Business News
Krones 4.4 !
Thursday 28. October 2010 - Could it weigh even less? Hardly. On the Krones stand at the K 2010, a container will be premiered that you have to actually pick up to believe it: the Krones PET lite 4.4, a featherweight of just 4.4 grams !!
This 330-millilitre PET container was developed using Krones NitroPouch concept. With wall thicknesses of between 0.1 – 0.06 millimetres, it withstands an internal nitrogen pressure of 1.5 bar. And the weight of the neck finish, a customised Bericap Hexalite, at 1.3 grams, is also minimal.
The NitroPouch container system from Krones AG, Neutraubling, Germany, has already won multiple packaging awards. It satisfies the requirements posed for top-loading capabilities both in the warehouse and in transit even if after a certain storage period the internal pressure has fallen from its original 1.5 to a mere 1 bar. To ensure that PET lite 4.4 retains its grip-friendly, stable character, which means its going to be accepted by consumers, the internal pressure built up by means of nitrogen must still be at least 0.3 bar. Depending on the initial internal pressure and the previous storage conditions obtaining, this minimum residual internal pressure will only be reached after several months on the refrigerated shelf. And there, top-loading capability is no longer an issue.
This containers technical innovations are firstly its subdivision into disparate functional areas, and secondly its stabilisation by means of nitrogen, so as to prevent it from collapsing during transit and handling. Properly harmonised interaction of thread, closure, material distribution, and design, plus the use of nitrogen, are all crucial in translating this 4.4-gram featherweight into tangible reality.