Filling and packaging systems manufacturer KHS has helped German startup share in the design and development PET bottles made of 100% recyclate.
Image: With its expertise from the Bottles & Shapes consultancy program the KHS group supported share in the design and development of the bottle. Photo: courtesy of share / Victor Strasse.
Berlin-based share is claimed to be the first beverage producer in Germany to sell its water in PET recylate bottles, which are designed using KHS’ Bottles & Shapes consultancy program.
The German firm plans to fill water into about a million bottles a month from 2019 made entirely of recycled PET, which will save more than 200 tons of plastics waste per year.
The product has been on sale supermarket chain REWE and drug store dm for several weeks.
Share head of product and social projects Iris Braun said: “KHS developed the bottle very quickly for us which was enormously helpful.”
Bottler Mineralbrunne Allgäuer Alpenwasser and preform manufacturer Plastipack are share’s other partners in the project.
The Allgäuer Alpenwasser bottling facility in Oberstaufen is being used to bottle share’s still and carbonated water using KHS technology.
The bottles are blown on an InnoPET Blomax stretch blow molder, without the requirement of special adaptations to the system.
KHS Corpoplast’s Marc Eysel, who is responsible for sales in Northern Europe, said said there were no unusual hurdles or challenges to be overcome through the use of 100 per cent recyclate.
“Manufacture is actually simpler as the material’s darker color makes the preforms easier to heat than PET bottles made of virgin material,” Eysel said.
After the market launch of the recyclate bottle, interest is now also increasing among other beverage manufcaturers, emphasize Braun and Eysel.
Eysel said: “A number of bottlers wishing to increase the amount of recycled PET they use have now contacted us.”
Earlier this year, KHS unveiled Innopas SX tunnel pasteuriser to give bottlers greater flexibility in the pasteurization process.
The completely modular KHS Innopas SX tunnel pasteurizer can be used for cans and glass and PET bottles.
KHS said the basic functions of the Innopas SX are initially similar to the tried-and-tested tunnel pasteurizer systems provided by the company.