Carbonated beverages

Bottling lines for carbonated beverages feature high levels of variability, in terms of the types of product handled, bottle shapes, filling methods and production requirements.
The best solution is to design a filling line that guarantees high levels of flexibility: our most recent innovations in the blowing systems, filling monoblocs and product preparation solutions all have this in mind, so that different products can be handled on the same line and with very short size changeover times.
Great care has been taken to create a product preparation range that guarantees high standards of finished product quality and to the design of modular lines, allowing the widest possible range of secondary packaging requirements to be met.
The great variability in this sector also relates to continually and ever more rapidly changing trends, which derive from expectations and consumer habits of end customers and, in certain cases, from changes in regulations.
An example of this is the increase in demand for healthier, more natural products, which has translated into a re-eduction in the use of preservatives or a search for alternative sweeteners (for example stevia). Sipa has introduced innovations to the range that, for example, allow filling of even high-foam, preservative-free carbonated beverages at temperatures of up to 20°C, thanks to high levels of control in the filling environment using micro-isolator technology and to the tank-free configuration of the filling units integrated with the mixer.

The ability to guarantee operating flexibility, high productivity and reduced consumptions all play a key role in satisfying the needs of a continually changing sector that is subject to more and more aggressive marketing policies.

Products

We are able to prepare and manage any type of carbonated beverage present on the market, both clear and with pulps or fibres, with an extensive range of carbonation levels (from 2 vol. to 4.5 vol. of CO2).

It is very important to optimise the manufacturing process of a CSD bottle (preform project – process) to reach physical-mechanical characteristics required by the product. PET is one of the preferred packaging materials, it is transparent, light, unbreakable and can easily be customised into a wide variety of shapes. It offers a good barrier to gas, namely to carbon dioxide.

Main packaging requirements

High mechanical performance

Base optimised for resistance to stress cracking

Good resistance to internal pressure. Drop resistance

CO2 barrier

Shape and bottom designed to resist high internal pressure (creep and burst resistance)

The two major requirements of a container for carbonated soft drinks are its capacity to maintain the CO2 content inside the product for as long as possible, and to resist bottle expansion due to internal pressure. It is therefore very important to optimise the manufacturing process of a CSD bottle (preform project – process) to reach physical-mechanical characteristics required by the product.

In synthesis, the most relevant requirements of a soft drink container are:

Preserve CO2 levels inside the packaging. This is important especially for small size containers.
Reduced bottle expansion due to internal pressure (Shape keeping).
Containers must pass burst and drop tests.
Shape and bottom designed to resist high internal pressure (creep and burst resistance).
Reduce bottle weight while assuring bottle stability

Material: PET, recycled and reground PET, Barrier PET, bio-based materials like PEF
Barrier containers: in order to prolong the product's shelf life, containers can be produced with different types of barriers. The bottles can be produced with the addition of barrier agents blended with the resin (nylon MXD6, EVOH, oxygen scavengers), with the production of multilayer containers (PET+EVOH or PET + Nylon)
Shapes: round, customised, contour, swirl, Global Swirl
Sizes: from 250 ml to 5 litres
Weight: from 10 grams for 100 ml to 120 grams for 5 litres, lightweight containers design
Neck diameter: from 26 mm to 38 mm
CO2: up to 4.5 volumes

CONTACT OUR EXPERTS

These are the most significant machines for this application

SIPA's products include a wide range of solutions for the manufacture of preforms and containers, filling, processing and secondary packaging, able to satisfy all the needs of the carbonated beverages market in terms of bottle shapes, products and productivity.