Packaging ¦ IDM
PET is a great resource
Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis merges dry preform sterilisation with aseptic blowing,
filling and sealing functions (photo: Sidel)
February 2020 ¦ international-dairy.com · 15
IDM met José Priante from Sidel
During the BrauBeviale trade
show, held last November
in Germany, IDM asked José
Priante, Sidel’s Vice President
Sales Beverages Europe and
Central Asia (ECA) about the future of plastics
as packaging material. Priante pointed
to the growing market for liquid dairy foods
on a worldwide scale as well as to the continued
growth of the dairy alternatives category.
Sidel, he said, is very well positioned in
this field based on its Predis dry sterilisation
technology for PET preforms.
PET, Priante said, is a great resource
for packaging. The problem is mismanagement
of waste. The corner stone of circular
economy is waste collection, especially to
avoid leakage on lands, in rivers and oceans.
However, the situation will change soon as
governments have started to tackle plastic
waste worldwide, implementing proper infrastructures
and legal frameworks to support
good collection systems. Priante added
that PET is perfectly suitable for a true circular
economy of plastics: this is the only
plastic packaging material that can be recycled
bottle-to-bottle, provided that local
regulations allow it, no other polymer offers
this advantage. He pointed out China where
those who do not feed plastic into recycling
are fined. ”I don’t see a threat to PET,” Priante
said. ”At Sidel, we are closely working
together with our partners along the plastics
value chain with the goal of addressing
the pollution crisis at its source and keeping
plastics within the economy.”
Sidel has meanwhile installed over
180 Predis systems. According to Priante,
this is the fastest dry aseptic solution for
low acid products available on the market,
capable of speeds up to 60,000 bph. Predis
is also the most flexible solution for aseptic
PET bottling as it is suitable for both still
and carbonated products. The Sidel Aseptic
Combi Predis has been FDA-validated since
2017: this industry first helped sensitive
drinks producers based in Asia and South
America expand their market reach, as they
can now export their goods to the US.
Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis
The Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis merges
dry preform sterilisation with aseptic
blowing, filling and sealing functions
within a single production enclosure. It
differs from traditional aseptic technology
because the package decontamination
takes place at the preform rather than at
the bottle phase.
The world’s first aseptic PET filling
equipment with dry preform sterilisation
approved by the US FDA (Food and Drug
Administration), the Sidel Aseptic Combi
Predis is an important step forward in
terms of sustainable production because it
does not require any water and uses only
minimal amounts of chemicals. To date,
it has globally contributed to saving ten
billion litres of water, while producing 60
billion bottles.
The blower oven activates the sterilising
effect of the hydrogen peroxide vapour,
thus eliminating the need for additional
heating of the preforms, saving further
on resources. Moreover, it offers unlimited
lightweighting potential, for reduced PET
raw material consumption, and allows for
expanded design flexibility.
PET is perfectly suitable for a true circular
economy of plastics (photo: IDM)