KHS’ Double Gate (DoGa) heating concept generates impressive energy saving for CCEP
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) is taking energy saving in its PET bottle manufacturing operations to the next level by replacing not one but two older machines with the InnoPET Blomax.
The bottler has found the performance of the latest generation of KHS’ proven stretch blow moulding machinery, located in the district of Knetzgau in Lower Franconia, one of the biggest Coca-Cola factories in Germany, has exceeded expectations largely thanks to KHS’ optional Double Gate (DoGa) heating concept.
The site, which employs around 500 personnel, producing Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Light, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Mezzo Mix, Sprite, has made it its aim to create a more sustainable future.
KHS maintains the unit stands out for two reasons: firstly, the heater used to heat the PET preforms operates with what’s known as near infrared radiation (NIR) that in itself is far more efficient than many of the infrared heaters otherwise installed. Secondly, the InnoPET Blomax conveys the preforms without primary reflectors in two lanes on both sides of the lamps, enabling their energy to be applied much more effectively for heating. In addition to its specific energy savings, the Double Gate is also compact.
In Knetzgau, project manager Ralph Sauter spent a long time deliberating over the investment in advance, drawing up a comparison of various systems on the market. Not one but two old stretch blow moulders manufactured in 1998 were to be replaced that were no longer expected to satisfy the company’s requirements regarding energy efficiency and the general availability of spare parts.
“In view of the targets we’ve set ourselves, saving energy plays a big role for us. With its new Double Gate technology and the savings this makes, the KHS system was of great interest to us,” says Sauter.
Now that the machine has been up and running for a few weeks since its successful acceptance, he reckons on saving up to 560,000 kWh per year.
“All suppliers have understood the importance of this issue,” states Sauter, but “compared to other systems on the market, the KHS setup generates far greater savings.
“We’re impressed by the functionality and performance of our new machine,” he adds. “The Blomax processes 20,000 2.0-litre containers and 30,000 1.5-litre containers an hour – and as it’s so flexible, it can be perfectly integrated into our line.”
The project manager also points out that the biggest challenge at the production site was to convert the existing bottle air conveyor so that it served not two but just one machine. As the conveyor’s position was fixed, the new system had to be aligned in the bottle shop with centimetre accuracy. This is confirmed by Marc Harald Eysel, sales manager for PET technology at KHS. “This was an exciting task for us.”
He’s keen to stress, however, that adjustments like these in the interests of the customer are a matter of course for KHS. “We don’t just want to convince our clients with the system performance alone.”
While requirements in Knetzgau have initially been met by the new investment, KHS is generally seeing a fast-growing demand for energy-cutting technologies such as the Double Gate. “Even in comparison with modern stretch blow molding systems installed up to about the end of the last decade, our machinery saves a maximum of 30% in energy,” Eysel concludes.
