KHS invests US$11.9M in new Hamburg hall for Plasmax barrier technology

GERMANY – KHS Group has invested over €11 million (approximately US$11.9 million) in a new 4,300 square metre hall for its Plasmax barrier technology, as demand for InnoPET FreshSafe machines has quadrupled over the past five years.

The new facility is due to start operation in spring 2027. KHS CEO Kai Acker stated that the company’s barrier technology is a key growth driver, and the new hall secures jobs and shows commitment to German production sites. 

The Hamburg factory has engineered PET systems for over 50 years.

Plasmax Technology: Glass Coating for PET

KHS’s InnoPET FreshSafe blocks coat PET bottles with a wafer-thin glass layer using the Plasmax process. 

This coating protects sensitive beverages against oxidation and loss of carbon dioxide, preserving taste and quality while lengthening shelf life. 

Unlike polyamide or EVOH barriers, the Plasmax glass layer does not interfere with PET recycling. The result is a PET bottle with the barrier of glass but the weight and shatter resistance of plastic.

Production Optimisation

To date, the product centres for stretch blow moulding and barrier technology have shared three production shops. 

Strong growth has pushed these units to capacity limits. 

The new hall will combine all relevant departments, shortening distances and optimising processes. 

Instead of building entire machines in one place, employees will mount individual modules in parallel, then assemble them. 

These adapted processes shorten lead times and enable faster delivery. Dr Joachim Konrad explained that once customers are convinced of the barrier system, most opt for turnkey lines, benefiting other KHS sites.

Sustainability and Growth

KHS is building the new investment to be completely carbon neutral, using green electricity, rooftop photovoltaics, and a closed heating circuit with heat recovery. 

The KHS Group achieved turnover of approximately €1.649 billion (approximately US$1.78 billion) in 2025 with 5,769 employees. 

Plasmax technology allows customers to offer PET bottled beverages with extended shelf life without compromising recyclability. 

For beverage brands, the ability to use PET for oxygen-sensitive products expands the addressable market for PET packaging.

When a Coating Becomes a Growth Engine

A PET bottle that protects beer from oxidation is not a container, it is a system. 

KHS’s Plasmax technology turns a standard PET bottle into a high-barrier package, opening new categories for PET. 

For the packaging industry, that expansion is not incremental; it is a market enabler.

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