Why is PET the best choice for packaging water?
Dino Enrico Zenette: It’s transparent and can be easily customised to distinguish the bottler. PET bottles are not as breakable as glass, CO2 emissions are being reduced during production and transportation, and recycling systems are in place.
Is there a high level of demand for PET at the moment?
Enrico Zenette: No, because companies want to reduce the weight of their bottles, and recycled PET is starting to be used in the production of preforms.
Describe the range of PET services that you offer the bottled water industry.
Enrico Zenette: PET Engineering is a technical design company based in Italy. We offer drawings and technical designs of bottles and prototype mold production, along with bottle prototyping and laboratory analysis of the bottles.
We also offer production molds for various blow-molding machines and assistance during start-up. We help clients to select preforms or design dedicated preforms for their bottles. We can also provide advice about shelf life requirements due to our PET experience and knowhow.
What are the latest technical developments in PET bottles for water, and how are they broadening design possibilities for bottled water manufacturers?
Enrico Zenette: The production of ultra-light bottles. Krones has developed a nitro-pouch for water that weighs around 6.5g, while PET Engineering has developed a bottle of 6.6g not requiring nitrogen.
A new concept that permits the reduction of the neck finish and also the material under the neck support ledge has been developed by us, enabling an 8.1g 500ml bottle with commercial neck to be produced.
How is your company addressing environmental issues?
Enrico Zenette: One of our major goals is to use less PET in the production of bottles. Reducing the weight of existing bottles cuts down the CO2 emissions in the environment.
What does the future hold for PET as a packaging material for water?
Enrico Zenette: PET remains the major packaging material for water, but with the reduction of the wall thickness. Lightweighting reduces shelf lives as a result of water permeation, so treatment must be carried out. The barrier characteristics of biopolymers need to be improved before they can fully compete.
Dino Enrico Zenette – R&S manager, PET Engineering – was interviewed by Medina Bailey, editor of Water Innovation magazine. Subscribe here.
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