Esure product integrity, optimise uptime, minimise costs
16 February 2017
16/02/2017
Beverage producers are currently facing multiplechallenges. Their packaging solutions need to be innovative andable to offer great consumer experiences. Also, they have toensure product integrity to meet food safetystandards.
All of this, without compromising on cost effectiveness. Sidelhas worked with liquid dairy products (LDP) and juices, nectars,soft drinks, isotonics and teas (JNSDIT) producers for over 50years - developing extensive experience and expertise in asepticpackaging. This means that the company can offer all the provenbenefits of reliable PET aseptic complete line solutions.
The increasing consumption rates of JNSDIT and LDP products -growing respectively by 6% and 5% on a yearly basis - providessignificant business development opportunities for producers. Theuse of PET in these market segments continues to increase, with anannual growth of 3% expected for the JNSDIT sector and 8% for LDPby 2020. Producers can enlarge their bottling capacity ordiversify their production with more value-added products in PET tomaximise this market potential.
Whatever the industry business goals, one concernstands above all others: food safety. PET bottles offer greatphysical protection and food barrier benefits that maintain theproduct's safety and integrity across the supply chain. GuillaumeRolland, Sensitive Products Category Director at Sidel, comments -"Worldwide, consumers are becoming increasingly health-consciousand moving towards drinks with a more natural taste. This hasbrought a focus from producers on filling methods that protect thequality, taste and vitamin content of the beverages. Hot fill andaseptic filling solutions maintain the properties of beverages."Using PET in aseptic packaging solutions offers great businessopportunities through bottling sensitive products to be distributedat ambient temperature, preserving organoleptic properties andkeeping them free from bacteria. It gives products a shelf lifewithout pasteurisation, hot filling or the use of preservatives orsterilising agents.
By choosing a PET aseptic complete line solution from Sidel,beverage producers can protect sensitive drinks and differentiatebrands, handling a broad variety of products while reducingenvironmental impact and costs.
Optimised aseptic production
By partnering with Sidel, producers work with a single,market-leading supplier and can leverage an extensive 40 years ofaseptic packaging expertise. Meeting producers' needs via fullyconnected aseptic lines requires an approach that is both holisticand flexible. The company's fully integrated and technicallyadvanced solutions employ the processing equipment and capabilitiesof Tetra Pak Processing Systems (TPPS) - the original inventor ofaseptic technology. Over the years, Sidel and TPPS have beencombining competencies and expertise to define and execute almost100 complete lines projects.
Sidel's extensive experience, innovative equipment andprofessional services, assist customers through the entireproduction process. This ranges from differentiating and customisedbottle and complete line design to fast production ramp-up andbeyond. Tackling the challenges of sensitive beverages whilemaintaining cost-efficiency, the company helps producers packagetheir products with the correct PET solution. It ensures foodsafety, product integrity and longevity while providing the supportto build and differentiate their brand.
Beverage and packaging solutions qualified by in-houseexperts
Sensitive drinks can be affected by variousfactors when they are packaged - micro-organisms, light, oxygen andtemperature. As well as ensuring that these do not detract from thequality of the content, PET also presents real opportunities toenhance the finished product. If Sidel's scientific expertise onbeverage packaging and industrial production is involved early in anew product packaging project, producers will be able to optimisebottle performance while ensuring product safety and quality. Theywill also achieve faster time to market and bottle designs whichstand out on the supermarket shelves.
Sidel experts in chemistry, microbiology, food science, fillingprocesses and packaging materials help customers to qualifyspecific packaging solutions. This can involve a number ofprocesses, including evaluating bottle samples and performingphysical, chemical and sensory analyses to determine how the liquidinteracts with the package. Tests are carried out under supplychain conditions to determine the optimal solution for defineddistribution methods and shelf life. Based on the results, Sidelexperts then make recommendations on bottle barrier material,weight, shape and type of cap, in order to ensure the product'sdesired shelf life.
Creating value from concept to customer
At five packaging centres and four in-house R&D laboratoriesaround the world, Sidel aims to create value in every phase of thesupply chain. Based on the customer's individual specifications,supply chain conditions and product goals, Sidel designers provideeverything to turn a producer's wish from idea to reality, creatinginnovative packaging to protect beverage quality and give thefinished product a memorable and differentiating look. Thosepackaging solutions maintain optimum line performance using lessmaterial and energy, yet increasing product shelf life and alwaysdelivering a great consumer experience. Every year Sidel works onmore than 250,000 new bottle concepts and 8,000 bottle designs.
For new lines and the conversion of existing lines, the Sidelmoulds for these bottles are designed for fast production andoptimal performance. Made from quality aluminium or stainless steeland tested using real-world mechanical analysis and virtual stresssimulations for maximum uptime, they are engineered to last. Themoulds offer great freedom of design with fast, easy changeovers -and can be adapted to all generations of the company's blowers.
