Debut: Krones droplet, PET bottle as resealable alternative to wasteful airline water beakers

06 Apr 2018 --- Krones has developed a practical alternative to the favorite small, water beakers made of PET, which are widespread in tropical countries and often used on airlines. The Krones bottle is flexible and re-sealable, while the alternative popular water beaker format is non-returnable.

The droplet-shaped PET bottle holds 200 milliliters, and with a weight of just 4.4 grams is extremely light. It can be produced using a standard blow-molding machine that is also suitable for lightweight formats. Moreover, the container offers an option for pressurizing it with nitrogen after filling, thus stabilizing it for storage and transportation.

Regarding dress, too, the PET bottle offers abundant design versatility: different labeling processes enable different designs to be achieved. This means the beverage producers can market the bottle in different price segments and retail structures.

According to Krones, not only is the droplet shape an eye-catcher, its geometry additionally stabilizes the lightweight bottle. The container features a 26/22 neck finish typical for water bottles and can be closed with a normal screw-cap.

At the drinktec 2017, Krones showcased more than 2,000 of these small PET containers on a large illuminated wall. It was reported that there was quite an interest in the product.

The small, droplet-shaped PET bottle has been developed by Krones’ Packaging Development and Consulting Department. This unit creates innovative packaging designs and assists clients in translating an idea for a container/pack concept into technically feasible, marketable reality. Krones’ experts offer customized solutions, e.g. on the basis of the finite-element analysis, or material-specific consultancy for complex packaging projects.