At Refresco's production plant in Bruchsal, Germany, Sidel's EvoBlow Laser technology has been implemented as a key solution for further reducing the weight of 1.5 l PET bottles while maintaining their mechanical and quality parameters. The innovative laser-based preform heating system, which has been operating for over a year in industrial conditions, is redefining the approach to lightweight PET bottles and is affecting the efficiency and stability of stretch blow molding and packaging lines, including when using recycled raw material.
Unlike traditional halogen preform heating systems, the EvoBlow Laser technology enables precise, spot heating with full control of the temperature profile. The solution uses up to 36 heating lines along the preform, which allows more uniform and targeted heating of areas critical for subsequent stretch blow molding. This configuration translates into the possibility of further optimizing the geometry and weight of PET bottles without deterioration of their performance, as well as into increased process stability with changing formulations and rPET contents.
Breakthrough precision in preform temperature control delivers results that cannot be achieved with standard halogen solutions. As emphasized by Gabriele Luna, indirect procurement director at Refresco: "We have been able to reduce the weight of the bottles while maintaining their strength and robustness. For us, the real value is the level of control and stability that this technology provides in daily production."
Material savings and process stability
The key benefit of implementing EvoBlow Laser technology at Refresco is the ability to reduce material consumption by up to 15 percent without compromising the required stiffness and durability of bottles during filling, transport and distribution. A lighter preform, combined with controlled heating profile and stretch blow molding parameters, makes it possible to decrease unit PET consumption, which is relevant from both cost and environmental perspectives.
The laser system also affects the way stretch blow molding lines are operated. It provides a higher degree of repeatability, ease of use and efficiency, especially in situations where frequent changes between different molds, preforms or material formulations are necessary. This is particularly important in the context of increasing shares of recycled PET, which is characterized by higher variability of properties compared to virgin material.
The EvoBlow Laser technology has been tested at Refresco with up to 100 percent rPET. In practice, this enables the production of bottles containing 50 percent and 70 percent rPET using the same stretch blow molding recipe. This approach reduces the number of process parameter adjustments required when changing the share of recycled material. In addition, due to more targeted heating, the solution contributes to energy savings in the heating zone compared with traditional halogen ovens.
The importance of stability and simplified process settings is highlighted by Daniel Debruijn, PET specialist at Refresco: "Every day I manage many changes in preforms or materials. With the traditional halogen oven we often have to adjust the process multiple times. With the laser technology, you simply load a new recipe, start the blower and the bottle is ready the first time."
The stability of parameters and simplified operation make unplanned stops and restarts of the line less demanding for operators. The elimination of warm-up and cool-down times typical of traditional heating solutions means that the technology is practically immediately available, which translates into increased effective line availability and reduced downtime.
Line performance and processing of high rPET contents
Thanks to the capability to precisely shape the preform temperature profile, the EvoBlow Laser technology supports achieving high line performance with consistent bottle quality, even under increasing requirements on recycled content. High rPET contents in bottles, at 50 percent and 70 percent, impose higher demands on the stability of the stretch blow molding process and temperature control, which in classic halogen systems often results in a greater number of adjustments and production trials.
In the laser-based solution, a key role is played by the ability to save and recall ready-made recipes for different preform configurations and material blends. For plants with high product variety and frequent changeovers, this translates into shorter time needed to stabilize the process and reduced production losses during series start-up.
The use of lasers also allows more energy-efficient operation of the heating process, as energy is directed exactly to those areas of the preform that are critical for subsequent stretching and blow molding. As a result, it is possible to reduce energy consumption while maintaining or improving bottle quality.
Refresco and Sidel partnership in implementing innovation
The development and implementation of EvoBlow Laser technology at the Refresco plant in Bruchsal were made possible by close cooperation between the beverage producer and Sidel. Refresco, as a supplier of beverage solutions for retailers and global, national and emerging brands, provided a demanding test environment and participated in tailoring the system to the needs of large-scale production.
Coert Michielsen, supply chain director at Refresco, assesses the relationship with the technology supplier as follows: "We are very satisfied with the relationship we have with Sidel. It helps us to remain competitive and to challenge constructively, and it is present in more than 45 of our plants worldwide." This underlines the importance of a broad service and engineering footprint when implementing solutions intended for use across many production sites.
The importance of long-term cooperation is also emphasized by Marina De Barros, executive vice president of customer management for Europe and Central Asia at Sidel: "Trust is something that Sidel and Refresco have been building over the years through various innovations and joint projects. We work hand in hand with Refresco, sharing information and exchanging experience on market trends and business challenges. This enables us to continuously adapt and improve the technologies of the future."
The combination of Refresco's scale of operations and manufacturing experience with the technology development carried out by Sidel demonstrates how innovative concepts can be transformed into stable, industry-ready solutions in the field of PET packaging forming and lightweighting.
