Increasing use of PET
for large water cooler containers
The Italian company SIAPI is one of
the leading suppliers in the burgeoning market
for blow moulders to produce 3 to 5
gallon PET containers for water coolers/dispensers.
With their help we review the
latest developments in this field.
|
|
|
|
In 2001 Siapi have
been involved in the first industrial application of a 5 gallon
single trip bottle.
|
|
Recently, Siapi have
produced various blowers for 10 litre PET bottles.
|
Everybody knows the 5 US gallon bottles used on water coolers in
offices and factories, but perhaps less well-known are the many
advantages of making such bottles in PET. Compared with the
traditional refillable 5 gallon bottle currently found on the market,
these new containers are more resistant to bumps and scratches, look
bright even after numerous washing cycles, have a strong neck which
makes for very good sealing, and have a highly competitive overall
cost. There is currently considerable interest in the use of a 5
gallon single-trip bottle for this application. Since 2001 SIAPI have
been involved in the first European (and probably worldwide)
industrial application of such a bottle with a company known as Drink
Cup (today part of the Danone Group), and have obtained extremely
satisfactory results relating to both the container and the
reliability of the SIAPI
blowers.
Domestic use
Although the market for water in 5 gallon bottles is growing it is
always interesting to look for new, future applications and novel
ideas. One of the most promising fields is the use of a large bottle
by families. SIAPI, who have the know-how in design and manufacture
large PET containers, have recently produced various blowers for 10
litre family-sized bottles, and which are installed in bottling plants
in Turkey. Because a 135 gram preform is used there is only 13.5 grams
of PET used per litre of water. The material savings and lower
environmental impact are clear when compared with
a
40 gram / 2 litre bottle or a 90 gram / 5 litre bottle. At the moment
these bottles are not normally designed to be used on dispensers but
Spain is launching 10 litre PET bottles for water coolers, blown on
SIAPI equipment. The weight of these bottles will be between 150 and
180 grams which means that they can be used on a dispenser, but their
weight is still competitive for normal domestic use.
Upsizing for US homes
Family water coolers are still being closely studied, and the
commitment of manufacturers of these products is very high.
Attractively designed water coolers, a lot smaller than we know them
today, will hold 10 litre bottles and hopefully will become a standard
appliance in the kitchen. The water could be bought from stores, or
delivered directly by the bottlers, especially if ordered on the
Internet. In the USA there is also a growing interest in large water
bottles for families. It is
common to find a 2.5 or 3 gallon bottle of water in an American
refrigerator. The US company Plastipak has patented a special one way
3 or 3.5 gallon PET bottle that is being blown on SIAPI equipment. It
is rectangular in shape with details that facilitate good
palettisation. The bottle will be launched on both the industrial
water cooler and family markets. After water there is the edible oil
market for 10 litre bottles. Until today large containers for oil have
been 10 to 25 litre metal cans and aimed at professional end users. A
large metal can is expensive, and not so easy to dispose of.
Furthermore, the weight of the 25 litre can does not always comply
with European safety-at-work legislation.
|
|
