KHS installs blow molding machinery in Coca-Cola factory for improved material and energy efficiency

KHS has equipped Coca-Cola’s factory in Knetzgau, Germany, with its InnoPET Blomax V stretch blow molding machinery, which features near-infrared radiation (NIR) and double gate technology.

The beverage giant aims to improve its energy efficiency, moving to sustainable production by conserving energy, water, and materials.

In the Knetzgau factory, two blow stretch molders manufactured in 1998 no longer met the standards of Coca-Cola’s energy requirements. The new InnoPET Blomax V blow molding equipment features NIR to heat PET preforms while double gate technology transports the preforms in two lanes on both sides of the lamps, without using primary reflectors, enabling energy to be applied more effectively. 

Ralph Sauter, project manager at the Knetzgau factory, says: “With its new double gate technology and the savings this makes, the KHS system was of great interest to us. All suppliers have understood the importance of this issue, but compared to other systems on the market, the KHS setup generates far greater savings.” 

The installation was not without challenges, as the current air conveyor needed to serve two machines instead of one, and it needed to be aligned with “centimeter accuracy,” says KHS. 

However, according to Sauter, the blow molding technology can process 20,000 2 L and 30,000 1.5 L containers per hour, and the system will save 560,000 kWh annually. 

Marc Harald Eysel, sales manager for PET Technology at KHS, adds: “Even in comparison with modern stretch blow molding systems installed up to the end of the last decade, our machinery saves a maximum of 30% in energy.” 

Beverage companies like Coca-Cola are increasingly looking to optimize product creation processes that suit sustainability goals and cut costs as energy becomes more expensive. 

Recently, KHS installed a non-returnable PET line for Schweppes Zimbabwe. The new setup aims to improve the bottle production process by saving resources and offering a 300% capacity increase compared to the previous line.