The Karlskrone beer from the Belgian Martens brewery is supplied as a six-pack in a film-free KHS Nature MultiPackTM offered. The newly designed 0.5-litre PET bottles are made from 100% recycled material.
The KHS Group has realised the switch to a more sustainable portfolio together with the Martens brewery for a German food chain. „The development of the environmentally friendly packaging demonstrates that it is possible to successfully establish sustainable solutions on the market with the commitment of all those involved,“ explains Edgar-George Petsche, Head of Market Zone Europe/CIS at KHS.
Martens has added a packaging module to its existing line
Years of collaboration between the Belgian brewery and the mechanical engineering company facilitated the Rapid market launch the new packaging. The brewery has invested in an InnoPET Blomax stretch blow molder and an InnoPET Plasmax for coating the inside of the containers with a wafer-thin film of chemically pure glass, among other things. The existing line has now been expanded to include the Innopack Nature MultiPackTM-machine.
Instead of shrink-wrapping, the new solution only connects beverage bottles by means of Adhesive dots into a stable but easy to dissolve container. This saves up to 90 per cent on packaging. According to the company, compared to the film version previously available on the market, which weighed 7.5 grams, the packaging now weighs only 1.5 grams of glue required. A convenient carrying handle contributes to packing stability. In addition, the individual containers can be customised to allow the placement of marketing messages.
As there is no need to heat up the material, the beverage manufacturer saves up to 67 per cent energy during production compared to packaging in film. In addition, according to Petsche, CO2 emissions in the overall life cycle assessment reduced by up to 70 per cent. Martens has also dispensed with the use of trays in the new pack. This saves on raw materials such as paper or cardboard without affecting stability. However, trays can easily be added at the request of bottlers and retailers.
New generation with higher performance this year
Martens can currently produce up to 40,000 PET bottles per hour as Nature MultiPackTM process. Packaging in film is also still possible thanks to the modular machine design, emphasises Petsche. He sees economic benefits for bottlers when converting their portfolio. „An investment in the NMP solution amortises in less than three years due to the lower raw material usage.“
By expanding its production capacities, KHS is in a position to meet growing demand. The full-range supplier will also be launching a new generation of NMP machines for the high-performance sector this year with a Capacity of up to 108,000 containers per hour to the market.
„We see ourselves as visionaries and technological pioneers, and a decision in favour of the solution is also an investment in protecting the environment,“ emphasises Head brewer Jan Martens. In addition to the Nature MultiPackTM and FreshSafe PET® those responsible at Martens have deliberately opted for a Fully recyclable bottle made from 100 per cent rPET, although virgin PET is more favourable.
„With this hat-trick, we are sending out a clear signal in favour of protecting the environment. There is no comparable solution on the market,“ says Martens. Above all, he sees great potential in the increased use of film. This is because sustainability and recyclability are becoming increasingly important for all players in the industry. This applies to both primary and secondary packaging.
Source: KHS Group
