Ingenious: The contents shape the bottle

Three in one: KHS’s FormFill process combines the production, filling and capping of PET bottles. The innovative technology shortens the production line and saves not only space but also a great deal of time and energy. The idea is as simple as it is ingenious: the contents shape the bottle. Instead of compressed air, liquid flows into the preheated preform. In this way, vinegar-based cleaners, rinse agent and dish detergent form their own containers. Instead of three machines, only one is needed. 

ALPLA has recognised the potential of FormFill for the non-food sector and has stepped in as a technology partner for KHS. “The technology promises greater impact with less effort – a dream for any bottler. As technical pioneers, we drive forward precisely such visionary concepts for our customers and bring them to series production,” emphasises Simon Stadelmann, Head of Corporate Technology & Innovation Management at ALPLA. “Innovations often arise through interaction with the industry. The cooperation with ALPLA provides us with valuable experience for the further development of our machine platform,” says Martin Resch, Managing Director of KHS. 

With the washing and personal care products manufacturer dreco, an innovation-driven customer was found for the first practical test. “Product variety, quality and flexibility are central to us as a private label specialist. Even the prototype delivered first-class results that made it onto the shelves straight away,” reports Managing Director Günter Pesch. Over the course of a year, the partners produced various 1-litre bottles made from 100 per cent recycled PET (rPET) on the prototype line at dreco’s site in Bitterfeld-Wolfen. The project, due for completion at the end of 2025, demonstrates the feasibility of FormFill for cleaning products with varying viscosities.

Energy efficiency and time savings

The process combines three steps and requires significantly lower pressure than conventional blow-moulding processes. A high-pressure air compressor is not required. This halves the energy consumption compared to the stretch-blow-fill line. “Energy savings can be a competitive advantage today and decisive tomorrow,” concludes Stadelmann. 

Speed is also a strong selling point: moulding and filling take roughly as long as the previous stretch-blow process alone. Furthermore, the space freed up allows the capping process to be integrated into the system. “Everything is fully integrated. FormFill takes you straight from the preform to the finished, ready-to-ship product without any detours or warehousing. This enables just-in-time production,” explains Stadelmann.

In addition to production efficiency, FormFill also scores highly on a functional level. After filling, forming and capping, a slight overpressure is created inside the container. This even stabilises ultra-lightweight bottles. “This is a real game-changer for handling very thin bottles and opens up new opportunities for minimalist packaging,” Stadelmann is convinced. The aesthetic qualities are equally impressive: design elements such as logos can be reproduced in greater detail thanks to FormFill. 

Factbox

• FormFill: filling and bottle forming in a single step
• Around 50% energy savings and up to 30% space savings
• Filling of ultra-lightweight bottles possible via overpressure
• Greater detail accuracy for design elements such as logos