South African PET packaging specialist QPET has taken a liking to SIPA. Last year, it acquired its first SFL Performance 4H linear stretch-blow molding system to produce containers in several formats and neck finishes for edible oil. Bottles range from two to five liters.
The same year, QPET also installed an XFORM 350 PET preform injection molding system with a 72-cavity mold, for the production of various preforms with the 1881 neck.
And since, as they say in Italy, there isn’t two without three, the company took a 48-cavity mold for the production of preforms with 45-mm necks for containers in large formats.
For QPET, the SFL succeeds with its reliability, flexibility, and wide process window, on top of its ability to blow bottles with the highest quality. As for the XFORM, a key advantage is that it provides an optimal way of producing preforms in two sizes with a single cold half. Not all system providers provide that important cost-saving feature!
Arshud Sema is General Manager at QPET. He says the company chose SIPA because SIPA is aligned with QPET’s plan for future development, as well as its vision in terms of technology, sustainability, and quality.
SIPA also has the advantage of having its own team of after-sales engineers permanently based in South Africa. Proximity, fast intervention, and a crew of specialists with their own expertise in injection molding and stretch-blow molding are proving especially important for QPET, says Sema.
QPET is a family-owned enterprise founded in 1996, specializing in the production and supply of PET preforms and containers, as well as closures. With locations in Pietermaritzburg, Johannesburg, and Cape Town, it possibly produces the largest range of preforms in South Africa. The company supplies products and services to the water, food & drink, and chemical industries in the country. It is a leader in PET products for edible oils, and has a mission to strengthen its position in multiple markets.
Preforms are produced for QPET’s own operation and also for local and international customers. QPET increasingly uses RPET obtained from key customers, for production of preforms intended for non-food applications.