BrauBeviale 2026: KHS spotlights holistically designed beverage lines

KHS Group will demonstrate its future-proof turnkey plant engineering from a single source — from the initial concept and system planning to flexible line concepts and consistent life cycle support at BrauBeviale 2026 in Nürnberg, Germany (November 10–12).

KHS is set to present its latest machines, whose components can be integrated into a “perfectly aligned, complete system that minimizes unplanned downtime and improves overall equipment effectiveness.”

The group reveals that, in Germany, beer sales last year fell below the 80-million-hectoliter mark for the first time. Currently, companies are expanding their portfolios to include new categories such as alcohol-free beers, flavored water, soft drinks, or ready-to-drink products.

Tobias Wetzel, chief sales officer at the KHS Group, says: “The change in our industry won’t just happen at some point — it’s already in full swing. Changing consumer habits demand maximum flexibility. Today, what matters is no longer the performance of individual machines, but that of the entire production line. This is increasingly becoming a strategic success factor for beverage producers.”

The beverage bottling industry is already responding to growing consumer interest in alcohol-free beer, with Krones also targeting alcohol-free beer growth with its filling and processing technologies at BrauBeviale 2026. Meanwhile, Tom Holland’s non-alcoholic beer Bero launched in glass packaging for an elevated aesthetic. 

“Flexible production requires technology that can be adapted to new requirements and intuitive service,” continues Wetzel. “We support our customers throughout the entire life cycle of their lines. This enables us to create the conditions for permanently high availability, economical operation, and the necessary flexibility to meet future market requirements.”

Advancing technology

At the tradeshow, KHS Group will highlight its Innoclean Cascade D bottle washing machine, a new double-end generation engineered with a focus on resource efficiency and features improved label discharge and a smaller bath volume, combined with the high standard of hygiene.

The optimized heating concept is said to enable easy maintenance and cleaning as well as enhanced accessibility. The compact machine has a footprint that is around 10% smaller than comparable systems. 

KHS is also highlighting its can filler and seamer block SmartCan Eco, developed with Ferrum Packaging. The solution is said to achieve outputs of up to 136,000 cans per hour. The solution allows precise flow metering, featuring a small hygiene area, and optimized container handling that aims to reduce cleaning times and increase system availability.

“We aim to provide the best possible production line for every application. Accordingly, we purposefully combine our system expertise with the know-how of leading specialists. This results in solutions that offer impressive efficiency, flexibility, and system performance,” says Wetzel.

The group also provides a service ecosystem that aims to keep investments profitable and flexible throughout the entire operating period. This includes predictive maintenance, modernizations, and digital applications for day-to-day production operations, among other services.

Recently, KHS Group introduced the KHS Supreme PET bottle, a solution that utilizes the company’s Plasmax barrier technology and is designed to improve the protection of oxygen-sensitive beverages.

Last year, the group equipped its Innocheck TSI closure inspection unit with an AI-based fault detection system to better identify defect tethered caps during production.