Cider in PET bottles: Hellefors offers convenience

Cider is also being filled in PET bottles – with a non-returnable-PET line as a turnkey order, the vigorously expanding Hellefors Bryggeri has put additional bottling capacities in place. Krones supplied the entire line, including the relevant process technology.
This new line, designed not only for cider, but for other beverages as well, both with and without alcohol, features a Contiform S10 stretch blow-moulding machine for inline production of PET bottles, a short-tube Mecafill VKP-PET counterpressure filler, which can be used for both the cider products and the still beverages. A screw-capper, plus a Checkmat F-G inspection unit for monitoring the closure position using a camera and the fill level using gamma-rays complete the blow-moulder/filler BLOC. An Accuflow buffer table serves for buffering the filled PET bottles.
Depending on the product involved, either a Contiroll labeller for wrap-around dress or a Prontomatic labeller for handling paper labels is used. Another Checkmat inspects the wrap-around labels for correct positioning. 
A maximum of four operators a shift suffices for running the new line, including feeding in all the expendables. The line is usually run in three shifts, rising to four in the summer months.
Hellefors offers 4 different types of cider in a 150-cl  PET bottle among its product portfolio.