad and his team set about developing a concept for the water from the well. What can I do better than the competition? How can I produce and sell the right quantities? A concept was quickly developed: it had to be the best bottled water in Oman, and the end consumer should only pay half as much as before. The supermarkets are supplied by full lorry loads only. The retail trade and Farad as a producer did without the usual margins and still made their money from ordinary consumers. He is enthusiastic about the concept of Niagara Water in the USA. A joint meeting with the owner family Peykoff sealed his decision: concentrate on one product, a light bottle and in bulk. What was missing was a suitable bottle and the associated production facilities. Two years ago, the moment came. After a lot of research, Fahad decided on a bottle with the relatively large 29/25 cap that is common in the region. With the Neck-Lite from Redupet, it was possible to make the bottle 8% lighter at 6.85g. After initial scepticism, blow moulding trials at Krones and Sipa showed that the bottle could be produced. Corvaglia developed a shutter weighing just 1.1g. Neither is available on the open converter market, so Fahad ordered the corresponding preform and cap systems from Netstal. A key factor in the success of the lightweight bottle was that Otto Hofstetter managed to build a 128-cavity mould for the NeckLite preform for the first time. Until now, the Neck-Lite had only been produced on small preform tools. The material advantage quickly pays for itself compared to the additional expense of in-house preform and cap production. Needless to say, Fahad also produces the film for the 24-pack himself and prints and cuts his own labels. The 128-cavity mould from Otto Hofstetter went into the Top Entry 400 t Netstal lines, the 48-cavity EDITOUR F.l.t.r.: Plant manager Ahmed Sarif, Alexander Büchler and Fahad Mohammed Riaz Fahad Mohammed Riaz (right) and Alexander Büchler in the discount supermarket, where his 24-packs of 250ml water are selling faster than the staff can stack them. The Sipa Sincro Bloc was the third system installed two years ago, with which Fahad shook up the market.
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net 13 EDITOUR 13 cap mould from Corvaglia into the 300 t Netstal. It is important for Fahad to have production in-house, so he has a direct influence on the quality of the preforms and the caps. A simple example is the 100% in-line inspection of the caps by an IMD inspection system. After the inspection, he fills the caps into boxes that are actually intended for 5,000 to 6,000 caps. However, it only fills 4,000 caps so that the caps arrive at the capper virtually damage-free. The reject rate is in the sub-promille range. It all began with a small Krones plant in the original building. It quickly became clear that the concept was popular, and so Fahad ordered two new lines: a Sipa line and another Krones line, both in the 50,000 bph range. The Sipa system consists of an Xtra20 cavity rotary blow-moulding machine in a Sincro Bloc with a Sipa Flextronic 70-20 filler. This is followed by a labeller, a Dimac shrink wrapper and a Sipa PTF2 palletiser. The Krones is a blocked system with labelling between the stretch blow-moulding machine and the filler. Interestingly, both produce the same bottle and also use the same label and cap. The stretch blow moulds for the same bottle were produced by Sipa and Krones for their own lines. In the end, the quality of the filled bottle is indistinguishable whether it comes from the Sipa or Krones plant. In addition to the Krones plant, the same plant with 50,000 bottles is to be built, and the drying line has already been designed for this. The systems run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, interrupted only by scheduled maintenance. Fahad could sell more if he produced more. He also has Dubai in mind as another market, just five hours away by lorry. www.saroojwater.com ? SEE HOW MUCH YOU CAN SAVE 70% LESS ENERGY MAINTENANCE COSTS 90% LESS 70% REDUCTION IN CO2e 50% MORE PRODUCTIVITY The savings will vary based on your circumstances and should be reviewed with our sales team. info@maguire.com www.maguire.com Discover your potential savings. With just a few clicks, you’ll gain valuable insight into how ULTRA will positively impact your bottom line. 1. Go to ultra.maguire.com 2. Input your data. 3. Receive your customized PDF report of potential savings via email. Netstal 300 t Top Entry with 128-cavity Otto Hofstetter mould next to a 400 t Netstal capping system with 48-cavity mould from Corvaglia, which feeds an IMD feeder.
