SIPA’s research and development team has engineered what it describes as a groundbreaking large-format PET mineral water bottle that provides significant cost savings and environmental benefits, emphasizing innovations in food and beverage packaging.
The eight-litre bottle boasts a 38-mm neck, which is identical to the five-litre version. This thoughtful design streamlines production processes, enabling swift transitions between the two sizes while minimizing downtime, according to SIPA.
Traditionally, large bottle manufacturers have employed wider necks for 8-litre formats, typically around 48 mm, which are also used for 10-litre bottles. Consequently, switching formats necessitates changing both the bottle body and neck moulds, increasing production time. Notably, SIPA’s novel approach eliminates this issue by utilizing a 38-mm neck for both five-litre and eight-litre bottles.
SIPA highlights that this design offers several key advantages:
- Reduced preform weight: 38-mm neck preforms are approximately 6 grammes lighter than their 48-mm counterparts, leading to lower material costs.
- Increased preform availability: 38-mm neck preforms are more readily accessible in the market.
- Simplified cap sourcing: Caps for 38-mm necks are easier to procure, enhancing supply chain efficiency.
Moreover, SIPA’s design team has incorporated a visually appealing and functional wave pattern into the 8-litre bottle. This pattern optimizes the preform stretch ratio, enhancing the bottle’s top load and side load resistance—critical factors in food and beverage packaging for large-format containers.
This intricate design was realized through the adaptability of SIPA’s SFL linear stretch-blow moulding platform. The SFL Dynamic 2H can produce up to 1100 bottles per hour per cavity, and other models, such as the SFL Performance 3H, SFL Big 4, and SFL Maxi 3, are also compatible with these bottle sizes.