Innovative Filling Platform For Glass Bottles - KHS GmbH

Innovation 

Aseptic linear filler: 

maximum standards 

» 22 Innovation 

» 40 Solutions for Water Bottling Plants » 60 

A deluxe shrink packer: 

quantum leap 

Silver Springs: 

bring on the water! 

New Era 

Innovative Filling Platform 

For Glass Bottles 

02.2011

Editorial 

Executive Management Board of KHS GmbH 

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Niemeyer 

Anke Fischer 

Prof. E.h. Dr.-Ing. Johann Grabenweger 

Marc Hartmann 

“ Our objective: 

Service and technology leadership.”

competence 02.2011 02/03 

Ladies and Gentlemen: 

Voltaire coined the phrase: “The best is the enemy of the good.” 

If we transfer this to KHS, we have started our journey to get to the best. Fit4Future is the 

name of our eleven-component program that we use systematically to walk this challenging 

path and to boost the already existing mood of awakening in the company. 

What are the key points that show you − our customers and partners − that we have started 

our journey successfully? 

With the goal of operational excellence, we will work even closer with you, improve the 

pace in execution, and will respond flexibly to all inquiries and requests. Our declared goal is 

the technological and service leadership combined with profitable growth. In this regard, we 

can continue to count on the support from our parent company, Salzgitter AG, for the consistent 

development of our company and our product portfolio. 

Fit4Future means for us, first and foremost, lean processes and reduction of complexity while at 

the same time growing physically closer together: The Keg Technology will move from Kriftel to 

Bad Kreuznach, our second largest location. Aside from the excellent infrastructure, the plant 

in Bad Kreuznach offers the possibility to better compensate for peaks in demands; in addition, 

sufficient areas for extension to accommodate further growth are available. 

We can only become better if we query the conventional, change the existing and find new, innovative 

solutions for developing and improving processes and products. Innovations are needed. 

How successful innovation management works is a topic the editors have discussed in 

depth with Dr. Tobias Müller-Prothmann. His credo: “Companies must tackle innovations very 

systematically.” You can see and experience the result of our own innovation management in a 

great number of new products that we are currently launching. 

So what KHS innovations can we present to you in this issue of competence? The aseptic 

linear filling machines Innosept ABF 611 and 711, the compact Innokeg Till CombiKeg, the new 

filling machine generation Innofill Glass in consistent hygienic design, and a packaging process 

for completely closed heat-shrink packs are some of the most important product innovations 

that KHS is launching in 2011. 

As you can see, KHS is highly innovative. 

Enjoy reading! 

Operational excellence 

through innovative and intelligent solutions. 

Kind regards, 

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Niemeyer

Contents 

Innovations that give our 

customers more 

Main topic Page 12–45 

KHS subjects its products and systems to a continuous 

process of improvement. In this edition of KHS 

competence the company will be presenting a number 

of different innovative technologies and further 

developments. In all of these KHS has consistently 

focused on the benefit to the customer, thus achieving 

sustained product improvements and therefore also 

cost and competitive advantages. 

Interview 

06 

Growing With Innovations 

Dr Tobias Müller-Prothmann talks about 

the importance of systematic innovation 

management for companies 

Innovation 

12 

Topic Overview: Innovations In Focus 

14 

New Era 

KHS presents the innovative filler platform 

for glass bottles 

22 

Maximum Standards 

New generation of aseptic linear fillers 

from KHS for still beverages and other 

liquid products 

06 

28 

Short Routes 

New, resource-saving cleaning system from 

KHS with a 15% investment benefit


Innovation 

30 

A Real All-Rounder 

KHS has developed a space-saving keg line 

for medium-sized businesses 

34 

Tempo, Tempo, Tempo 

Preparing and palletizing shrink packs with 

KHS technology 

38 

The Space Saver 

The Innoket 360 S labeler extends the 

KHS roll-fed range 

40 

Quantum Leap 

Innopack Kisters SP shrink packer 

developed even further: a deluxe 

shrink packer 

Service 

46 

New System – New Prices 

Over half of the prices for KHS spare parts 

now reduced 

48 

Keeping On Running 

At the Karlsberg brewery a joint concept 

provides systematic service 

22 60 67 

On the Spot 

53 

HotFill+ – Efficient, Sustainable, Successful 

Interview with Rajendra Gursahaney, 

senior director of engineering, 

Pepsi Beverages Company, the ”father 

of the HotFill+ process“ 

Market Report 

56 

Underberg / Coca-Cola FEMSA /AST 

Beverage / Distell / Cobega / La Casera 

Solutions for Sectors 

60 

Bring On The Water! 

The first 72,000-capacity InnoPET BloFill 

in operation at the Silver Springs Bottled 

Water Company 

64 

Focus on Quality 

Kompania Piwowarska invests in its third 

100,000-cph can line from KHS 

66 

Fifth Can Filler for CCE in the UK 

Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) Great Britain 

installs its fifth high-performance can filler 

from KHS 


67 

Can Power 

France’s largest family-owned brewery, 

Meteor, works with a KHS large-can line 

Special 

70 

Hidden Champions 

How smaller players conquer world markets 

In-house News 

76 

KHS at Brau Beviale 2011 

Technology. Performance. Reliability. 

78 

News from KHS 

ECOPROFIT at KHS Corpoplast / KHS Asia 

moves to new offices / FOX AWARD 2011 

GOLD for KHS competence / Company runs 

for charity / KHS website for smartphones 

79 

KHS competence 

Publisher’s information and addresses

Interview


GrOwING 

with 

innovations 

Dr Tobias Müller-Prothmann talks about the importance 

of systematic innovation management for companies. 

/ 

Regardless of whether companies generate strong sales or have to 

watch costs carefully when things aren’t going so well, the systematic 

management of innovations is at risk of being neglected. 

This is a fatal, creeping process. KHS competence talked to 

Tobias Müller-Prothmann, head of innovation management at 

Pumacy Technologies AG, about the appropriate handling of innovations.

Interview 

“entrepreneurs have to deal with 

innovations very system atically. 

The focus must always be on the 

employees.” 