Scientifically proven dry aseptic solution
Sidel's unique PET aseptic filling solution with dry preformdecontamination ensures product integrity, production flexibility,cost efficiency and sustainability. Based on the obvious fact thatit is simpler to decontaminate the preform rather than the blownbottle, Sidel patented this unique technology - Sidel Predis™ -which uses hydrogen peroxide mist to sterilise the preforms.Injected into the preforms just before they enter the oven, theperoxide mist is activated during the existing preform heatingstage. The same technology is used for cap decontamination withSidel's Capdis™. "By integrating preform decontamination, blowingand filling functions with cap decontamination in a singleenclosure, the Sidel aseptic Combi Predis ensures a completelysterile filled and capped PET bottle with a 100% dry asepticsolution", explains Rolland.
To ensure food safety on a line, it should be simple,because a line with few critical factors is
managed more easily and effectively. This is achieved byminimising the sterile zone to reduce risk of contamination,continuously monitoring critical parameters and controllingpotential contamination. This process ensures a high level ofdecontamination up to a Sterility Assurance Level (SAL) of Log 6,without need for blow moulder sterilisation. This aseptic CombiPredis uses membrane-free magnetic filling for safe, hygienicfilling with flow meter control for high accuracy. It is also easyto operate and maintain.
The end result is reliable, simple asepticbeverage production in PET bottles, ideal for products distributedat ambient temperature. Additionally, it can help to lengthen shelflife and reformulate more sensitive beverages that would otherwiseneed added preservatives to maintain food safety. Suitable foraseptic production ranging from 10,000 to 60,000 bottles per hour,it can handle a broad variety of drinks (still beverages orproducts with pulps), including those with high or low acidity suchas UHT milk and soy or yak milk. "Now with multiple installationsthroughout the world, the Sidel Combi Predis offers producers thesimplest and fastest aseptic solution embedding dry preformdecontamination. Compared to traditional aseptic filling systems,it ensures maximum cost-efficiency with the highest uptime", addsRolland. By significantly reducing chemicals and not using anywater to decontaminate the package, the savings can be substantial.It also contributes to extensive lightweighting possibilities todecrease the amount of PET used. It offers a potential output of upto 2,400 bottles per hour per mould, with a continuous aseptic runof 165 hours between cleaning and sterilisation cycles. Simple,fast and safe changeovers with limited manual intervention arepossible with Bottle Switch™, the tool-free system that reducesmould changeover times to 40 seconds each. Liquid changeoversrequire less downtime too, with only three hours cleaning andsterilisation between bottle-to-bottle production.
Flexible production line to build end-userengagement
For the sensitive drinks producer, the challenge lies inensuring product safety and quality across the supply chain. It isalso important for a beverage or dairy brand to stand out on thesupermarket shelf to influence consumer purchasing decisions as thechoice of a product is made in a matter of seconds. The label andthe pack help significantly in attracting consumers' attention andencouraging them to select one product over another. Sidel'scomplete aseptic lines are able to take advantage of a wide rangeof versatile, reliable labelling and packing solutions to helpbeverage producers to attract and differentiate, while ensuringsustainable production. Whether roll-fed or sleeve labels arerequired for aseptic beverages, Sidel labellers can handle anylabel format with fast, consistent roll-fed labelling or efficient,high-quality, heat-shrink sleeve labelling. Whether shrink-printedfilm, nested packs or wrap-around cartons are required, it isimportant to keep this layer appealing, strong and functional.Sidel flexible secondary packing systems offer reliable packconsistency and durable quality, while the company's palletisingsolutions and compact robotic solutions, with high productionspeeds and multiple patterns, handle a variety of products, packsand layers with easy operation and greater line versatility.
Maximised uptime today and tomorrow
Even if the ideal packaging solution is implemented, the realitywith any production line is that, over time, performance willdecline without intervention. "The goal is to maintain and improvean aseptic line's productivity, efficiency and performance levelsthroughout its lifetime. Similarly, it is important to upgrade theexisting line with new technologies that can boost productivity tonew levels and help to lower total cost", concludes Rolland. Thededicated Sidel Services team offers producers a tailored portfoliothat can increase the safety and value of an aseptic productionline for long-term success. They will monitor line equipment, planfor downtime and reduce unexpected costs. As Sidel continuouslydevelops and upgrades aseptic solutions to reduce the need forenergy, water and raw materials, lowering total cost and improvingenvironmental footprint, producers of LDP or JNSDIT products canensure their equipment is not left behind. These new technologies -along with Sidel line conversion, training and proactive spareparts management - can also optimise costs and deliver theflexibility to keep up with changes in consumer demand.
