SIPA chosen for first linear PET Hot-Fill bottle line in South Africa

SIPA of Veneto, Italy, a global leader of Stretch Blow Moulding Machines for the production of PET bottles, were chosen by Mondipak Plastics Wadeville, to supply South Africa’s first  linear blow moulding machine to be used to produce hot-fill PET bottles that are capable of handling temperatures of up to 87⁰C, during the hot-fill process.

Mondipak’s long term partner, Coca Cola South Africa, will use the new HR (heat resistant) PET bottles to provide a solution to growing consumer demand for preservative free beverages. An example of these beverages is Coca Cola’s recently launched Glaceau Vitamin water range that is sold in a 500ml hot–fill PET bottle.

Coca Cola Canners are the first to install a PET hot-fill line in South Africa and have worked closely with MondiPak to ensure that the SIPA HR technology meets their demands.

The machinery will produce four different hot fill bottle designs / sizes and produce bottles that are strong and recyclable. Using a special PET resin for hot–fill applications, the PET preform is specially designed with a reinforced neck finish which allows for hot filling of up to 87⁰C without prior crystallisation. The combination of SIPA’s specialised heat set blowing process, (to provide a relatively high crystalinity of the bottle wall) together with special design features of the bottle base and vacuum panels, results in a PET bottle that can eliminate visual deformation, limit shrinkage and maintain cap/neck compatibility and bottle capacity.

Mondipak believes the introduction of these HR PET bottles will accelerate the transition from glass bottles and metal cans to plastics packaging in South Africa for juices, isotonic beverages and teas.