Geosaf specializes in bringing European packaging innovations to North America by partnering with companies like Slovenia-based Vipoll who debuted the VKR0E 32-32-4K/4D at drinktec in Munich, Germany, last month.
“It’s a breakthrough equipment that can process both cans and bottles on the same machine,” Jean Dion, Geosaf VP of business development, told BeverageDaily.
The largest model is equipped with 52 gripping heads with separate cappers for crown caps and can lids (depending on the container type every second head of the capper is activated), cutting down the time it takes to changeover the machine to a new packaging type, according to the company.
“The biggest breakthrough is that the fact that we can change lid size on a can seamer in less than 45 minutes,” Dion said. “Most machines take a full day to do a changeover.”
With regard to filling, customers can choose between manually or automatically adjustable filling pipes and volumetric filling. In addition, all container types go through double pre-evacuation.
Craft brewer focus
The filling machine can handle still and carbonated liquids ranging from beer and carbonated soft drinks to bottled water, wine, and spirits.
However, Geosaf has its eye on the expansive North American craft beer market as well as beer co-packers, Dion said.
“It’s a machine made and designed for the microbreweries and breweries,” he said.
According to the Brewers Association, while bottles continue to be the dominate packaging type among craft brewers, sales of beer cans are increasing at a faster rate. Additionally, craft breweries are increasingly pressured to provide a range of beer packaging types to the more than half of consumers who said there were “not enough” beer container types available, a Nielsen Craft Insights Panel found.
Geosaf said it aims to highlight the Visatron’s quick switching capabilities between different filling media and can heights as two key features that can help make beer filling and packaging more efficient for contract brewers and copackers.