The KHS Group has
added a further environmentally-friendly system to its portfolio. With its
tried-and-tested Innopack Kisters tray packers the systems supplier now enables
cans of food and beverage to be wrapped in paper. The new technology provides
an alternative to shrink film or wrap-around cartons. Regarding stability the
results are the same yet compared to cardboard costs are lower as less energy
and fewer materials are used. With a few minor adjustments existing machines
can also be converted to the new setup.
The idea of using
paper as a secondary packaging is not new; KHS first experimented with this
around 20 years ago. “Back then, this technology didn’t catch on, however, as
paper was a cost-intensive raw material and wrapping containers in film yielded
better results regarding stability,” says Karl-Heinz Klumpe, packaging product
manager at KHS. The beverage industry thus opted for different systems and
solutions.
“Our customers now want alternatives to the usual packaging systems
such as film. These should be as ecofriendly as possible,” he continues. To
this end, the paper wrapping has now been developed together with an
international beverage producer. This type of pack can replace shrink film or
wrap-around carton packaging for transportation or sale on packs of 12 or 24
cans in the high-capacity range of up to 90,000 cans per hour.
Few process
adjustments thanks to modular machine design In order to wrap cans in paper
instead of film just a few adjustments are needed to the Innopack Kisters tray
packer, a machine well established on the market. “KHS is increasingly
supplying modular systems and solutions that enable and ease the appropriate
conversions to our machines. In this case, we’ve simply reengineered the
process module for folding and wrapping,” Klumpe explains. “The standard
components such as tray separation from the magazine, gluing or can feed are
identical to those on the hundreds of proven KHS machines already on the
market.” This allows beverage producers to have the tray packers already in
operation at their plants converted simply by adapting certain modules, making
a full new investment unnecessary.
Wrapping cans in
paper has many advantages over other materials, believes Klumpe. “On the one
hand, paper is kinder to the environment than film with respect to ocean
pollution, for instance. Paper biodegrades in the environment after a few
weeks.” On the other hand, fewer packaging materials are used. Instead of a
sturdy wrap-around carton or film packs on trays, packaging cans in thinner
paper only needs a flat, stable corrugated card pad as a base – with identical
results regarding stability.
Costs are also cut
by the new paper pack: compared to a wrap-around carton by up to 15%, with
outgoings about the same as for film. Overheads are also considerably reduced
by the low energy consumption of about 14 kWh an hour at 80 cycles a minute.
The folding process is such that the pack is also fully enclosed. “In contrast,
dirt can get into film packs with small side openings. Over long distances
especially paper has the clear advantage when it comes to protecting the pack,”
Klumpe states.
Great interest from the beverage industry
Klumpe sees huge
potential for the new KHS technology. “When I think how much food is canned all
over the world, with our paper pack we offer a useful alternative to
conventional secondary packaging. With our system we can significantly help to
cut down on the amount of plastic waste being generated.” According to Klumpe,
this will support the efforts being made throughout the entire sector to
protect the environment. “Sustainability is also always a cost factor, however.
With our new approach we’re catering for both aspects here.”