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net 14 Once local, now global: PET production in Oman by Alexander Büchler Two years ago, Alpek Polyester acquired OCTAL, the largest PET resin and PET sheet manufacturer in the GCC, thus marking its expansion into global markets beyond the Americas and Europe. We visited the plant in Salalah and discussed bottle grade PET resin, sheet production, chemical recycling, and the Gulf market in general. The Alpek Polyester Middle East (APME) plant is a state-of-the-art modern manufacturing facility for production of bottle grade PET resin and sheets, with a combined capacity of close to 1 million t/a. With Uhde Inventa-Fischer ’s MTR technology, a differentiated, sustainable, and efficient PET resin production process, they eliminate a crucial step in conventional manufacturing, resulting in 63% less electricity consumption compared to traditional technologies, leading to a shorter cycle time for customers. The facility benefits from its strategic location, which is close to the Port of Salalah, a major hub for connecting raw materials from Asia, that allows rapid delivery of finished goods, resin and sheets, to global markets. The site can store more than 3,000 TEUs (Twentyfoot Equivalent Units) within its perimeters and includes container cleaning facilities. According to the company, the market in the GCC is dominated by the water segment which contributes to around 70% of bottle grade PET resin. APME’s WG02 grade is the most popular to service this segment and is regularly supplied to major regional and international brands. Furthermore, the use of MTR technology for PET production ensures a very low acetaldehyde content in its products, which is particularly important for water producers as it achieves the best product characteristics. APME’s strengths include just-intime (JIT) delivery in trucks by road to regional markets like the UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Qatar, Yemen, and Jordan. Their strategic location adjacent to Salalah port enables them to ship product to over 75 countries around the world from US East Coast to Japan main ports, with short transit times. The market in Oman and that of the neighbouring Gulf states is, according to the company, a stable market with the prospects of solid growth. “Offering unique products to our customers is key to our success, especially in today’s competitive market where cost optimisation is crucial. We are a preferred supplier instead of just a one-off vendor in the highly volatile commodity market.” stated Senior Sales Director - PET Resin, Prashant Boloor and he also emphasised the popularity of fast reheat grades owing to increasing energy cost globally and growing awareness among brands on reducing CO2 generation targets. As a leader in sustainability and promoting a circular economy, APME is already contributing by offering its Single Pellet Technology (SPT) which is chemically recycled PET with up to 25% recycled content to their customers in the region. Many brands have shown interest in the product due to its excellent quality and how it supports their commitment towards sustainability. Ajith Ravindranath, Sales Manager, comments: “Our aim is to ensure best quality product available to our customers, at an affordable price and on time to serve the beverage industry, FMCG and many other markets.” EDITOUR F.l.t.r.: Mustafa Deraiya, Manager - Technical Sales; Prashant Boloor, Senior Sales Director - PET Resin; Ahmed Al-Harthy, Assistant Manager - MEA and Ajith Ravindranath, Sales Manager Alexander Büchler (on the right) with the APME Sales Team, Salim Ba Awain, Continuous Improvement Process Manager & Andrea Frigerio, Site Quality & Continuous Improvement Manager. The background shows the FG Product Silos.
EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net 15 As an innovative market player, Alpek Polyester presented closures made of PET in NPE 24. As long as it remains transparent, it can be reprocessed with the bottle in both chemical recycling and mechanical recycling which ensures recycling at its best to avoid complications in the initial separation process. With increased focus on sustainability, the plant is heavily invested in recycling capabilities including production of resin & sheets with rPET content using the chemical recycling process. Used PET bottles in the form of high-quality flakes are sourced to be made into bottle-grade again. Andrea Frigerio, Site Quality & Continuous Improvement Manager, stated: “We make sure that the quality of the flakes is as consistent as possible. Everything goes into the reactor described below, where unwanted substances like other polymers (PP/ HDPE) are removed. Another positive aspect of chemical recycling is that the material is only heated once in the reactor. As a result, it is not prone to grey or yellow haze. APME’s PET resin and single pellet technology meets FDA & EFSA standards.” www.alpekpolyester.com In the control room, Salim Ba Awain shows Alexander Büchler the process flow in the production of bottle-grade PET. Alpek Polyester, a leading global producer of PTA and PET, closed the acquisition of OCTAL Holding for US$620m on June 1, 2022, as the agreement signed was subject to regulatory approvals. OCTAL, a major producer of PET film and bottle grade PET resin with a capacity of over 1 million t/a, operates plants in Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the USA. The acquisition expands Alpek Polyester’s portfolio to include the direct-tosheet PET film segment (DPET). Alpek has an installed capacity of 5.8 million t/a and operates 32 plants in Mexico, the USA, the UK, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The melt-to-resin (MTR) process is a fully integrated one-step process that provides bottle-grade IV PET melt directly from the discage reactor (finisher). PET is produced from the raw materials purified terephthalic acid (PTA), isophthalic acid (PIA) and ethylene glycol (EG) using a melt polymerisation process. Conventional processes have in common that they require a second, subsequent solid condensation step (SSP) to further increase the molecular weight of the polymer. Alpek Polyester uses the MTR process, in which the IV increase takes place before the granulate is produced. This makes the material more uniform; thicker or thinner granules or dust have the same material properties. As the granulate is not subsequently heated again in the SSP, the acetaldehyde content is significantly lower, which is a decisive advantage for water bottle grades. In addition, the MTR process has a clear advantage in producing bottle-grade PET in terms of overall costs, energy consumption, plant flexibility, fixed costs, raw material utilisation and maintenance costs. www.agrintl.com +1.724.482.2163 • Accurate. Fast. Intuitive. • Powerful, Simple Job Creation and Editing • 3UH 'HȴQHG &RQWDLQHU 0HDVXUHPHQW 5RXWLQHV • AutoJob® ȃ $XWRPDWHG )HDWXUH 5HFRJQLWLRQ and Job Setup in Seconds 3DUWQHU ZLWK $JU WR DFKLHYH VLPSOLȴHG GLPHQVLRQDO PHDVXUHPHQW IRU \RXU SODVWLF FRQWDLQHUV DQG SUHIRUPV ®
BOTTLE MAKING 16 PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net StarLite-R Premium targets high-end products Sleek bottle base for 100% rPET Sidel has expanded its StarLite-R range to include a new premium bottle base suitable for liquid dairy products, flavoured water as well as juices, nectars, soft drinks, isotonics and teas. “This bottle is specifically crafted for the premium market, where consumers expect exceptional performance and striking shelf appeal when purchasing a high-end product. Our new bottle is designed to endure every stage of its journey – from production through the supply chain, to the supermarket shelf, and ultimately into the consumer’s hands. The bottle quality and performance has also been rigorously tested in Sidel’s laboratories under industrial conditions,” says Pierrick Protais, Packaging Innovator Leader at Sidel. The new bottle design has been developed to meet consumers expectations of a sophisticated, streamlined appearance. The high-performing base is also claimed to minimise environmental impact. Hidden technical features Premium bottles are typically heavier than standard designs to ensure a great consumer experience through bottle rigidity and preserved beverage quality. When bottles have increased PET thickness, their bases are prone to deformation especially if manufactured at high speeds. StarLite-R Premium bottle base aims for a sleek, elegant and streamlined aesthetic. The flat-looking bottle bottom creates a high impact bottle display on supermarket shelves, and is compatible with round and squareround shaped bottles; single and multi-serve sizes; and can be used with opaque and transparent PET. The technical features allow a 100% rPET bottle to be blown at high speed while securing maximum base performance for a top bottle quality with a visually appealing look, says the company. The design uses a Sidel patented vault technology to avoid any visible ribs on the bottle base and to optimise its geometry. Made of a tall central dome, surrounded by lower radiating ridges with alternating widths and lengths, the