KHS Competence: Dr Müller-Prothmann, 

it’s a long way from a brilliant idea to an innovative 

product that prevails on the market. 

When is innovation management successful? 

Dr Müller-Prothmann: Innovation management itself 

doesn’t generate new ideas, and it doesn’t market new 

technologies. Rather, it supports the whole process from 

the early phase of idea generation to implementation to 

ensure that in the end a new product or service will prevail 

on the market. This, then, is the success. 

Where do the enemies of innovations lurk in companies? 

When a company is doing well, everyone focuses on 

growth, while in bad times the focus is on costs. Systematic 

innovation management can easily be neglected. 

Inventiveness cannot be ordered from above. 

What has to change in people’s heads? 

Ultimately the key is openness. Executives have to be open 

for internal ideas as well as external impulses. Within companies 

it’s important to have lively exchanges between departments. 

What’s needed externally is good communication 

with research institutes and customers. In addition, 

employees need sufficient freedom. 

What’s the main motivation for employees 

to contribute ideas? 

The key is to inspire passion in each individual and let them 

participate in success. This doesn’t always have to be in the 

form of money. Showing appreciation for ideas and praising 

creative staff in front of the whole team can have a tremendous 

effect. 

How does a manager steer such a process? 

He encourages individuals to come up with new ideas, filters 

out good approaches as quickly as possible, and avoids 

getting bogged down in the process. It’s better to reject 

an idea early if the prospects of success are questionable. 

Either way, staff should be praised for their suggestions. 

How do bosses encourage their executives to 

become catalysts for innovations? 

All they need to do really is talk about success stories. A classic 

example is the attempt to develop a superglue by a 3M 

employee, which turned out to have poor adhesion. The first 

product to emerge from this was a flop and was stopped 

by the boardroom before another colleague continued the 

development because his bookmarks kept falling out of his 

music in the church choir. Today we all have the result of the


The interviewee 

innovation with apparently inferior adhesion on our desks 

in the form of yellow Post-it notes. Such stories inspire. 

What’s the point of bosses encouraging their teams 

to let their minds wander as part of workshops? 

Most ideas don’t spring to mind at the workplace. Rather, 

they do so in the shower or when jogging. Nevertheless, 

creativity workshops during which a team has a clear task 

can be very useful. For example, a team could be asked to 

develop 100 new ideas on topic X or solve a certain problem 

Y for the company. For such gatherings it can be helpful 

to bring in an experienced external moderator, who 

can point out new perspectives. 

How can vague brainstorming be turned into 

concentrated creativity? 

Initially it’s important to think outside the box and ignore 

possible internal constraints. For example, a question for a 

round of engineers might be: What can we learn from the 

animal world? Because nature has come up with systems 

that have been tried and tested over long periods. Those 

who look carefully will see blueprints for pioneering innovations. 

In other words, what’s known as bionics is the art 

of looking for solutions to technical problems in biology. 

Dr Tobias Müller-Prothmann 

is head of innovation management at Pumacy Technologies AG, 

a leading systems provider for knowledge, innovation, 

and process management. The 37-year-old studied sociology 

and economics in Heidelberg, Germany, and did a PhD in 

communication studies in Berlin, Germany. He is the author of 

the book Innovations management: Strategien, Methoden und 

Werkzeuge für systematische Innovationsprozesse (Innovation 

Management: Strategies, Methods, and Tools for Systematic 

Innovation Processes), published by Carl Hanser. 

For example? 

Many aircraft now have an upwards facing angle piece at 

the end of the wings. These winglets reduce turbulence 

at the wing tips, thereby reducing kerosene consumption 

significantly. Ultimately, the inspiration for development 

engineers came from the pinion feathers of raptors. 

What function do skeptics have in creativity workshops? 

Critics are important. After all, they may be right and can 

help by pointing out risks at an early stage. On the other 

hand, objections may be rebutted. This helps to sharpen 

the argumentation, and everyone will come on board if 

they feel they are being taken seriously. 

How independent should the individual teams be? 

Today, companies tend to establish quite independent innovation 

centers with small teams. These innovation cells 

have their own budgets and operate very autonomously, 

although they are in contact with other departments in 

order to allow communication when problems occur. The 

team can market its innovations to the associated business 

areas in order to attract further sponsorship from the 

respective management, or to hand over innovative approaches 

for further development.

Interview 

How much influence should marketing be allowed 

to have when it comes to the prospects of success 

of a product idea? 

Sales and marketing experts from the company should be 

integrated from the outset, because they know how the 

products have to be designed in order to go down well 

with customers. 

How helpful is it to include scientific institutes in the innovation 

processes? 

This often works well, particularly in the early design 

phase, and is today common practice in biotechnology, 

for example. 

And how about integrating large customers? 

They should definitely be involved from the outset. Because 

they know exactly what they need and can often 

provide valuable inspiration for new ideas. 

Can you give an example of a company 

with an excellent innovation culture? 

We’ve already mentioned the technology company 3M 

who are a good example. They have a long tradition in this 

regard. Good ideas are not only rewarded by monetary 

incentives, but also by appreciation. The company sells 

50,000 products – from Post-its to stethoscopes. The market 

share of new products that are less than five years old 

is more than a third. We can also learn a lot from younger 

technology companies such as Google. Google introduced 

the so-called 70/20/10 system for all employees at 

an early stage. It means that 70% of the work time should 

be spent on core tasks, 20% on collaboration with other 

teams, and 10% on an employee’s own ideas. 

Many new products fail after generating immense costs. 

Why is that? 

A much-quoted study found that a successful product is 

based on 3,000 raw ideas. In many cases there’s a lack of 

systematic support for the process and a lack of clear decisions. 

It’s important to allow freedom in the initial phase 

and then decide whether or not to pursue the idea. The 

decision-makers have to focus on profitable innovations. 

During the prototype production phase the number of 

ideas that fail should be smaller. 

What are the milestones during the development 

of an idea into a marketable innovation? 

Initially trends are scrutinized, and ideas are checked and 

assessed. A detailed system concept should be prepared 

during the pre-development phase. A prototype has to 

demonstrate how the innovation can be implemented. Finally, 

the model is fine-tuned until it is ready for series production. 

