Sidel has announced that its actis™ (amorphous carbon treatment on internal surface) plasma coating solution for extending the shelf life of pet bottles is now available for the company’s latest gener
15 November 2016
15/11/2016
The barrier technology was among the major focuses fromSidel at Brau Beviale 2016 in Hall 7a, booth 223.
Carbonated soft drinks (CSD) were very much the focus for Sidelat a show which is one of Europe's main platforms for innovationsin beverage production. CSD category presents its own challenges interms of packaging: one such challenge is the need to reduce theloss of carbon dioxide, particularly given the trend towardssmaller and lighter bottles. The smaller and lighter the container,the greater the challenge of reduced shelf life. The single-serveformat in PET packaging represents 75% of the growth in the CSDmarket so barrier technologies, such as Actis, are expected to beincreasingly employed in CSD bottling.
Sidel Actis is a thin layer of hydrogen rich carbon depositedinside a PET bottle - a plasma coating solution to extend beverageshelf life while offering potential for packaging lightweighting.At Brau Beviale, Sidel highlighted how Actis equipment is nowoffered on the Sidel Matrix platform, Sidel's latest modular formatwhich delivers a high level of safety and consistency down thecomplete line. This includes the Sidel Matrix Combi, meaning thatthis barrier technology is now available in an integratedconfiguration, which can include blowing and coating, or blowing,coating and filling, in one unique and safe environment. The CombiActis solution can be integrated in bottling lines or converterlines. By avoiding intermediary conveyors, it provides customerswith all the benefits that Sidel has been able to consolidate overthe years of development including production reliability, bottleintegrity, handling of lightweight containers, compact footprintand easy operation.
Through Sidel Matrix, Actis technology can increase shelf lifeby a factor of 3 depending on bottle lightweighting improvements,while offering process reliability and increased uptime along theproduction line. With excellent accessibility, treatment modulesbenefit from enhanced flexibility with easy changeovers and thecapability to undertake maintenance off-line. The Sidel Actissolution has been optimised for bottle diameters of up to 78 mm,with a typical output of up to 40,000 bottles per hour.
Damien Fournier is Category Marketing Director CSD at Sidel andan expert of the Actis solution. He comments - "In terms of thebarrier technologies available, the Actis coating clearly standsout from other processes like co-injection (multilayer) or plasticblends (chemical additives to improve the properties of PET), whenmaterial cost, lightweighting and recyclability are considered.Actis process is also simpler and less expensive than other coatingtechnologies, because it is based on acetylene gas - widelyavailable on the market - rather than requiring complexconcentrates and settings. The maintenance frequency and timeinvolved to keep the line up to speed are similar to that requiredfor a standard bottling line."
Pawel Warszawski, Sales Director DACH, Central & EasternEurope and Russia & CIS at Sidel, continues - "In terms ofgeneral market trends, there is a move towards an increased use ofbarrier solutions to match new markets and new ways of consumingbeverages. In developed countries, protecting the beverage - andtherefore the brand - is a particular focus. Additionally, barrierPET solutions are applied in beverages supplied for musicfestivals, sporting events and other outdoor occasions, forexample. Here large numbers are enjoying themselves and drinking,so glass and other containers are seen as safety hazards. PETbottles are the preferred packaging format because they do notreadily break and even when crushed there are no harmful shards orsharp edges. On the other hand, in developing countries, affordablepackaging with extended shelf life enables producers to reach newconsumers, coping with distribution challenges under difficultconditions and in remote locations. To date, 28 Actis systems havebeen introduced globally, from Europe to the Americas and Asia,accounting for around 5 billion bottles produced across all themain beverage categories requiring barrier protection, includingbeer, tea and coffee and CSD - an area where there is particulargrowth in demand."
Damien further comments: "With Actis technology now availablefor the Sidel Matrix platform, we are already seeing growinginterest in an offer which combines the broad, proven andupgradeable system that is Sidel Matrix with a solution whichprovides significant opportunities for extending shelf life andbottle lightweighting."
Continuing the CSD theme, Sidel used Brau Beviale to discuss itslatest developments in complete line solutions for CSDapplications. Variety, flexibility and cost-efficiency areessential to the success in this sector of the market. With theSidel Matrix system, Sidel challenges the limits of what one systemis capable of, providing more possibilities in the four key areasof line flexibility, product integrity, production efficiency andconsumption reduction.
In addition to innovations in equipment and technologies, thecompany also highlighted to visitors the importance of SidelServices™, a complete portfolio helping producers increase thevalue of their beverage production, lower energy consumption andoptimise production efficiency and sustainability.