Husky Injection Molding Systems, a leading industrial technology provider to the plastics processing community, successfully kicked off its first day of Drinktec 2017. The company’s booth featured live demonstrations of its industry-leading HyPET® HPP5 integrated PET preform manufacturing system, which is equipped with all-new Multi-Layer Technology that drew a steady stream of visitors throughout the day. Launched in 2015, Multi-Layer Technology has been embraced by customers around the globe for a wide variety of beverage, food and personal care applications.
The HyPET® HPP5 Multi-Layer system will run for the duration of the show (September 11-15) producing a 17 gram carbonated soft drink application using a 72-cavity mold and running at an 8.7 second cycle time. The system is running a revolutionary new barrier material, Verian™ High Barrier Polyester (HBP), which was developed in partnership with Solvay Specialty Polymers. Verian™ HBP is an innovative, recyclable material that will enable a new generation of sustainable packaging solutions for PET bottles and films. The material is in the final stages of development, with production targeted to begin in the second half of 2018.
“As the vast majority of PET for plastic bottles is processed on Husky equipment we have a responsibility to ensure the technologies we develop, and any influence we have in the design of the package, support sustainable practices,” said John Galt, Husky’s President and CEO. “We aim to minimize the impact PET packaging has on the environment and work together with partners to increase compatibility with existing recycling streams. We are also thinking about the next generation streams, which take the circular economy into mind. Expanding the application range for injection mold plastics in a sustainable manner is both good for business and our environment.”
Partnerships for ground-breaking innovation
Husky’s booth also highlights key partnerships with other industry leaders. Focusing on innovation and sustainability, Husky is introducing the Factor 100™ bottle, which has been developed in partnership with a leading international supplier of packaging systems, KHS. The Factor 100™ bottle is an ultra-lightweight 5 gram package that can hold 500 milliliters in volume, providing a more than 30% environmental footprint reduction by using less material and energy during manufacturing, while still delivering on package performance. Visit the KHS booth in Hall B4 to obtain a sample of the Factor 100™ bottle, and discuss further lightweighting opportunities with KHS experts. At the show, Husky is also showcasing other exciting collaborative projects introduced to the market, including developments with Krones, SIDEL, PET Engineering and Invento.
Industry-leading closure weights and productivity
As part of its extensive portfolio of off-the-shelf closure designs, Husky debuted three of the lightest closures available on the market today. Supporting the company’s commitment to continuous improvement, Husky developed these new closures to meet growing single-serve and lightweight packaging trends. These closures contain special design features that maximize Tamper Evident Band performance and have been validated through extensive testing. Husky also introduced a mixed-reality Microsoft® HoloLens™ experience where participants are able to virtually interact with a life-size model of Husky’s HyCAP™4 integrated system for beverage closure manufacturing. The HyCAP™4 system, introduced last year, features superior engineering advancements that take machine and mold integration to new levels, delivering industry-leading performance and productivity. The HoloLens™ experience is a crowd favorite, drawing significant attention from show visitors and allowing participants to not only see the HyCAP™4 running, but also walk inside the machine. Demonstrations on the HoloLens™ are available all week during regular show hours.
Shaping the future at PETnology
Husky will be discussing industry trends and opportunities on the second day of the PETnology conference, taking place September 12, 2017 in Munich. John Galt, Husky’s President and CEO, will be providing a keynote address. Nicolas Rivollet, Director of Corporate Business Development at Husky, will deliver a presentation on engineered packages and how high-capability co-injection technology can help unlock new opportunities for PET packaging.
