A global trend: lightweight aluminium drinks bottles
Schuler AG has entered into a cooperation with the Japanese market leader TMC to produce „DWI Bottle Cans“ as premium packaging. The aluminium beverage bottles allow more freedom in design and are becoming increasingly popular.
26. June 2018
Experts assume that more bottle cans than aerosol cans will be produced in the future.
Leading bottlers are increasingly focussing on DWI bottle cans as premium packaging. They allow a great deal of freedom in design. Thanks to the manufacturing process, they also require significantly less material than conventional extrusion-moulded bottles. Schuler AG, Göppingen, has therefore entered into a co-operation with the Japanese market leader.
Rapid growth is predicted for aluminium drinks bottles: experts even believe that more aluminium bottles of this type will be produced each year than aerosol cans in the future. The trend has spread from Japan to the USA and now also to China.
During production, the resource-conserving Stripping process (DWI, Drawing and Wall Ironing). Against this background, the world's largest press manufacturer Schuler has entered into a co-operation with the Japanese specialist for DWI bottle cans. TMC is the market leader in systems for the production of aluminium bottles and, in addition to sophisticated die technology, has also developed a „Bottle Necker“ developed. This machine, which moulds the neck of the bottle, determines the individual design of the metal packaging.
The Bottle Necker from TMC for the production of lightweight aluminium bottles. (Image: Schuler)
The TMC-Necker is available with 40 to 56 forming stations. Depending on this, the maximum diameter of the bottles is 59 or 66 mm with a maximum bottle length of up to 245 mm. The output capacity is up to 150 bottles per minute.
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Managing Director Johannes Linden
„TMC is contributing its die and process expertise to the cooperation and we are contributing our experience in the construction of metal packaging presses as well as our global service offering,“ summarises Managing Director Johannes Linden, who heads the Systems Division at Schuler AG Göppingen.
Fruitful cooperation
Production lines for bottle cans generally consist of a cupper, bodymaker, light tester, bottle necker and cleaning, printing and inspection systems. Schuler offers its own high-performance cuppers and highly flexible ServoCupFormers as well as bodymakers with perfect mass equalisation (BodyFormer).
For the TMC bottle necker, Schuler takes over the Commercial agency in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. This gives interested parties in these regions a competent contact for the key machines and processes for beverage bottle production. „This means that our customers are ideally placed to benefit from the success of bottle cans in South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa,“ emphasises Schuler Managing Director Johannes Linden.
About Schuler:
Schuler is a technology and global market leader in forming technology. The company offers presses, automation solutions, dies, process expertise and service for the entire metalworking industry and lightweight automotive construction. Its customers also include companies from the packaging industry. Schuler has around 6,800 employees in 40 countries. The company is majority-owned by the Austrian ANDRITZ Group[/infotext].
