OUR PATH INTO YOUR FUTURE: KHS at drinktec

After five long years, the wait is finally over: the beverage and liquid food industry can now again look forward to drinktec finally reopening its doors this September! Dr. Johannes T. Grobe, CSO of the KHS Group, is also eagerly anticipating the start of the trade show. “Messe München with drinktec is a close and indispensable partner for us. As the key innovative driver, this leading trade show enjoys a high standing in our branch of industry. True to this year’s KHS motto of ‘OUR PATH INTO YOUR FUTURE’, it’s the perfect platform on which to present our future-oriented systems and services to a large international audience.”

Dr. Grobe is especially delighted that drinktec can actually take place live in 2022. “In the past couple of years countless events have been canceled or staged in a purely virtual format. This was a difficult time for us all. Despite digital solutions, personal contact is essential. As one of the main exhibitors in Munich, we’re very pleased to be able to again welcome our customers and partners in person.”

KHS provides solutions to beverage industry challenges

The beverage and liquid food industry currently finds itself facing immense challenges and radical change. “The various global political tensions, our increasingly digital world and the effort to better protect our climate and environment are what dominate our work,” says Grobe. Flexibility and adaptability are the skills we need both now and in the future – for the latter even more so.” KHS supports its customers on this demanding journey forwards with reliable, future-proof systems and solutions. To this end, the company has specified four main areas of focus: Line Efficiency, Circular Packaging, Smart Operations and Reliable Services.

Space-saving filler/seamer block from KHS and Ferrum

The new filler/seamer block SmartCan by KHS/Ferrum gives operators greater line efficiency and maximum process reliability. Customers profit from a space-saving, flexible system that is convincing thanks to its simple operation and sets new standards with its optimized hygiene concept. At the same time the joint development scores on simple and fast format changeovers when filling different products.

KHS promotes closed loopswith new rPET bottle

Moreover, for KHS the issue of environmental protection is also a major focus at the trade show. “Consumers and beverage producers are actively calling for sustainable packaging that’s as climate-friendly and low on resources as possible,” stresses Grobe. “KHS is well aware of its responsibility here and helps customers by providing specific advice and developing and implementing recyclable systems.” With its new KHS Loop LITE packaging concept the systems provider is consistently continuing to pursue this policy and now presents a very light 0.5-liter PET bottle made entirely of recyclate. The specially-developed design of this ecofriendly packaging for highly carbonated beverages allows up to 25% less material to be used compared to standard market CSD bottles and can be fed into the closed recycling loop with no trouble whatsoever. Its thin interior coating of glass also ensures long-term product protection, with the tried-and-tested Nature MultiPack system from KHS providing optimum carrying convenience.

Greater flexibility with automated line changeovers

Besides environmentally-friendly packaging, more and more consumers want to be able to choose from a wide range of products. Bottlers thus frequently need to expand their portfolios, with the number of stock keeping units or SKUs constantly on the rise as a result. In order to keep line availability and efficiency at a high level, they require fast product changeovers. KHS caters for this demand with its new, modular automation concept for PET lines. With fast, reliable and reproducible changeovers it significantly boosts the overall equipment effectiveness. In ideal conditions format changeovers from one to another SKU can be performed in 30 minutes – including running the system empty and restarting it[1]. Up to 80% of all manual activities are rendered superfluous by the new KHS setup.

Reliable consultancy thanks to digital solutions

The corona pandemic has clearly demonstrated just how important digital services are for maintaining production systems. “Contact and travel restrictions meant that it was much more difficult than before to provide consultancy in person,” Dr. Grobe states. “Our intelligent ReDiS and augmented reality remote diagnostics and remote maintenance services and our web-based Basic Line Monitoring system have proved to be of inestimable value in this respect.” The significance of these solutions will continue to grow in the future. KHS will thus be presenting its further developments in this field at drinktec.

The Dortmund systems supplier is also a reliable partner to its customers thanks to its expertise in 3D line design. At the offer stage, for example, KHS can illustrate how a client’s potential new line or single machine can be integrated into the prevalent conditions on site – taking all dimensions and technical limitations in the production shop into account.

The KHS Group will be presenting its plant engineering in Hall B4 at drinktec in Munich, Germany, from September 12 to 16, 2022.

[1] These values refer to a non-returnable PET line comprising an InnoPET TriBlock stretch blow molder/labeler/filler block operated by two specialist workers.