In the software industry such a process can take 

two months, in the automotive industry five to ten years, 

and in the aerospace industry two to three decades. 

Financial staying power is another important factor. 

How can medium-sized companies avoid running out of 

steam half way through the process? 

Naturally much will depend on the required means and 

the time frame. The central question is: When will the innovation 

find acceptance on the market and achieve a 

return? The entrepreneur may obtain credit from family 

members, acquaintances, or his bank. He can take advantage 

of public grants, involve large customers in the 

financing, or win over a venture capitalist for his idea. 

All these options should be considered early on. In many 

“Showing appreciation for ideas 

and praising creative staff in 

front of the whole team can have 

a tremendous effect.”


cases the individual phases of an innovative development 

require several financing rounds. 

Finally, let’s have a look at process innovations in 

companies themselves. How can ideas be called up in 

order to make operational processes more efficient? 

Ideas should be called up where they emerge. On the plant 

floor a small mailbox may be all that is needed, or a special 

folder on the company server. 

Is this where staff hand in good ideas? 

Definitely, if appropriate incentives are provided. As an 

example, the person with the idea could receive 25% of 

the savings that his suggestion makes in the first year. This 

works, but not on its own. As already mentioned, what’s 

also needed is appreciation that goes beyond monetary 

incentives. 

How should bosses deal with the (understandable) 

concern that individual members of staff could make 

themselves redundant with a clever idea? 

This may indeed be a worry here and there, but the management 

can easily rebut it. They simply have to make it 

clear that redundancies are not on the agenda – perhaps 

merely relocation to another business area. 

In summary, what are the three main points which 

ensure that companies achieve significant growth 

with compelling innovations? 

Innovations aim to secure the company’s future. The environment 

and the competition change. In the best case 

the company will also grow. The crux of the matter is that 

entrepreneurs have to deal with innovations very systematically. 

The focus must always be on staff, and innovation 

management should be put on a robust basis right from 

the start. In other words, potential interference factors 

that might obstruct the process should be identified and 

taken into account at an early stage. Obstructions may be 

internal, for example, departments working against each 

other, or there may be technical problems. Those who 

detect issues early and find solutions have good prospects 

for overcoming the hurdles and for growing with 

innovations. 

Dr Müller-Prothmann, many thanks for this interview. 

The interviewer was Rudolf Kahlen 

The milestones 

in successful 

innovation 

Dr Tobias Müller-Prothmann on important aspects 

for systematic innovation management. 

VII 

VI 

V 

IV 

III 

II 

I 

At the start there is a realization: 

Companies have a clear need for action when it comes 

to the management of innovations, even if the mental 

strain is still small. 

This is followed by analysis: 

Where does the company stand? How innovative is it? 

The next stage involves focusing on the 

infrastructure for innovations: 

How systematic can ideas be realized? 

The possible interference factors, either internal, 

technical, or external, then have to be identified. 

In response, the relevant ‘adjustment screws’ have 

to be turned: If, for example, the knowledge exchange 

between the departments is not working, this should 

be corrected. 

The next step is to formulate a strategy and to specify 

the required actions. 

And finally, even if this may sound obvious, 

the specified actions have to be consistently 

implemented.

Innovation 

ThinkTank KHS page 12–45 

innovations 

that give our customers more 

Companies that want to play at top level in the Champions League of 

their industry and repeatedly be in charge of their own destiny must subject 

themselves and their products to a continuous improvement process. / 

In line with this motto, the KHS team did not resign to stagnation in times 

that were difficult for almost all companies, but instead pushed forward inno- 

vation in products, processes and technologies with even more intensity 

and dedication. This is in the interest of the customer who thus receives sus- 

tainable productivity advantages and, as a result, also gains cost and 

competitive advantages.


14 New generation of fillers 

22 New standards in aseptic linear PET fillers 

28 New resource-saving CIP cleaning system 

30 New keg line for medium-sized businesses 

34 New packaging system for shrink packs in the retail sector 

38 New space-saving labeling machine 

40 New deluxe shrink packer 

In the Innovation box, you will find a QR code (left) pertaining to each article. Use your 

smartphone to create a direct email contact to the corresponding contact person. 

For this, simply download a corresponding application (app) and scan in the code with 

the smartphone’s camera. You can do this with the following free apps, for example: 

iPhone → AppStore → “RedLaser” 

Android → Market → “Barcode Scanner” 

Blackberry → App World → “BeeTagg”

Innovation 

New 

Era 

KHS presents the innovative filler 

platform for glass bottles / Not only 

the technology of the new, innovative 

glass bottle filler concept Innofill 

Glass by KHS is the Best of the Best. 

What’s more important is that the 

optimized Hygienic Design concept 

will give the companies who use it 

direct competitive advantages. These 

include improved filling quality and 

considerable cost reductions. For 

technicians and businessmen alike, 

this is the stuff of dreams.


At a glance: 

Innofill Glass 

→ Increased filling quality 

→ Faster cleaning 

→ Higher availability 

→ Reduced maintenance costs 

→ Lower energy costs 

→ Less water consumption 

→ Less cleaning media 

→ Short changeover 

… are achieved through comprehensive 

hygienic design and modern, lubrication-free 

components with optimized wear 

properties – developed by KHS with its highly 

specialized partners.

Innovation 

“Our head …,” 

French writer, painter and graphic artist Francis Picabia 

(1879 to 1953) discovered, “… our head is round so our 

thinking can change direction.” The master was looking 

far ahead into the twenty-first century. Because, as 

Michael Batz, dramatic adviser and light artist from 

Hamburg (Reichstag, Speicherstadt Hamburg), put it, 

for some time already, “it is not either/or exclusivities, 

individual highlights or more or less rigid systems what 

matter. Thinking today is formed by plurality, controllability 

that should be as easy as possible, time management 

and the ability to communicate combined with 

low energy consumption and high efficiency.” 