bottle base is easy to blow, and good material distribution and a high base clearance are ensured. The base offers guaranteed bottle stability thanks to its widestanding surface. Additionally, the mould base includes an enhanced cooling circuit for efficient bottle base chilling, especially with rPET, which is processed at higher temperatures when compared with virgin sources. These technical features allow the bottle base to be highly performant when manufactured at a high speed of up to 2,500bph per mould thanks to the optimised geometry of the bottle design. Low environmental impact “Premium bottles are typically seen as less sustainable than standard versions, as they use more PET material, for increased wall thickness, and they require higher blowing pressure,” says Protais. “However, with global packaging regulations increasingly focused on environmental impact, manufacturers are now seeking exclusive product alternatives that provide carbon savings. That’s precisely what StarLite-R Premium offers.” In order to produce the new solution from 100% rPET, Sidel had to adapt its mould base technology to the material. The easy to shape base requires a lower blowing pressure. Sidel’s StarLite-R Premium bottle base offers producers carbon dioxide savings. With the switch from virgin to 100% rPET, manufacturers can save up to 3,100 t/a of carbon dioxide equivalent, and by reducing the blowing pressure of up to 25% when comBOTTLE MAKING
BOTTLE MAKING 17 PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net pared to a market average premium bottle, up to 61 t/a of carbon equivalent savings can be achieved. Ready for a wide range of production setups This new premium bottle base is designed to accommodate bottle formats ranging from 0.25 l to 2 l, making it highly versatile. This base is compatible with a wide range of bottle designs and premium bottle weights, offering flexibility. It can be produced on EvoBlow, Universal, and Series 2 platforms, and is suitable for both regular and aseptic filling lines. Additionally, it is easy to retrofit into existing production lines, ensuring a smooth integration process. The premium bottle base is the latest addition to Sidel’s StarLite-R range, joining the ranks of designs like the StarLite-R Nitro and StarLite-R for carbonated soft drinks (CSD). Launched earlier in 2024, the StarLiteR Nitro is a high-resistance bottle base specifically engineered for still nitrogendosed products in 100% rPET bottles. Meanwhile, the original StarLite-R for CSD, was Sidel’s first solution dedicated to rPET, offering enhanced protection against deformation, improved stability, and increased resistance to bursting. www.sidel.com
BOTTLE MAKING 18 PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net Sipa’s sustainable packaging solutions Doğanay’s traditional flavours find a modern home Doğanay, a name synonymous with authentic Turkish taste, has been bringing the unique flavours of Anatolian tradition to tables worldwide since the 1960s. Their journey began with Şalgam, a beloved fermented beverage, and has expanded to encompass a wide range of traditional products, from pickle juice to various vinegars and fruit juices. Doğanay’s commitment to quality is evident in every step of their process, from collaborating with local farmers to utilising state-of-the-art production facilities. This dedication to preserving heritage while embracing progress is mirrored in their partnership with Sipa. The company, renowned for its innovative approach to PET packaging technology, offers a comprehensive range of services, from design and mould production to complete bottling lines. Their expertise lies in creating packaging solutions that are visually appealing, functional and sustainable. Doğanay’s vision Recognising the need to refresh its brand image and appeal to a wider audience, Doğanay collaborated with Sipa to revamp its packaging. Sipa’s design team, leveraging their extensive knowledge of packaging trends and consumer preferences, developed four new BOTTLE MAKING Lightweighting: reduced bottle weight for a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to packaging. Neck conversion: transitioning from a 33mm to a 28mm neck, further minimising material use and environmental impact. A successful collaboration By partnering with Sipa, Doğanay has successfully boosted its brand image while staying true to its core values. The new packaging reflects the company’s commitment to quality, sustainability, and delivering a refreshing taste of Turkish culture to the world. This collaboration is a testament to the power of combining traditional values with cutting-edge technology to create a truly impactful product experience. www.sipasolutions.com bottle formats for Doğanay’s Şalgam in 0.2 l, 0.3 l, 1 l, and 2 l sizes. These designs seamlessly blend tradition with modernity, capturing the essence of the beverage while giving it a contemporary appeal. The new shapes are produced on Sipa’s rotary blowmoulders as Doğanay’s owns existing Sipa rotary and linear blowmolders. Sipa’s contributions to the project include: Full bottle redesign: a sleek, modern aesthetic that resonates with younger consumers while honoring the brand’s heritage, translating brand identity into tangible design. Enhanced label design: eyecatching visuals that effectively communicate Doğanay’s brand identity and product quality.
