Energy-efficient production of oval PET bottles now attainable

Preferential heating, filling and packaging equipment supplier KHS Group provides an energy-efficient method for producing oval polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles with an optimised weight.

Companies in the food industry and consumer goods manufacturers such as chemicals company Henkel, are opting for this cutting-edge technology.

It also enables complex containers to be economically produced in-house, with no need for external procurement. In using preferential heating, Henkel improves its ecological footprint and simplifies its logistics and production processes. At its facility in Wassertrüdingen, Germany, the concern has now invested in a KHS stretch blow moulder featuring the new technology for its Fa body care brand.

Reducing the bottle weight, while simultaneously increasing the percentage of recyclate used in the packaging, were the key factors that influenced Henkel’s decision to buy this technology.

Henkel has relied on stretch blow moulding technology from KHS for decades. The Dortmund system supplier’s tried-and-tested Blomax machines with preferential heating are used to make containers for fabric softener and household detergents in the company’s Laundry & Home Care business unit globally – and now for shower gel in Germany.

“With this measure, we’re consistently aiming to further reduce our ecological footprint throughout our value chain,” says Henkel Beauty Care executive Claus Meyer.

Owing to proven KHS technology and a capacity of up to 21 700 bottles each hour, Henkel’s production processes are now even more efficient. The company also benefits from a more flexible logistics setup, confirms KHS global account manager Björn von Lengerke.

“You can make the respective containers for the various products yourself. This makes production plans more flexible.”

At the same time, fewer resources are used as trucks no longer have to travel lengthy distances – an important consideration when it comes to climate protection.

As a reliable partner, KHS is helping to make Henkel’s portfolio more sustainable. Thanks to the former’s holistic Bottles & Shapes container design consultancy programme, the customer’s 250 mℓ bottle now consumes 14% less material than previous versions – while maintaining the required bottle quality.

The bottles also consist entirely of recycled PET, with 25% of this being known as what is Social Plastic.

“We’re planning on also increasing this percentage in other containers in the future to make our entire portfolio even more ecofriendly. For instance, by 2025, 100% of Henkel’s packaging is to be recyclable or reusable,” says Henkel Wassertrüdingen production site MD Christian Bauer.

Even with high recyclate contents of up to 100%, extremely oval bottles can be formed, according to Von Lengerke. “In the preferential heating method, preforms are first heated in the heater as they rotate. In the downstream section, rotation is halted, so that only certain areas of the PET preforms are heated further.”

A heater box specially designed for this purpose transfers the required heating energy through opposite heater levels. This optimises the material distribution and stability of the bottle. This process has various advantages, not only in the beauty care range, but also when processing cleaning agents, laundry detergents or personal care products that are often filled into oval PET bottles.