It’s about secured product 

quality and protection of the 

consumer 

In addition, and as the basis of all considerations, KHS focuses 

constantly on the customer in its market. What are 

the latter’s requirements? What does the customer need 

from a technological and economic perspective? How 

does the customer gain a lasting competitive advantage 

through KHS technology and services? These were exactly 

the questions the developers in the KHS group asked 

themselves when they worked on an innovative system 

for glass filling lines, which is now ready for operation. 

The focus here: hygienic design and automation. Competitive 

companies regard hygienic design as a major criterion 

for lowering costs in production. Above all, however, 

it is about secured product quality and protection of the 

consumer, but also about health at work for the own staff. 

Innofill Glass: Significant reduction in weight 

and parts in the filler carousel. 

Until now, beverage machine engineering normally optimized 

many individual components in terms of hygienic 

design without considering the adjacent machine parts. 

Problems: Optimizing, modernizing, and changing over 

existing designs always reach limits and obstacles – as 

long as the basic design needs to be preserved. Hygienic 

design thus remained piecemeal. Solution: the complete 

redesign of a filler line in that all design steps focus on 

the hygienic design aspect from the beginning without 

any regard of currently existing components. The team 

put everything to the test, reassessed every detail and 

eventually implemented the knowledge gained in innovative 

systems. 

The result is a platform-based machine concept as we 

find in the automotive industry. There, a platform defines 

the common technical basic concept, and the functions 

of the different models are oriented towards that basic 

concept. The definition at KHS is similar. A technical basis 

is now available that the different computer-controlled 

KHS filling systems are built on and that takes the respective 

individual criteria of the specific filling methods into 

account. The first filler for the KHS Innofill Glass platform 

system is the DRS-ZMS pressure filling system used for 

bottling beer. Other filling systems for soft drinks, water, 

wine, sparkling wine, and spirits will follow. 

KHS thus heralds a generation change in filling machines 

for glass bottles that offers a wide range of benefits, 

such as an even better filling quality, higher line 

availability, and reduced cost of maintenance, power, 

water, and cleaning agents. This is achieved primarily 

thanks to the use of modern and lubricant-free components 

with optimized wear behavior, which KHS has 

developed in close cooperation with its highly specialized 

partners.


THE NEW TECHNOLOGy AT A GLANCE 

Hygienic design is always also a matter of calculated simplicity. 

Simple design rules are therefore indispensable: 

→ Easy access to all machine surfaces (sanitizing, disinfection, inspection, 

maintenance). 

→ Avoidance of complex machine surfaces (wherever possible). 

→ Avoiding hidden areas (where deposits and biofilms can accumulate). 

→ Unobstructed runoff of liquids. 

Basic design. The function of the basic design – in brief 

– is to feed glass bottles into the machine, supply them 

to the filling and capping process, and subsequently discharge 

filled and capped bottles from the machine. The focus 

of the development work was therefore to design all 

parts relating to bottle conveying, with focus on hygienic 

design. Key features: supporting pipe bodies that are open 

on all sides (optimally accessible for cleaning and disinfection) 

/ broken glass falls directly to the floor and is easy to 

remove / stars and cappers are interconnected by flangeless 

cross-pipes and secured towards the outside by hygienically 

designed sealing systems / all bottle format parts are

Innovation 

designed to allow for optimal cleaning / weight-reduced 

design with easy-to-operate shape and position fixing 

locking pins / container format parts can be changed easily 

and quickly without any tools. 

Conveyor. A new stainless steel conveyor with open de- 

sign conveys the glass bottles directly to the feed screw. 

An automatic cleaning system can be integrated. The 

feed screw has no large surface areas. Instead: many 

rounded and sloped surfaces allow liquids to run off / the 

unit is driven by a stainless-steel encapsulated round servomotor 

/ attachment systems comprising bottle glide 

and guide strips (automatic cleaning) prevent the formation 

of gaps and niches where beverage residue could 

accumulate and microorganisms could grow. 

Machine carousel. The lightweight construction of the 

lift cylinder table and the tubular ring bowl additionally 

reduces the required driving forces / the tubular shape 

of the ring bowl allows for efficient cleaning results / 

the significantly reduced amount of materials saves energy 

by shortening the heating and cooling phases / 

electrical signal and output transmission to the carousel 

by maintenance-free rotary distributors / linear drive 

technology adjusts the height of all outer control cams 

and stop segments (control ring with additional height 

adjustment motor, angle gears, universal joint shafts 

and lifting columns are no longer required) / bottlelifting 

elements offer more room for discharging broken 

glass / height-adjustable scissor joints equipped 

with aseptic sealing systems supply beverage and process 

media. The result is a noticeably reduced number 

and variety of parts in the filler carousel (more efficient 

cleaning and maintenance). 

1 

1 

Injection of water at high pressure into filled beer 

bottles: the medium is fed through a hollow shaft 

within the torque motor. 

2 

Ludwig Clüsserath, Manager, Filling Technology 

Competence Center: “KHS is introducing a new era in 

filling technology with the Innofill Glass concept.” 

Torque motors. Transfer stars and cappers operate with 

low-wear and energy-efficient torque motors (without 

gearbox) / high torques / no mechanical abrasion / 96% 

efficiency [conventionally: 85%] / minimized wear / long 

service life). The energy conservation potential is up to 

20%. Another advantage is the hollow shaft design. Media 

are fed through the hollow shaft for injection at high 

pressure, for example. 

Filling system. The Innofill DRS-ZMS filling process has 

been optimized further. At the same time, however, the 

tried-and-tested filling process principle is essentially maintained 

(filling level probe / triple evacuation / double CO₂ 

rinsing / fast filling phase / precise fill level measurement / 

low-foam pressure-controlled pressure relief / speed-independent 

filling process / option for central changing of 

valves at any time). 

Modifications: Optimized swirler allows for improved 

low-turbulence and smooth filling while ensuring minimum 

oxygen pick-up / bell rods exposed to the outside and sloped 

surfaces ensure easy cleaning of the filling valves / hose connections 

no longer need to be hooked up separately. 

Electrical elements. There are no electrical elements, cables, 

or pneumatic supply hoses in the area of the filling valves 

and bottles / controlling pilot valves are arranged within a 

protected area, completely encapsulated in a housing. 

