kind of “status update for the sector. Which supplier is developing what, where is the sector headed? In Munich you can ask these questions and get answers. drinktec is the number one fair for us, it´s where we present our innovations to the international trade audience. Here we have a chance to meet in person the customers that you are not in daily contact with. Because drinktec is a veritable ‘Who´s Who’ of the international beverage and liquid food sector”.
Three major trends
What will be happening in the area of filling beverages and liquid foods in 2017? Three major trends are emerging in filling technology:
-100 percent product safety through consequent hygienic design
-Maximizing the filling performance
-Strengthening sustainability and reducing consumption of media
“This is being made possible through continuous improvements along the entire product route, for example, by increasing the degree of automation of filling valves or by using intelligent filling valve components”, explained Thomas Ricker, Director at Krones.
A block configuration, mechanically and electronically combining individual machines into a single unit, has also proved to be an excellent tool in further optimizing filling processes. The inline production of PET containers and immediate filling without intermediate conveyors also facilitates the use of lightweight bottles.
Qualities of glass with the weight advantages of PET
“In filling, PET bottles are becoming increasingly important. With suitable coating processes the optimum qualities of glass can be combined with the weight advantages of the PET bottle”, says Chairman of the Executive Board of KHS AG, Dortmund, Professor Dr.-Ing. Matthias Niemeyer. Innovations like a lightweight 1-liter PET bottle for milk and milk-based beverages underlines this drive. It can be filled aseptically, it protects the product, reduces production costs and is fully recyclable. Niemeyer also sees efficiency and flexibility benefits for the user through direct connection of the blower, labeller and filler. These benefits are especially clear in the case of the high-performance requirements of the global players.
Availability is key with aseptic filling
At least for the filling of sensitive, weakly acid beverages in PET containers, aseptic seems to be emerging as the favored option. Already a wide variety of choices are being offered by the manufacturers and used by the fillers, always carefully targeted to the specific application. Whether cold-aseptic filling with paracetic acid or dry-aseptic filling with hydrogen peroxide, whether sterilization of the finished container or already of the preform, whether an individual machine or blocking of units—the best solution for the application depends on the requirement criteria of the operator.