BOTTLE MAKING 19 PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net Premium-look PET for mineral water The new PET bottle for the Polish mineral water brands Staropolanka and Krystynka comes in a high-quality look based on the existing glass version. demonstrating the value of plastic. The many positive reactions and high praise for the lightness and stability of the PET bottles confirm our joint approach,” says Mariusz Musiał, Alpla Country Manager Poland. Designed for recycling Unlike the disposable glass bottle, the premium PET bottle can be used in the future Polish deposit system for beverage packaging from 2025. The Alpla team is already focusing on ‘design for recycling’ in the development phase, setting the course for future recycling. After use and return, the packaging solution can be fully recycled. The potential for the Polish circular economy is enormous, as Musiał points out: “The PET bottle already meets all the requirements and criteria to be used in bottle-tobottle-recycling. With this visionary project, we want to set an exclamation point in the beverage industry and a new standard for environmentally conscious packaging.” www.alpla.com The mineral water brands Staropolanka and Krystynka are now available in a new PET bottle that mirrors the high-quality look of their existing glass versions. Developed by Alpla, this packaging solution retains the familiar shape and feel of the glass bottle but introduces advantages in terms of weight and capacity. Weighing 32g, the PET bottle is only a sixth of the weight of the glass version, while offering more content. With 380ml of water, the plastic bottle holds a whole 50ml more with the same external dimensions. In addition, the new bottle is fully recyclable. At first glance, PET and glass bottles look like two peas in a pod. The visual similarity is intentional and was also a challenge for the Alpla development team. Step by step, the premium PET bottle for Staropolanka and Krystynka mineral water in Poland came closer to the original design. About a year after the launch, the pilot phase was successfully completed in autumn 2023. The highquality plastic bottles will soon grace the shelves of Polish supermarkets. The tried-and-tested bottle shape is claimed to guarantee high quality. It can be filled on existing lines without additional investment, says Alpla. The distinctive aluminium cap matches the bottle and complements the shape and label to ensure brand recognition. Reasons for launching the PET bottle were rising glass prices, while the reduced transport weight also contribute to significant cost savings, while a potential CO2 reduction of around two-thirds compared to glass bottles aligns with broader sustainability goals. Staropolanka offers mineral water from the spa town of Uzdrowisko Kłodzkie. Krystynka is bottled in the spa town of Uzdrowisko Ciechocinek. The mineral water brands of the two traditional spas are among the most renowned in Poland. “By launching in the premium segment, we are emphasising quality and BOTTLE MAKING
BOTTLE MAKING 20 PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net The essence of purity in every drop The secret of the exceptionality of the still water bottled by the company Santa Vittoria Srl is an incomparable natural filter: a rock from the Ligurian Alps formed 28 million years ago, which ensures the product purity and quality. BOTTLE MAKING The peculiarity that has always distinguished the containers used by Santa Vittoria is the wonderful diamond decoration. Starting from this element, the motif was revised both in shape and size, until the achievement of an aesthetic result that enhances the purity and lightness of the water contained in them. The evolution of the study was marked by the close collaboration between SMI and Santa Vittoria, to the point of creating a customised version of the project with the decoration becoming lighter and perfectly distributed on the container. The final result is an elegant, functional bottle, easily recognisable on the market. The performance of the container was also carefully analysed and improved, especially in the part of the handle, to respond to the Ligurian company’s request to be able to use a lighter rPET preform. The weight reduction was also achieved through the choice of the 26/22 Gravity II neck, which provides a lighter thread suitable for bottling carbonated products. Starting from all these aesthetic and functional assumptions, the SMI team began to develop the new concept. The aim was to maintain the style of the existing bottle while making changes to the position and shape of the handle and the bottom, optimising the shape and proportions of the latter, in order to be able to use lighter preforms for the blowing of bottles without altering the resistance. www.smigroup.it Still or sparkling? The choice is individual, but the essence of Santa Vittoria water does not change, because it embodies the quintessence of Alpine mineral water, that stands out for its lightness and low content of mineral salts. With a fixed residue of just 180 mg/l, Santa Vittoria water can meet everyone’s needs and is suitable even for the preparation of children’s food. PET containers that enhance purity & lightness Santa Vittoria asked SMI designers to revise the existing cylindrical bottle both aesthetically and functionally, especially for the handle section. The format on which SMI staff focused for the development of the new design is the 1.5 l bottle, from which the 0.5 l bottle is derived. Both bottles are manufactured by SMI EBS 10 KL Ergon stretch-blowmoulder and bottled by Enoberg 80-15 HEVS filler.