Compact valve manifolds. Fittings are specifically constructed 

vertically and not horizontally / this offers the advantage 

of taking up 50% less space; maintenance and 

checks are easier / compact valve manifolds are positioned 

in the immediate vicinity of the filler cladding / advantages: 

media passages are very short; quick, and efficient cleaning.


2

Innovation 

Vacuum Pumps: Systematic Modules 

As part of the new product line for glass bottles, KHS presents a standard model for vacuum pumps that is also modular 

in design. Naturally, it also offers a large number of advantages for bottling plants. And, what’s more, it already fulfils 

EU regulations on energy efficiency, which will become effective in 2017. 

When bottling beer in glass bottles, vacuum pumps reduce oxygen 

pickup and CO₂ consumption thanks to gas exchange. The standard 

practice to date has been to customize only one vacuum pump for the 

respective filling system, for example in terms of the filling output, the 

product temperature, or the CO₂ content in the product. Many versions 

Example: becoming flexible! 

An example of minimized power consumption and partial redundancy/redundancy: 

a filling system processes 50,000 0.33-liter or 50,000 0.5-liter glass bottles. 

UP TO NOW: ONE VACUUM PUMP 

WITH 18.5 KW CONNECTED LOAD. 

Both versions 

Capacity in the operating point: 

14.5 kW at 50 Hertz 

Possible output of vacuum pump: 

26,000 liters per hour 

Possible line output if one 

pump fails: 

The line stops 

Number of active pumps: 1 


50 to 60 Hertz / 8 to 12 kW 

of these pumps differed as far as their electrical systems or size and 

equipment are concerned. In the future, KHS will offer a standardized 

vacuum pump model. Only the following decision must be made depending 

on the output of the filling system: does the filler require one, 

two, or three identical vacuum pumps? 

IN THE FUTURE: TWO VACUUM PUMPS 

WITH A CONNECTED LOAD OF 15 KW EACH. 

option 1: 0.33-liter glass bottles 

Possible output of vacuum pump: 

16,500 liters per hour 


pump fails: 

100% 

(50,000 bottles/hr x 0.33-liter bottles) 

If one pump fails: 

Second pump is switched on 

* At a low frequency value always in optimal operating point 

→ Contact: Olaf Muszinski | KHS GmbH, Bad Kreuznach, Germany | Phone: +49 (671) 852-2704 | Email: olaf.muszinski@khs.com 

option 2: 0.50-liter glass bottles 

Number of active pumps: 2 


50 to 60 Hertz / 12 to 16 kW 

Possible output of vacuum pumps: 

25,000 liters/hr (2nd pump switches in*) 


pump fails: 

75% 

(37,500 bottles/hr x 0.5 liters/bottle) 

If pump fails: 

Second pump capacity is regulated upward


3 

Just one type of vacuum 

pump is sufficient for 

the new range. Up to 

three can be connected 

in parallel depending 

on the capacity. 

4 

The KHS operating 

panel has received many 

awards thanks to outstanding 

ergonomics, 

accurate navigation and 

brilliant design. 

Vacuum pump. For the new product line, a single pump 

type is sufficient; depending on the output, up to three 

are connected in parallel. This saves costs and reduces the 

footprint, lowers power and water consumption and ensures 

fast supply with spare parts. 

Crown capper. A more open design improves cleaning of 

many individual elements / closed servo motors substitute 

belt drives and other driving systems that were operated 

by belts or gear wheels / most important innovation: 

cappers for other closure types can be added like modules 

without any preparing investment and can easily be 

docked to the platform (open bottles do not need to pass 

through existing capping systems). 

Exterior cladding. Free-standing, makrolon or glass exterior 

cladding / advantage: unobstructed view of all machine 

components / dirt and deposits can be seen immediately 

from the outside / sufficient access area for cleaning 

and maintenance / basic exterior cladding can be upgraded 

to a closed sanitary room. 

Timesaving. Rapid intermediate rinsing and cleaning 

processes during product change / lines are installed 

with a slope to ensure quick emptying of the product passages 

/ advantage: significant time savings for frequent 

changeover / in addition, reduced time for machine installation 

and initial operation. 

Diagnostic system. Optionally, reference filling valves 

can be equipped with pressure sensors that continuously 

record the pressure curve during a filling process and 

send it to the display screen. This has the advantage that 

3 4 

the process sequence can be monitored permanently 

even inside the bottle. The vacuum actually achieved in 

the bottles and the correct CO₂ purging process can be 

read, among other things. 

This is an important aspect in order to ensure lowoxygen 

filling. 

Operator panel. The new multiple-award winning KHS 

operator panel (Red Dot Award & iF Award) with integrated 

RFID system controls the platform system. 

Conclusion: Innofill Glass rings in a new area in filling technology. 

The platform offers maximum transparency and 

cleanliness while ensuring even greater product safety. 

Oriented towards the requirements of the brewing trade 

to be able to fill beer pasteurized by a flash pasteurizer 

under optimal hygienic conditions without the need for 

bottle pasteurization after the filling and capping process, 

KHS’ development experts have done a perfect job. 

Light artist Michael Batz sees it this way: “It is neither the 

wind nor the sun – thinking is the largest renewable energy 

source. ” 

→ Contact 

Ludwig Clüsserath 

KHS GmbH, 

Bad Kreuznach, Germany 

Michael Beisel 



Phone: +49 (671) 852 -2501 

Email: ludwig.cluesserath@khs.com 

Phone: +49 (671) 852 -2205 

Email: michael.beisel@khs.com

Innovation 

Maximum 

Standards 

New generation of aseptic linear fillers from KHS 

/ 

Now, aseptic cold filling of PET bottles for 

non-carbonated beverages or other liquid products is 

becoming more flexible, easier, and more cost- 

efficient. With Innosept Asbofill ABF, KHS sets worldwide 

standards, for example with minimum sterile zones 

or numerous options – and one drop of liquid nitrogen.


New generation of linear filling machines: 

Innosept Asbofill ABF 611 and Innosept Asbofill ABF 711 

process up to 12,000 PET bottles per hour ranging between 

100 ml and 2.0 liters. A twin concept doubles the capacity.

