Tetra Top, a packaging system provider within the Tetra Pak group, has recently launched the Carton Bottle - a new packaging concept that is said to be neither a carton packaging nor a plastic bottle.
The novelty packaging, which will initially be available in volumes between 500 and 1000 ml for milk and juice-based products, is made from a carton material sleeve with an injection moulded plastic top. On Tetra Top's Carton Bottles, this top is significantly elevated in order to create a bottle top with screw cap.
"I'm proud to say we've succeeded in combining all the best features of carton packages with the typical benefits of a plastic bottle," said Jens Mogard, Product Portfolio Manager at Tetra Top. The full denomination for the novelty is Tetra Top Base Pacaya S38 Carton Bottle. The first Tetra Top filling machines for producing Carton Bottles will be delivered to European customers during the end of 2003. Order books for 2004 are already filling up, the company claims.
A plastic bottle alternative?
The Carton Bottle is primarily positioned towards plastic bottles with full-body shrink film. "Our existing line of Tetra Top packages is already world leading in its combination of a carton sleeve and a plastic lid. With the eye-catching Carton Bottle, we've safely secured the distance to competitors," said Mogard.
Tetra Top says that the Carton Bottle offers a better freshness image due to the use of carton material, together with a plastic bottle top with a wide pouring hole and screw cap. Other distancing qualities are photographic quality flexo process print directly onto all visible carton surfaces, a safety membrane beneath the screw cap and the fact that more than 50 per cent of the Carton Bottle is made from renewable material.
Refined injection moulding technology
In order to produce the new Carton Bottle, Tetra Top has further developed its plastic injection moulding technique. A key component in any Tetra Top filling machine is the lid forming unit (LFU) performing the injection moulding of polyethylene lids directly onto carton sleeves. This component has now been upgraded to LFU G2, the new generation LFU that opens up for a full line of new Tetra Top openings.
"Our previous LFU performed the world's fastest plastic injection moulding procedure, but I'm proud to say our new LFU G2 spices up this record with even greater stability, less maintenance need and more consistent lid quality," said Katrin Högbom, Project Leader LFU G2.
The Carton Bottle concept has been market tested in cooperation with dairy customer Arla Foods, Sweden. The fill product was a well established fruit yoghurt, Yoggi, that was originally sold in gable top packages.
Tetra Top is a roll-fed carton-based package with an injection moulded plastic lid. The package offers power of differentiation and is a solution beyond the ordinary. The TT/3 filling machine can fill different products into differently sized packages with different openings simultaneously. The system allows for minute-fast shift and has a capacity of 9,000 pph independent of package size.
For more information, please contact Jens Mogard.