Beer Containers Freed From the Film
Together with the Belgian brewery Martens, KHS has implemented a non-shrink-wrapped pack for Karlskrone, which is distributed by Aldi Süd. Among other things, this saves up to 67 percent energy. This is not only an ecological advantage, it also pays off.
Even less plastic on the shelf: Karlskrone beer is now offered as a six-pack in the film-free Nature MultiPack (NMP) from KHS. The new solution uses adhesive dots instead of shrink film to join beverage bottles into a stable pack. According to KHS, this can save up to 90 percent packaging. Compared to the previously common pack variant made of film weighing 7.5 grams, only 1.5 grams of adhesive would now be required.
The beverage manufacturer also saves up to 67 percent energy during production compared to packaging in film. This is because there is no need to heat up the material. Another sustainability factor: The 0.5-liter PET bottles are made of 100 percent recycled material.
Project with signal effect
After Evian and Carlsberg, the Belgian brewery Martens is another partner that relies on KHS technology and successfully establishes its product on the market. “The current project is one with a signal effect,” says brewery boss Jan Martens with conviction. “The development of environmentally friendly packaging makes it clear that with the commitment of all those involved, it is possible to successfully establish sustainable solutions on the market,” adds Edgar-George Petsche, Manager Market Zone Europe/CIS at KHS.
Currently, Martens can process up to 40,000 PET bottles per hour as NMP. Packaging in film is also still possible thanks to the modular machine design, emphasizes Petsche, who sees economic advantages for the bottlers in a changeover of the portfolio. “An investment in the NMP solution pays for itself in less than three years due to the lower raw material input”.