21 PRODUCTS PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net Moulds for compression and injection presses Expertise and innovation make Sacmi a well-known provider of rigid packaging moulds. Sacmi presses - whether compression or injection - feature moulds that are precision-designed to maximse efficiency, reliability and finished product quality, says the company. Sacmi’s team of experts work in close contact with customers to develop tailor-made solutions, optimise production processes and reduce cycle times. Thermal efficiency with Cool+ Sacmi's Cool+ system is a thermal control of moulds, on both compression and injection presses. Cool+ uses a cooling system that ensures excellent heat dissipation, improving the quality of the finished product and significantly reducing cycle times, says the company. For compression press moulds: Cool+ maintains a uniform temperature across the entire surface of the mould, reducing any thermal deformations and extending the working life of the moulds. This means higher productivity and lower maintenance costs. For injection press moulds: Cool+ also provides precise thermal control for injection moulds, improving the dimensional stability of plastic parts and ensuring consistent long-term quality. Thr technology optimises cooling flows, reducing defects in produced parts and making the process more efficient. Sacmi original spare parts The use of original spare parts plays a key role in ensuring the optimal, uninterrupted operation of Sacmi systems. The company offers a broad spare parts range. Every part is designed and tested to comply with the strictest quality standards and can be seamlessly integrated into existing equipment. Using Sacmi original spare parts reduces the risk of malfunctions, minimises downtime and extends the working life of the machines, ensuring fluid, uninterrupted production. Vice versa, using non-certified spare parts can lead to serious problems such as lower finished product quality, frequent production stoppages and unforeseen breakdown/repair costs. www.sacmi.com Krones presents compact version of its Contipure AseptBloc A sterile process chain from preform sterilisation to sealing, this summarises the principle of the Contipure AseptBloc. At Krones, almost 90 per cent of aseptic fillers are currently integrated into this block solution. While this type of system was previously used primarily in the medium and high output range, there is now also a compact version that can be used to economically fill outputs as low as 8,000 containers per hour. The basis for expanding the portfolio was laid by a further development in stretch blow moulding technology: two years ago, Krones launched a new generation of its Contiform blow moulding machine, which for the first time also enabled configurations of four, six and eight cavities. Similarly, the filling technology team further developed its existing aseptic filler, also with a view to low outputs - and finally combined both systems in a compact version of the Contipure AseptBloc. The small footprint of the block is particularly noteworthy: the smallest version contains a four-cavity blow moulding machine and a filler with a pitch circle of 1,080 mm - and currently requires around 100m2 of installation space - with potential for further space savings. This small footprint can be achieved, through a revised cleanroom concept, optimised positioning of peripherals such as media supply or valve manifolds and integration of the piping directly into the system. For juice, milk or plant-based milk alternatives Apart from the space requirement, the compact version of the Contipure AseptBloc is in no way inferior to the tried-andtested standard version: only one sterilisation medium is used, namely gaseous hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, since the preform and not the bottle is sterilised first, lightweight containers can also be used. Compared to conventional aseptic processes with container sterilisation, the Contipure AseptBloc enables material savings of around 2 g/ bottle. And as usual, the compact version of the Contipure AseptBloc is also suitable for a wide range of d i f f eren t produc t categories: Whether distributed at ambient temperature or within the cold chain, whether in the low- or high-acid range, whether with or without chunks of up to 5 x 5 x 5mm - all non-carbonated beverages such as juice or dairy products can be processed on the system, and lightweight containers, too. The smallest version of the advanced Contipure AseptBloc incorporates a Modulfill Asept filler with a pitch circle of 1,080mm, enabling up to 20,000 containers per hour to be aseptically produced, filled and sealed. The Krones filling technology team is currently working on further models of the compact version in order to close the gap between the 1,080mm version and the familiar standard lines. www.krones.com PETproducts BOTTLE MAKING