Innovation 

“Our customers produce more 

effectively and more cost-efficiently. 

That was what mattered to us.” 

Paul-Uwe Winterhoff 

Head of Mechanical and Electrical Design, 

Competence Center Aseptic Filling Technology 

The basic three advantages of aseptic cold filling in 

plastic bottles are known. Firstly, natural taste and 

aroma of the beverages as well as their color are preserved. 

Secondly, the lighter, cost-efficient cold-fill PET 

bottle can be used instead of the thick-walled hot-fill bottle. 

Thirdly, preservatives are no longer necessary. 

What’s new is that KHS has developed a young generation 

of aseptic linear fillers which incorporate many optimized 

features. Users thus have a whole package of benefits if they 

choose the process of so-called dry bottle sterilization before 

the filling process. This principle also applies to the new 

aseptic linear fillers Innosept Asbofill ABF 611 and Innosept 

Asbofill ABF 711 from KHS that reduce the required sterile 

area significantly compared to the classical ACF wet process. 

Instead of the 65 cubic meters necessary, only 15 cubic 

meters are required when using the rotary design principle, 

while in linear operation the sterile area is drastically 

reduced even further – which is the decisive benefit that 

linear technology offers. The Innosept Asbofill ABF 711, for 

example, requires a sterile area of just 1.5 cubic meters and 

the Innosept Asbofill ABF 611 only 0.9 cubic meters. 

In linear operation, 

no mechanical intervention is 

required in the aseptic zone. 

At the same time, this reduced area offers maximum aseptic 

safety as the system conveys the bottles in a single holder 

through the entire machine. No switching from one carousel 

to the other – as is the case in the rotary system – is 

required. Thus, mechanical intervention in the aseptic 

zone is not necessary. All conceivable conversion and replacement 

measures take place in the unsterile area. Another 

benefit of the linear machine compared to the rotary 

system is that intermediate sterilization is not required. 

Oriented fully towards the respective product to be filled, 

the production cycle is between 48 and 72 hours. 

Aseptic linear filling machines generally cover a low 

to medium output range. The new lines process up to 

12,000 plastic bottles per hour (24,000 with the twin concept) 

with different shapes. Special sizes, including rectangular 

or square, are possible. The ABF linear fillers have 

been designed for filling non-carbonated beverages, such 

as milk, yoghourt drinks, fruit juices, and fruit juice drinks. 

Pulpy beverages containing up to 20% pulp and with 

fiber lengths of up to 18 millimeters can be processed. In 

addition, Innosept Asbofill ABF 611 and Innosept Asbofill 

ABF 711 are optimally suitable for filling pharmaceuticals,


provided they are liquid products for enteral feeding or 

health drinks for example. 

Possible, retrofittable options 

Users can also integrate all options for the individual entrepreneurial 

practice later. 

+ Pulp nozzles. Pulp nozzles can be installed in the filling 

valves, especially when fruit juices with high pulp content 

are to be processed. 

+ Nitrogen. Especially for beverages sensitive to oxygen: 

nitrogen flushing before the filling process and flushing 

of the head space of the plastic bottles with nitrogen after 

the filling process. This has the advantage that oxygen 

in the beverage is reduced even further. 

+ Liquid nitrogen. Another possible option is to place a 

drop of liquid nitrogen in the head space of the filled plastic 

bottles. The advantage of this process, which has been 

uniquely designed for linear fillers, is that more oxygen is 

displaced. It is especially suitable for lightweight bottles. 

Also: the pressure inside the PET bottles ensures greater 

bottle stability. This results in improved sub sequent processing 

such as labeling, palletizing, and conveying. And finally, 

the fact that less plastic is used saves material and costs. 

+ Filters. Double filters can also be used in the valve manifold 

instead of single-filter units. 

+ Code. Further options include coding of the plastic bottles 

during the production process. 

Much easier – at several levels 

+ Sterilization zone. The number of components in the 

sterilization zone has been reduced even further. For example, 

only one single servomotor is used for all drying 

lances. Advantages include easier maintenance and lower 

operating cost. 

+ Cable routing. The cable routing has been optimized 

even further, the location of the H₂O₂ treatment and other 

units has been changed. This has the advantage of even 

better machine accessibility. 

+ Measuring instruments. All measuring instruments are 

new-generation components. Advantages include improved 

ease of operation and optimized information density. 

+ Machine capacity. A twin-concept doubles the original 

machine capacity. This has the advantage of long-term 

reduction of cost compared to the investment in two individual 

machines. The reason for this is that essential 

components can be shared. Only one valve manifold, one 

bottle conveyor, one product and steam supply, one controller, 

one operator terminal and one machine cladding 

are required, for example. Added to this are the cost advantages 

of reducing spare part stock keeping. In addition 

to requiring less space. 

The most importnt stations in brief 

An air conveyor carries the PET bottles reliably and gently 

by means of neck handling while maintaining best possible 

hygienic conditions. Each section has a frequencycontrolled 

blower that supplies the air channel and controls 

the conveying speed of the bottles by means of 

various volume flows. 

Permanent sterile air 

in the 

aseptic zone. 

Infeed of the bottle is outside the aseptic zone. A chain 

moves past the air conveyor. The end of the latter is provided 

with a curve that ensures that the bottles are inserted 

in holders specially integrated into the chain for this 

purpose (the Innosept Asbofill ABF 611 has 24 holders, the 

Innosept Asbofill ABF 711 has 30 holders). 

After the checking process, the bottles are transferred 

to the sterilization zone where the system introduces 

H₂O₂ aerosol with temperatures between 90 and 120° C 

into every bottle in cycles by means of a lance positioned 

directly underneath the neck. All surfaces are uniformly 

coated regardless of the size and shape of the bottle. 

