GERMANY – International manufacturer of filling and packaging equipment for beverage and food, KHS has introduced PET bottles with glued-in handles to cut 30% material used.
According to the company, the KHS PET bottle is more stable than the extrusion-blow-molded polyolefin alternatives currently available on the market.
Glued-in handles also require a simpler contour than the clip-in variety, which it says saves on material and at the same time increases efficiency in the stretch blow molding process.
The development of the 2.3-liter PET bottle with a glued-in handle is the result of one-and-a-half-year cooperation between KHS and Logoplaste Innovation Lab.
The aim was to design a bottle specifically for home care products with the smallest possible carbon footprint, which aligns with their intention to support the industry’s strive towards greater sustainability.
“Our adhesive technology enables us to cut down on the amount of energy and material used in production and manufacture a container that’s both more stable and visually more appealing than the standard products currently available on the market,” said Sebastian Wenderdel, PET sales business development manager at KHS in Hamburg, Germany.
Wenderdel adds that direct comparison reveals that up to 30% fewer resources are used in the manufacturing process, with 10% in material saved over a clip-in handle.
Instead of producing the bottle on an extrusion blow molder as is common, stretch blow molding it is particularly energy-efficient – a not inconsiderable advantage in view of the rising prices for energy and raw materials.
“In conjunction with preferential heating, KHS provides an extremely precise and reliable piece of plant equipment,” added Wenderdel.
“This tried-and-tested, energy-efficient heating method permits homogenous distribution of the material during the stretch blow molding process in plastic bottles with irregular and complex design, thus lowering the number of resources used and boosting bottle stability.
“Neck alignment with millimeter accuracy as an optional component allows precise product dosing with the help of oriented spout caps.
“Furthermore, as the new PET bottle does not have any seams – as opposed to those on standard containers made of HDPE or PP – it has proved convincing in rigorous in-house drop tests,”
When selecting a suitable adhesive, the design team drew on the years of expertise accumulated by KHS during the Nature MultiPack project. The container provides a further plus when it comes to product marketing.
With the development of its new PET bottle with a glued-in handle KHS is moving closer towards a circular economy – and with this system intends to address manufacturers of home care products as well as food producers.
“We provide a circular container whose bottle body and handle consist of 100% recyclate and are themselves fully recyclable. This is still fairly unusual for containers with an integral grip,” concluded Wenderdel.
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