Lightweighting Mold Technology For PET Bottles Also Saves Energy

Competek, the French moldmaker recently formed by Sidel through combining its COMEP and PET Engineering subsidiaries, is now offering a combination of two existing tooling technologies that promise weight and energy savings in stretch-blow molding of PET bottles.

One technology is Sidel’s Starlite base design for still and carbonated beverages, which helps reduce bottle weight and increase its stability once palletized. Through a special licensing agreement, Competek is able to provide this technology to all PET bottle manufacturers, regardless of what brand of stretch-blow machine they use. Previously, Starlite was available only to Sidel machinery customers. Weight savings up to 1 g on a 0.5-liter bottle and 2 g for a 1.5L size are claimed.

The second technology in this new combo package is Supervent, developed originally by COMEP, which improves air release from the mold using additional vents in the ribs and thereby reduces the blowing pressure required. The result is said to be substantial energy savings.

These two technologies, which are each well established in the market, are available for all types and sizes of PET bottles up to 2.5L size for carbonated products and up to 5L for noncarbonated products. The Starlight base and Supervent technology can be retrofitted to existing molds without changing the container design, except for the base. This combination solution is also said to be compatible with 100% recycled PET materials.