Page 44 - Plastics News April 2017

PRODUCT NEWS

SIDEL designs PET bottles for Starlinger & Co. GES.M.B.H

new range of yoghurt drinks introduces IC star sacks

onths of close collaboration between the Sidel tarlinger & Co. Ges.m.b.H. has has introduced
Mpackaging team and Yili’s Liquid Milk Division has Sthe new IC*STAR (I = Innovative, C = Closing)
seen the creation of a PET bottle for the company’s new sacks. These are produced on the new conversion line
Changyi brand. The new range of yoghurt drinks has been multiKON KX, equipped with the sealTEC bottom closing
rolled out throughout China. The Yili Group is the largest module developed by Starlinger in co-operation with
dairy producer in China and one of the fastest growing the Austrian packaging systems manufacturer Statec
companies in the country. A privately owned business, Yili Binder. The IC*STAR method involves the welding of
Group is engaged a closure strip onto the sack bottom by means of hot
in processing and air in a continuous process, without the need for glue.
ma n u fa ct u ri n g The sack mouth remains open and, after automated
of milk products, filling, can be either closed with another closure strip
including ice cream, or sewn shut.
powdered milk,
sterilised milk and
fresh milk, to name
but a few. The new
range of yogurt
drinks is intended to attract active, health-conscious
consumers with growing expendable income.
When Yili’s Liquid Milk Division contacted Sidel to discuss
the design of the PET bottle for the new Changyi yoghurt
drinks, it was an exciting opportunity for the packaging
team. Seizing the opportunity, the Sidel team had put
together an initial design proposal within just two weeks.
“Our packaging experts delivered a wide selection of “The big advantage of IC*STAR sacks is that, unlike
creative proposals, producing various conceptual bottles sewn sacks, they are sealed completely tight with the
based on different design directions, to give the client welded closure strip,” explains Hermann Adrigan, sales
several alternatives to differentiate its yoghurt brand director for Starlinger. “The IC*STAR construction also
from the competition,” said Steven Xie, Packaging Design practically eliminates the seam allowances required for
and Development Manager at Sidel. The customer’s sewn sacks, and greater strength in the sack bottom
marketing department undertook analysis on the various enables the use of lighter fabric. Both factors add up to
designs and returned with a shortlist of four preferred cost savings in raw material – in this case polypropylene
choices. Collaborative work continued as Sidel made – and a reduction of the carbon footprint. Our customers
small adjustments to the different designs that were are sensitive to these arguments.” The new process
being consumer-tested. These elements included the lends itself to production of coated or uncoated IC*STAR
shape of the bottle’s base, as the customer was searching sacks, as well as sacks with gussets. Oil-free production
for longer shelf-life and improved rigidity to avoid makes them ideal for packaging food products such
deformation during transportation, without compromising as rice, coffee, salt, sugar or flour in bulk quantities.
on distinctive design. “Leveraging our global expertise Since the official market launch last October at the K
in PET packaging design and production, we ran multiple exhibition in Duesseldorf, the first IC*STAR conversion
tests to assess the performance of the bottle and finally
we found the best solution,” says Steven. lines have already been delivered and installed.

Plastics News | April 2017 44