MARKET SURVEY 23 PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 11/24 www.petpla.net 11/2024 MARKETsurvey Palletising and shrink film machinery This issue is dedicated to palletising and shrink film machinery. Please refer to the machine details for the state-of-the-art solutions of the companies involved: Sidel, KHS Group, Krones AG, Jiangsu Newamstar Packaging Machinery Co. Ltd., Sipa, And & Or and SMI S.p.A. Although the publisher have made every eff ort to ensure that the information in this survey is up to date, no claims are made regarding completeness or accuracy. Company Sidel KHS Krones AG Jiangsu Newamstar Packaging Machinery Co., Ltd Postal address Telephone number Web site address Contact name Function Direct telephone number Email Rue du Commerce 67116 Reichstett, France +33 388 183 880 www.sidel.com Mr Piero Zamboni PR Manager +39 0521 999452 piero.zamboni@sidel.com Juchostraße 20 44143 Dortmund, Germany +49 231 5690 www.khs.com Mr Ernst van Wickeren & Mr Christoph Wiesenack Product Manager Packaging +49 2821 503 200 ernst.vanwickeren@khs.com Böhmerwaldstraße 5 93073 Neutraubling, Germany +49 9401 70 0 www.krones.com Mr Andreas Fritsch Product Mgmt Packaging Tech. +49 8031 4040 info@krones.com No. 8 Xinjing East Road, Zhangjiagang Eco- and Technological Dev. Zone, Jiangsu Province, China, 215618 +86 512 5869 1111 www.newamstar.com Mr Wesley Yin Marketing Manager +86 512 56993303 market@newamstar.com Shrink film machinery: Packaging options & output rate (packs/min) - print registered fi lm (yes/no; packs/min) Yes, up to 120 cycles/min (PET bottles), 150 cycles/min (cans) in 3 lanes Yes, max. 135 cycles/min Yes, 150 x 4 = 600packs/min Yes, 60 - nested pack (yes/no; packs/min) Yes Yes, 80 packs/min, depend on pack formation Yes, 100packs/min No - label orientation (yes/no; packs/min) Yes No No No - carry handles (yes/no; packs/min) No Yes, optional max. 80 cycles/min Yes, 80 x 2 = 160packs/min No - pad supported (yes/no; packs/min) Yes Yes, 100 packs/min Yes, 140 x 2 = 280packs/min Yes, 60 packs/min - tray supported (yes/no; packs/min) Yes Yes, 120 packs/min Yes, 120packs/min Yes, 60 packs/min - fi lm only (yes/no; packs/min) Yes Yes, max. 135 cycles/min Yes, 150 x 4 = 600packs/min Yes, 80 packs/min - tray and fi lm (yes/no; packs/min) Yes Yes,120 packs/min Yes, 120packs/min Yes, 80 packs/min - pad and fi lm (yes/no; packs/min) Yes Yes, 100 packs/min Yes, 140 x 2 = 280packs/min Yes, 80 packs/min Shrink process: - shrink tunnel with hot air or gas fi red opt. Yes Yes Yes Yes - oven Yes No No Yes - steam tunnel No No No Yes Footprint Depend on confi guration 12.6m til 28.9m depend. on machine typ and necessary speed Depends on confi guration Number of possible lanes Up to 3 1 to 4 4 With 1 or 2 lanes Packaging material and possible thickness Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) from 27-100 μm Film thickness 40 til 60 μm. Thinner fi lm up to 25 μm on request Film, min 25-120 μm 60 μm~80 μm Voltage/power/energy consumption NC Depend. on machine typ, speed and required options Depends on speed, package and material AC380V, 50Hz, about 110kW Film cutting and feeding system Yes Servo driven knife and vaccum belt transport Yes, fully automatic feeding, splicing, welding Yes Certifi cation CE certifi cation ISO 9001 certifi cation ISO 20000-1, ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 50001, ISO 45001, ISO 14001, enviro, SBTi Compliant with 3c certifi cation Palletising machinery: Format changeover time Depend on confi guration Fully automatic changeover available - 0min operator time Depending on machine type, automatic changeover and manual changeover (5 to 10min) 20min Output rate (packs/min) Up to 12 layers/min Same as packaging machine 100-650lph (layers/hour) 120 Automatically intergrated: (yes/no) If necessary Yes Empty pack feeding Yes, empty pallet feeding Yes Yes Auto Insertion of interlayers Yes Yes Yes Auto Connectable to shrinkwrapper Yes Yes Yes Yes Special characteristics: i.e. low-level feed, cross conveyer barrier Available on high and low level infeed High speed with low level infeed Low-level feed, cross conveyer barrier Resins & additives Cap producers, systems & inspection systems Preform machinery Preform production & inspection systems Preform, cap & SBM mould manufacturer SBM 2-stage Compressors Filling equipment & inspection systems Palletising & shrink film machinery Recycling machinery
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