KHS new adhesive-dot multipacks cut packaging material use by up to 85% for beverage brands

GERMANY – KHS has developed the Nature MultiPack adhesive-dot technology that turns PET bottles and aluminium cans into stable packs using just a few dots of adhesive, reducing packaging material consumption by up to 85% compared to conventional shrink-wrapped or cardboard multipacks.

The system eliminates the need for shrink film, cardboard sleeves or plastic rings, with a carbon footprint of just 4.4 grams of CO₂ equivalents per pack. 

The Innopack Kisters TSP Advanced tray shrink packer has been enhanced with a new BottleClip Carrier option that uses cardboard clips to create plastic-free multipacks at speeds of up to 4,800 packs per hour. 

PET bottles can be turned into stable packs using the resource-conserving cardboard carrying handle that is clipped onto containers without requiring shrink tunnels, saving energy in production. 

How Adhesive Dots and Cardboard Clips Replace Shrink Film for Secondary Packaging

The Nature MultiPack holds containers together with small dots of adhesive adapted to PET bottle and can surfaces, enabling packs to survive logistics circuits with wide temperature variations. 

Compared to conventional setups, the system uses up to 85 percent less packaging material and saves up to 67 percent of energy in production by eliminating the shrink tunnel. 

The adhesive has been certified by the European PET Bottle Platform for PET bottle-to-bottle recycling, and the paper-based carrying handle slots onto just two bottles regardless of pack size, with pre-punched tabs hooking under bottle neck rings for secure transport. 

The Innopack Kisters TSP Advanced offers flexible format sizes with multipack versions of two, four, six or eight bottles, and operators can switch between packaging varieties with format changeovers taking only a few minutes.

Why Material-Reduction Solutions Align with EU PPWR Requirements

Peter Brücker, head of the KHS packaging technology product center, said that the PPWR acts as a catalyst for sustainable technologies that KHS already offers, with the Nature MultiPack already in line with regulatory requirements. 

The BottleClip option allows tray shrink packaging without shrink film, achieving sustainable multipacks with cardboard. 

KHS operates manufacturing facilities in Germany, Brazil, China, India, Mexico and the United States, enabling stable supply chains and flexibility in response to trade disruptions.

Software solutions like the KHS ConnectApp Guide support maintenance and servicing through machine-specific cleaning, inspection, lubrication and tightening lists accessible via QR code on each machine, while AI-assisted inspection systems check closure integrity to reduce rejects. 

The ConnectApp Guide’s dynamic maintenance intervals based on actual machine operating hours rather than fixed schedules have reduced operator training times by up to 80 percent, lowering total cost of ownership.

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