PET for aseptic milk

Huanlejia, well-known as a Chinese producer of food and beverages, recently switched from HDPE to PET bottles for its coconut milk; its main objectives in this change were to reinforce brand image and increase production speed.

PET bottles filled aseptically have a one-year shelf life.
PET bottles filled aseptically have a one-year shelf life.

Supplying the two lines that produce the PET bottles at 48,000/hr was Sidel (www.sidel.com). Decoration and branding is delivered by way of a full-body shrink sleeve label. The new product has been well received by consumers and also won an award in China’s annual 2018 Chengdu Food and Drinks Fair.

Strong, unbreakable, light, transparent, safe, and 100% recyclable, the PET bottle ensures the coconut milk 12-month shelf life. There is no need for a sterilized aluminum foil before capping because the tightness between the bottle neck and the cap is so secure.

Sidel’s strong reputation in the aseptic sector-- from product preparation and treatment through aseptic packaging steps to logistics--was key when Huanlejia acquired the two new PET packaging lines. Acquiring complete line solutions from a single supplier is a logical choice: it simplifies the customers’ journey from purchasing, through installation and commissioning, and right up to the line’s operational lifetime and performance guarantee.

Both of the new lines – which started production in Linyi, Shandong province, and Hanchuan, Hubei province, between March and April 2018 – are equipped with the Sidel Aseptic Combi Sensofill, applying traditional wet bottle decontamination to ensure beverage integrity. Also part of the picture at each plant is the Sidel MatrixTM modular blow molding system. Equipped with electrical stretching capabilities, the Matrix delivers accurate material distribution. Also, process deviations can be automatically detected and eliminated with the IntelliblowerTM system, Sidel’s patented blowing process control and self-regulation tool.

The new lines also include Gebo Cermex conveyors and automatic Pal-Kombi palletizers. The entire lines’ efficiency will be tracked and optimized with the EIT® (Efficiency Improvement Tool) system. It allows improved productivity and gives employees at all levels of the organization real-time access to relevant and actionable information on performance, quality, efficiency, losses, and other production-related issues.

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