Sidel empowers Sangaria’s booming beverage business with Japanese-first aseptic PET packaging technology
01 Dec 2020 --- Liquid beverage specialist Sidel is bringing its novel aseptic packing technology for carbonated and still drinks in PET bottles using a single line to the Asian market for the first time.
In collaboration with Japanese drinks manufacturer Sangaria, the company says it has made a significant step in environmentally-sustainable beverage packaging in Asia.
Speaking to PackagingInsights, Sidel spokesperson Elina Kerst explains the benefits of its aseptic technology – branded as the Versatile Aseptic Combi Predis.
“This revolutionary solution merges dry preform sterilization with aseptic blowing, filling and sealing functions within a single production enclosure.”
Sangaria is a leading producer of tea- and milk-based beverages in Japan and worked with Sidel for over nine years.
Initially, Sangaria was using hot-fill technologies to manufacture its sensitive beverages such as green teas and juices. When Sangaria decided to increase sales with milk-based products in 2011, moving to aseptic PET production was a better choice, says the company.
With Sidel, the company says it found the right combination of technology for increased production, hygiene and environmental sustainability.
A unique specific filling valve design allows the management of both low and high-acid products, still and carbonated drinks with the same machine.Sidel’s “revolutionary” solution
Kerst highlights the Versatile Aseptic Combi Predis differs from traditional aseptic technology for three central reasons:
1) The package decontamination takes place at the preform stage rather than at the bottle stage.
2) The technology does not require any water and uses only minimal amounts of chemicals.
3) It allows packaging lightweighting as there is no thermal constraint on the blown bottles, considering the package sterilization takes place on the preform, before the bottle shaping.
“Taking all these reasons into account, Sidel’s aseptic packaging solutions are an important step toward a sustainable and cost-effective production,” Kerst continues.
“The aseptic filling machines available on the market do not offer such a level of production versatility as Sidel provides. The unique specific filling valve design allows the management of both low and high-acid products, still and carbonated drinks with the same machine.”
Sangaria can now manage various milk-based products and barley green tea – previously bottled on hot-filling lines – as well as healthy sparkling water in 500 ml and 1 L containers.
With the new filling line, the company is also running the production of 500 ml bottles at 24,000 bottles per hour.
The production flexibility is enhanced with the toolless mold changeover, dubbed the Bottle Switch, which enables immediate interventions contributing to an optimized production time.
Seasonality as a key purchasing factor
Sangaria’s move into aseptic PET packaging comes amid rising demand in the Asian market for health-boosting products.
Sidel's technology is the first of its kind in Asia.Japan’s fast-aging demographic mainly looks for carbonated drinks offering functionalities such as immune-strengthening ingredients.
According to the company, enhanced and flavored water and tea and energy drinks are the best-performing beverages in Japan with substantial forecasted growth in the upcoming years.
Seasonality, as a key purchasing factor, also plays an essential role for these beverages, as sparkling water is preferred in summer. However, green tea and coffee are more prevalent in the winter season, the company highlights.
To meet this array of demands, Sangaria is looking to innovate and diversify its portfolio of drinks, which already includes many soft drink brands infused with vitamins and marketed for their health benefits.
Kerst says Sidel’s machinery can be used to meet these varied demands throughout Asia.
“This was the first Versatile Aseptic Combi Predis in the Asian market, offering the production flexibility for still and carbonated drinks.”
“It complements an already impressive number of such machines running successfully for over ten years now and aseptically producing low and high-acid still products, including beverages and liquid dairy products.”
Sidel’s technology is also present in China, Japan, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand.
By Louis Gore-Langton
