PRODUCT WATCH: Krones turns the heat up on NitroHotfill

Growing demand for bottled beverages in the Asian market has prompted beverage equipment maker Krones to take into account local environmental conditions in the latest update to its NitroHotfill technology.

Originally introduced in 2009 to offer cost and energy savings to the hot-filling process, Krones' NitroHotfill technology enables bottles to be produced with a minimised weight without featuring the typical vacuum panels.

The process requires significantly less energy, is cost-efficient and the same designs can be produced on both aseptic and hotfill lines.

The company has now announced enhancements to the system based on four years of practical field experience development work.

Of particular note, the company says the technology is now capable of operating infilling temperatures of up to 90 degrees Celsius, which it says is especially relevant for customers in Asian countries.

The technology also enables the base design of bottles to be substantially improved.

In addition to the bases already successfully in use, which permit extremely light container weights of just 15.5 grams for 500-millilitre bottles, the technology enables flatter, design-optimised bases to be produced, significantly improving the visual appearance of the finished containers.

Other benefits of the upgraded technology include up to 40 per cent less energy use compared to conventional hotfill processes, a very high potential for lightweighting and an enhanced scope for creative design, with panel-free sidewalls and new, flatter bases.

Krones equipment is distributed in Australia through J.L. Lennard Packaging (www.jllennard.com.au).