The can body is co-injection molded of polypropylene and EVOH (for barrier purposes) by Milacron. A steel lid with a ring-pull opening feature is seamed onto the top after filling. This is described as the first commercial application of Milacron’s Klear Can technology. Milacron says the can is BPA-free, recyclable, fully microwavable, stackable, and uses the same industry standard can ends as well as the same filling, seaming, and retorting machinery as traditional metal cans. It’s designed to withstand retort pressures and temperatures up to 266 deg F. Graphics come by way of a full-body film label.
This two-piece format is a distinct departure from the three-piece see-through retortable plastic can from Sonoco that made its debut earlier this year. That can has a PP/tie/EVOH/tie/PP coextruded body that gets cut into individual units before having a steel ring-pull top crimped on by Sonoco. Included at the Sonoco plant is an induction sealing process that tightly bonds end to body; after filling at the customer’s plant, a bottom end is applied in the same fashion, including the induction sealing step.
