SIDEL HAS DEVELOPED A NEW PET BOTTLE BASE FOR STILL DRINKS WITH A UNIQUE SHAPE THAT INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY THE BASE RESISTANCE AND STABILITY.
This means it can improve bottle rigidity, whilst lowering package weight and also energy consumption during production. The end result is a PET bottle that can cost less to produce, yet offer better pallet stability and higher bottle integrity throughout the supply chain, without compromising on the safety standards of the beverage inside. The base is especially suited for water and juices, and under certain conditions can also be used for other still beverages.
The Sidel StarLite™ bottle base utilises two proprietary PET design innovations: the Edge Beam™, which is a specific groove structure that improves base stiffness, and the Smart Disc™, a disc structure that reinforces the base to prevent deformation. The base can be retrofitted into existing bottle designs and shapes, and applied to existing production lines, using Sidel's accompanying StarLite mould bases. The design can be used for all Sidel blowing platforms and output speeds, including the new Sidel Matrix™ system for liquid packaging, and the following filling solutions: regular, ultra clean and aseptic.
Sidel's packaging experts analysed different base designs to achieve optimum strength. They then carried out numerous computer simulations followed by real-world physical tests. In those tests the StarLite design resulted in:
- Increased base stability and resistance: Up to a 30% increase in top-load dent resistance when the bottle is on a pallet, and up to a 55% increase in side-load resistance, a particular advantage when the bottle is on a conveyor or in a vending machine, for example. Overall pallet integrity also increased by up to 50% during transportation.
- Increased resistance to extreme temperatures (hot or cold), making it especially useful for storage in harsh conditions. In tests the bottle lasted up to 25 days without bottle deformation in 50°C conditions, and recorded up to a 50% decrease in base rollout under frozen conditions.
- Reduced package weight: Increased lightweighting possibilities of up to 1 gram of PET for a 0.5 litre bottle or 2 grams on a 1.5 litre format. The base is also compatible with nitrogen drop technology, which further increases lightweighting opportunities.
- Less energy consumption: The required blowing pressure is less than 20 bars, offering a reduction in air pressure of up to a 25%.
- More design flexibility: The StarLite base is also compatible with nitrogen drop technology, meaning that lightweighting can be pushed further. Furthermore, if the bottle pressure generated by the nitrogen dosing is 0.8 bar or under, StarLite can replace the traditional mini-petaloide base usually associated with carbonated soft drinks in the mind of consumers.
"Our customers are increasingly looking for ways to save costs, remain competitive and achieve their sustainability goals," explains Vincent Le Guen, Vice President for Packaging & Tooling at Sidel. "One way of achieving these goals simultaneously is to lightweight the bottle, but you need to ensure package integrity is not affected and the bottle remains attractive for consumers. The new Sidel StarLite™ base enables you to both reduce package weight and blowing pressure, and actually increase base resistance to deformation. When combined with Sidel's other eco-services, we can achieve significant energy and cost savings on new or existing beverage production lines."
More information about the new Sidel StarLite bottle base, including example cost savings, can be found at www.sidel.com/starlite.
