Food & Beverage Asia October/November 2021

62
FIRST LOOKS
Krones
Contiform 3 BigBottle produces
large PET containers
For millions of people all over the world,
packaged drinking water is an essential part
of their daily life. For households that want to
cover their basic requirement entirely or to a
great extent with packaged drinking water,
large-volume PET containers constitute a
sensible option. Hence, it is not surprising
that water and oil containers with a volume
of more than three litres account for 1% of
all plastic bottles worldwide. They are made
predominantly of polycarbonate (PC), HDPE
and PET. In view of its material properties,
chief and foremost its low weight, the latter
is the obvious option for non-returnable
containers.
CONTIFORM 3 BIGBOTTLE FOR
CONTAINERS HOLDING UP TO EIGHT
LITRES
In order to supply this growing market with
the requisite technology, the Krones Group
has expanded its product portfolio: The new
Contiform 3 BigBottle produces containers
with a volume of up to 8 litres, achieving
a respectable output into the bargain. It
features 10 to 14 cavities and can produce
approximately 10,000 to 16,800 containers
per hour. It is also able to handle smaller
formats from a volume of two litres upwards.
As far as container dimensions are
concerned, a net height of 380mm
maximum and a diameter of up to 190mm
are possible. Preform dimensions are 170mm
maximum for net length, 23mm maximum
for neck finish height and 53mm maximum
for neck ring height.
Bottlers, who want to operate their largecontainer
production in the lower speed
range, will find the requisite technology at
Kosme as before. The Krones subsidiary’s
machines feature four, six or eight cavities
and produce containers with a volume of up
the 11 litres. Linear machines for containers
holding up to 30 litres round off the portfolio.
As a large-container machine in the higher
output range, the Contiform 3 BigBottle
closes a gap in the group’s portfolio.
Something the stretch blow-moulders from
both Krones and Kosme have in common
is that they are ideally suited for handling
recycled PET and can be block-synchronised
with other machines. The first Contiform 3
BigBottle, too, did not leave the Krones plant
as a stand-alone machine: It was delivered
to China as part of a blow-moulder/filler
block. ■
Comexi
Comexi expands presence in Thailand with sale of Offset CI8
Press and ML1 MC Laminator to Prepack
Comexi has expanded its presence in
Thailand after the sale of the Offset CI8
printing press and ML1 MC laminator to
Prepack, a leading supplier of flexible
packaging in Thailand.
Presently, Prepack Thailand is a wellrecognised
Thai top flexible packaging
manufacturer. The company has expanded
its product range and supplies diverse
industries, which includes food, snacks,
personal care and hygiene, chemical and
industrial, and various other consumer areas.
Since 2015, Prepack Thailand has been
affiliated with SCG Packaging, Thailand’s
largest packaging company and a subsidiary
of Siam Cement Group, a leading industrial
conglomerate in the South East Asia region.
The Comexi Offset CI8 press is the result of
combining the advantages of offset variable
size printing with central drum technology.
It is the best solution for short and mediumsize
runs by embracing the demand of time
to market and printing quality, reducing
operating cost, and having less of an
environmental impact. The offset central
impression printing technology is a two-fold
environmentally responsible option, as print
is done without solvents and frontal printing,
with EB protective varnishes, allowing for
the replacement of laminated products or
the reduction of the number of layers due
to the capabilities of chemical, thermal,
and scratch resistance of EB lacquers. As
a result of combining multiple SKUs within
the same print job, which reduces waste and
changes, the Comexi Offset CI8 provides
maximum flexibility. Furthermore, Comexi's
central drum offset printing allows for faster
prepress and job changeover.
The Comexi ML1 MC is an ultra-productive
laminator fulfilling every customer’s
requirement within an extremely competitive
market. Resulting in the highest efficiency
averages, it is the perfect machine to match
the most demanding market needs. The
machine is perfectly compatible with waterbased
coatings which require high drying
capabilities. The Comexi ML1 MC, a laminator
machine designed for the highest demands,
has high-performance turrets and extremely
efficient modular drying units, which delivers
outstanding results, including those for
the most challenging jobs. Furthermore,
the Comexi ML1 MC is unique for its user
interface, which is highly intuitive, making it
considerably easier for operators to use. The
Comexi ML1 MC is the best ally in terms of
high productivity. ■
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021