A partition separates the sterilization and the filling 

process in different housings. The aseptic zone always extends 

from the bottle mouth to the neck ring. Accordingly,

Innovation 

At a glance: 

the new aseptic linear fillers 

Criteria Innosept Asbofill ABF 611 Innosept Asbofill ABF 711 

Process Aseptic cold filling in PET / dry sterilization 

Suitable for Non-carbonated beverages, liquid products, e.g. pharmaceutical 

Sterile area 0.9 cubic meters 1.5 cubic meters 

Capacity 12,000 PET bottles per hour — twin concept: 24,000 

Standard bottles 0.1 to 0.75 liters 0.25 to 2.0 liters 

Standard diameter Bottles up to 85 mm Bottles up to 120 mm 

Standard height Bottles up to 240 mm Bottles up to 350 mm 

Neck ring Constant 38 or 43 mm 

Options 

Special advantages 

Pulp nozzles for products containing fruit / nitrogen flushing before 

and after the filling process for products sensitive to oxygen / liquid 

nitrogen for displacing oxygen / double filters in the valve manifold / 

coding during the production process 

Easier to operate (improved accessibility) / cost-reducing options 

(lighter bottles, time saving, higher availability)


a partition also extends only up to the cell carrier bar and 

only contains openings for the necks of the individual 

plastic bottles. Sterile air is blown permanently into the 

area of the aseptic zone and is discharged downward by 

so-called positive displacement current via an adjacent 

perforated plate. 

As there is no overfill, 

product is saved. 

From there, it enters the machine room where it can either 

escape or be specifically extracted. The actual sterile 

air preparation is located in a valve manifold installed on 

the machine, which also provides other media required for 

the production process. Blowers convey the air to the valve 

manifold that includes candle sterile filters. Candle filters 

offer the advantage that they can be sterilized with steam 

prior to production. Any microorganisms that might be 

present are thus reliably destroyed while ensuring maximum 

process reliability. 

Filling is carried out in two stages using the safe, aseptic 

open jet process with a filling valve which has been specially 

developed for low-foam filling. The preset filling recipes 

can be accessed by pressing a button on the operator 

terminal. Filling by means of electromagnetic inductive 

flowmetering allows for exact fill levels without any overfill 

(product savings). Changeover to other bottle sizes is 

completed at the push of a button. 

An adapter located within the filling station closes 

the filling valves for cleaning. The result: continuous circulation 

during the cleaning process of the filling valves. The 

entire aseptic zone is always cleaned by foam cleaning prior 

to production. In this process, every individual place inside 

the aseptic room is reliably reached. 

Possible closure types include seals (for dairies for example) 

or screw caps (for example for fruit juices). The capping 

process always takes place in a housing that is separate 

from the filling process. Consequently, the bottles 

pass through a partition again after filling. 

From the beginning, the sealing process is fully automatic. 

It is no longer necessary to place seals in hoppers 

provided for this purpose. This has the advantage that 

aseptic safety is increased even further while operator errors 

that might result in malfunctions are prevented. 

From the sorter, plastic closures are transferred into a 

feed chute. Aligned in the same manner, the caps – fully 

oriented towards the number of plastic bottles conveyed 

at each cell carrier bar – are distributed on eight lanes in the 

Innosept Asbofill ABF 611, and respectively on ten lanes in 

the Innosept Asbofill ABF 711. Sterilization is the same as 

bottle sterilization. Application of the screw caps has been 

thought out right down to the last detail. In a first step, a 

suction unit places the caps on the bottles, which are thus 

largely protected against external influences. The capper 

housing is divided into two chambers; the aseptic zones of 

these are separated by partitions. In the next step, the caps 

are screwed on in a separate sterile chamber. The key advantage 

is that the rotary capping motion, which usually 

entails greater risk in the aseptic zone, takes place within 

a sterile zone in which the bottles are as good as sealed. 

Maximum aseptic safety is also the motto here. Apart from 

classical plastic screw caps, sports caps can optionally also 

be processed (retrofittable). 

This step is followed by the closure check. After that, 

the bottles are clocked up to a position from where a 

gripping system takes them out and places them on the 

conveyor. 

Conclusion: With the new generation of aseptic linear 

fillers, KHS offers a technical system that fulfils the 

demands required by companies. Maximum safety goes 

hand in hand with flexibility with regard to the product 

and also the plastic bottles to be filled and the closures 

used on them. Thanks to a comprehensive package of options, 

which can also be integrated into the latest generation 

of Innosept Asbofill ABF machines later, this is a machine 

generation that is perfectly equipped for the present 

and the future. 

→ Contact 

Thomas Niehr 



Paul-Uwe Winterhoff 



Phone: +49 (671) 852-2900 

Email: thomas.niehr@khs.com 

Phone: Phone: +49 (671) 852-2900 

Email: paul-uwe.winterhoff@khs.com

Innovation 

SHOrT 

routEs 

New, resource-saving cleaning system from KHS / 

The newly developed Innopro CIP C cleaning system 

offers noticeable additional resource savings and 

an investment plus of around 15%. A clever aspect is 

that long routes for media transport are avoided. 

In the beverage sector it goes without saying that filling 

lines have to be perfectly clean. This is what CIP 

(Cleaning in Place) is for. This process reliably removes production 

residues, deposits, and product-harming microorganisms. 

The new Innopro CIP C (Cleaning in Place Compact) 

system developed by KHS offers even more. It saves 

water, chemicals, energy (and therefore costs), doesn’t require 

a lot of space, and can easily be integrated in new 

or ex isting filling lines. From a filling operation perspective 

there are ten important questions regarding the application 

in practice. 

Question 1: What are the benefits? 

The Innopro CIP C is a local CIP system that not only cleans 

the filling system but also an additional process component, 

such as the flash pasteurizer or the mixer, as well 

as itself. The key advantage of this solution is that media 

transport over long distances is avoided. Compared 

with conventional CIP systems the energy consumption is 

therefore significantly lower, because thanks to the central 

position and short media lines the heating losses are 

much reduced. In addition, media consumption is lower, 

and the smaller number of mixing phases means that the 

cleaner uses much less water and cleaning media.


Question 2: For which applications 

is the cleaner suitable? 

The Innopro CIP C can be used for a wide range of filling 

applications, such as beer, water, soft drinks, juice, wine, 

or milk, and containers such as cans, glass, plastic bottles, 

or kegs. It is equally suitable for cold filling, aseptic filling, 

ultra-clean filling, and hot filling. 

