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Sidel has launched a new 100% rPET bottle base, StarLiteR, aiming to help carbonated soft drink (CSD) packaging producers embrace material circularity. StarLiteR allows CSD producers to switch to rPET bottle production easily and efficiently, while significantly reducing the impact on product quality or packaging integrity. Laurent Naveau, packaging innovator leader at Sidel, explained that rPET resin can present the packaging industry with challenges such as fluctuating consumption habits impacting the product category mix across the year, and different PET collection models meaning that post-consumer PET material bales will vary from region to region. “The recycling process and equipment used will also influence PET resin. All these factors can pose new challenges for manufacturers looking to produce bottles with rPET content,” Naveau added. In addition to common CSD bottle manufacturing challenges such as stress cracking, roll out and bursting during blowing, a higher temperature is also required to process rPET. This can mean manufacturers can experience reduced control over rPET material stretching and distribution of the substance in the bottle-making process. Traditionally, greater variability in rPET resin leads to a narrower process window and lower bottle quality. However, Sidel said its new StarLiteR base ensures efficient production by restoring a wider process window. StarLiteR features an optimised mould base profile and uses an advanced stretch rod end design. The new mould base profile has been designed for perfect material distribution through advanced stretching and a high base clearance for optimum stability, while the advanced stretch rod end design improves the preform end-cap material stretching and ensures accurate injection gate centering on the bottle. The new solution also utilises dual external and internal bottle base cooling. Externally, the process uses a mould base cooling circuit that focuses on the warmer bottle base zones and internally, a hollow-stretch rod requiring no additional air supply. StarLiteR can be easily installed on existing production lines and adapted to fit current bottle designs. The solution is compatible with Sidel’s signature blow moulders, EvoBlow, Universal and Series 2, and suitable for high-speed productions.