Sidel introduces StarLITE R, a breakthrough 100% rPET bottle solution that addresses the challenges faced by carbonated soft drink (CSD) packaging producers in working with recycled content and supports the move towards material circularity in the industry.
Drawing on its extensive expertise in PET packaging and 45 years of experience in the blowing sector, Sidel has developed a deep understanding of the characteristics of recycled PET resin and its impact on bottle production.
According to Laurent Naveau, packaging innovator leader at Sidel, the characteristics of rPET are influenced by various factors, including seasonality and different PET collection models across regions and countries. Additionally, recycling processes and equipment can also affect PET resin, presenting new challenges for manufacturers aiming to incorporate rPET content in their bottles.
In addition to the common challenges faced in CSD bottle manufacturing, such as stress cracking and bursting, the processing of rPET requires higher temperatures. This can result in reduced control over material stretching and distribution during the bottle-making process.
Sidel’s StarLITE R leverages cutting-edge technologies to enable efficient rPET bottle production by expanding the process window. The design of StarLITE R allows for easier blowing within a wider range of parameter settings, resulting in higher quality bottles.
To ensure a high-performing rPET bottle base, StarLITE R incorporates an optimized mould base profile and an advanced stretch rod end design. The new mould base profile facilitates optimal material distribution through advanced stretching and provides a high base clearance for enhanced stability. The advanced stretch rod end design improves preform end-cap material stretching and ensures precise injection gate centering on the bottle. Furthermore, the combination of grooves and venting holes enables the formation of high-precision base feet.
The bottle solution also employs dual external and internal bottle base cooling mechanisms to achieve the desired shape. Externally, a mould base cooling circuit targets the warmer bottle base regions, while internally, a hollow-stretch rod eliminates the need for additional air supply.
“The StarLITE R bottle is designed to enable carbonated soft drink manufacturers to embrace rPET,” says Laurent Naveau. The innovative bottle base design provides superior protection against deformation, increased resistance to bursting, and optimal stability, all while guaranteeing product quality.
With convenient installation on existing production lines and compatibility with Sidel’s EvoBLOW, Universal, and Series 2 blow moulders, the new bottle solution is suitable for high-speed productions and can be seamlessly adapted to current bottle designs.
Explore more: [food packaging]
In conclusion, Sidel’s introduction of StarLITE R as a 100% rPET bottle solution marks a significant advancement in the industry’s efforts towards material circularity. This breakthrough technology addresses the challenges associated with incorporating recycled content in CSD packaging, offering manufacturers a streamlined and efficient process while ensuring high-quality and stable bottles.