Kortec And Sidel Cooperate On New Technology

A new multi-layer co-injection technology from Kortec, Inc., developed in association with Sidel, the leading global supplier of PET solutions for liquid packaging, allows production of PET bottles for milk with 100% light-blocking capability.

The new Kortec LB technology allows the molding of a three-layer preform, which is then blown into the milk bottle.  The preforms, developed by Kortec in cooperation with Sidel, consist of three layers of PET:  white on the outside, black in the middle, and white on the inside.  This approach ensures that the light-blocking black PET layer covers the whole of the bottle, including the base, thereby providing no access for light.  The finished bottles, which were developed by Sidel, provide a great package for delivering light-sensitive beverages safely and attractively to customers.

“This is a real breakthrough in packaging technology for milk and other light-sensitive products,” said Russell Bennett, Kortec Vice President of Sales and Marketing.  “By keeping light out, it provides total protection of the milk, and it does so in a PET package that features white on the outside and inside, an attractive package that consumers really want.”

Naima Boutroy, Sidel Packaging Project Manager, commented: “Sidel has over 40 years of experience in dairy bottling solutions and we have always looked to develop and adopt innovative technologies.  Kortec LB protects the product throughout its lifecycle in the bottle, from production through the supply chain to the consumer.  By combining Kortec’s preform with Sidel’s bottle design expertise, we have a solution that ensures product safety while also addressing the consumer-driven demand for a uniform look to the packaging.”

Kortec’s many years of experience designing and producing high-barrier packages led to the successful development of this new technology.  To block the correct wavelengths of light from entering the package, barrier-layer material placement and dispersion is critical.  Working with Sidel, Kortec’s first products with this technology are 25g preforms for 1-liter bottles.  22g preforms are currently in development.  

The design flexibility of PET bottles provides converters with numerous options for creating attractive packages that differentiate their end products on supermarket shelves.  Additional benefits of the new Kortec LB technology include:

-high cavitation molds – up to 128 cavities
-fast cycle times
-minimum use of materials and maximum light-blocking

According to Kortec, this all adds up to the lowest overall total cost of any light-blocking packaging technology on the market today.

“It’s a lower cost product option for this market that provides converters and end users with a competitive advantage,” said Bennett,  “as well as addressing the issue of sustainability in production through its low material usage.”

Vincent Le Guen, Sidel Vice President for Packaging & Tooling, added: “Sidel is always looking at opportunities to partner with suppliers up and down the supply chain, to develop innovations that ultimately deliver value to our customers and end consumers.  This is an excellent example of such a partnership, resulting in a great PET milk bottle that we look forward to introducing to our customers.  Alongside this project with Kortec, we continue to explore the potential to create value through such co-operation with other suppliers.”