Question 3: What is the technical concept? 

The Innopro CIP C is equipped with three tanks: a caustic 

tank, a hot water tank, and a primary water feed tank 

which serves as system isolator. This has the advantage 

that the CIP flow pump cannot run dry and always has 

water available, even in the event of an overload of the 

water network. 

Innopro CIP C: 

a true ecological package. 

Question 4: How long does the installation take? 

The tanks of the Innopro CIP C have been deliberately designed 

as rectangles. This makes the whole system compact 

and suitable for standardized overseas containers, resulting 

in cost-effective transport. All components required for 

the system operation such as pumps, valves, heaters, media 

tanks, and the control cabinet with the controller are already 

installed on a stainless steel frame in the container and ready 

for operation. 

Question 5: How does the Innopro CIP C work? 

The cleaning media and the hot water are heated using 

a plate heat exchanger and saturated steam. The cleaning 

temperature is controlled electropneumatically. A 

flow pump ensures circulation of individual cleaning media 

and maintains the cleaning pressure. While the fresh 

water is immediately disposed of after the first cleaning 

process, the conductivity and temperature of the caustic 

are measured after the cleaning process. Should returned 

caustic be discarded or returned to the caustic tank and 

therefore the production process? The pneumatic metering 

system adds caustic. The system is then rinsed with hot 

water and finally with cold water in order to cool down 

the piping and components. 

Question 6: Can acid be used for cleaning? 

Deposits are removed with acid. With the Innopro CIP C, 

acid can be introduced into the existing hot water tank 

and from there fed to all components. 

Question 7: How does the system clean itself ? 

The Innopro CIP C automatically deals with regular selfcleaning. 

The CIP media is introduced into the respective 

tank using spray balls. At the same time the spray balls 

flush the tank walls with cleaning solution or rinsing water, 

resulting in optimum cleaning. 

Question 8: Manual or automatic? 

The system offers a choice between manual and fully automated 

operation. In manual mode the operator has to 

switch on the flow pump or the steam and fresh water 

supply, for example. In fully automated mode all process 

steps run as stored in the recipe. 

Question 9: What accessories are available? 

The options are limited in order to keep the system clear 

and simple. Possibilities: Reasonably priced insulated 

media tanks (for additional energy savings) are avail able 

as an option, as are tanks in standard stainless steel. 

Question 10: Are special service options available? 

Included as standard: ReDiS (Remote Diagnostic Service) 

is included as a standard. If assistance is required, you can 

contact the KHS ReDiS Service Center directly. The possibility 

of reprogramming through ReDiS increases the system 

availability. 

Conclusion: The Innopro CIP C not only offers numerous 

technical and system benefits, but also an investment advantage 

of around 15% compared with standard CIP systems. 

This is achieved by deliberately using a compact 

tank unit. The standardized system design minimizes the 

design effort. 

→ Contact 

Alfons Abels-Rümping 


Bad Kreuznach, 

Germany 

Phone: +49 (671) 852-2211 

Email: alfons.abels-ruemping@khs.com

Innovation 

A real 

all-rounder


Insights: Infeed station and first cleaning head; the exterior 

cleaning booth is on the right in the background. 

KHS has developed a special keg line for medium-sized businesses / 

Special characteristics: very low space requirement, low budget, system 

efficiency of 95%, capacity of up to 90 kegs per hour, expansion options. 

The pilot system is running successfully. 

hot tip for companies in the brewing, soft drinks, min - 

A eral water, fruit juice, and wine segments whose keg 

filling capacity is unlikely to exceed 90 kegs per hour in the 

future is the Innokeg Till CombiKeg. The new development 

from the market leader in keg technology is an extremely 

compact keg washing and racking machine. 

All processes are integrated within a single frame and 

include external and internal cleaning, the filling process, 

up to five media tanks, the control system, and an infeed 

and discharge conveyor. The system fits exactly into one 

container and is ready-piped, cabled, and thoroughly pretested 

in the KHS plant. It can therefore be installed, connected 

up, and commissioned at the filling plant in just a 

few days. Once the media and product connections have 

been prepared on site, all that remains to be done is to 

erect and connect up the machine, press the start button, 

carry out the first CIP operation – and production can start. 

Long live the Plug & Produce principle! 

Features and advantages 

The new Innokeg Till CombiKeg processes 60 to 90 kegs 

an hour and is based on the principle of rotary processing 

which has been successfully employed and continuously 

developed by KHS for several decades. Advantages 

include cyclic processing and a low space requirement. 

If more than 90 kegs per hour are to be processed on a 

continuous basis, KHS recommends the in-line Innokeg 

Till Transomat which can be expanded without difficulty. 

But back to the main features and advantages of its 

little sister, the Innokeg Till CombiKeg. With this machine, 

the infeed and discharge areas are not separate but are 

arranged directly next to one another, making them extremely 

user-friendly. Just one operator can place the 

empty kegs onto the infeed conveyor and, without having 

to walk any distance at all, subsequently remove and palletize 

the racked kegs straight off the discharge conveyor. 

Another exceptional feature is that the system is modular, 

enabling a great number of options. 

Three or five 

washing heads, depending 

on capacity. 

The basic Innokeg Till CombiKeg R 3 machine has three 

washing heads and one racking head, and works with 

a classic, pressure-dependent racking system and return 

gas control. Performance: 60 kegs per hour. The 

Innokeg Till CombiKeg R 5 is fitted with five washing 

heads and one racking head, and uses the patented KHS 

Direct Flow Control (DFC) filling process (which can also 

be integrated into the basic machine at any time). Performance: 

up to 90 kegs per hour. Further peripheral 

components, such as scales, keg turners, keg cappers, 

and cameras can of course also be integrated into the 

system concept. 

The cladding, which is fixed within the machine frame 

and is designed in accordance with Hygienic Design specifications, 

is easy to clean and enables optimum process 

control and rapid maintenance access. Tried-and-tested 

KHS washing and racking heads, simple, clearly arranged 

matrix piping, and the use of hygienic membrane valves 

for media supply make for easier servicing and reliable 

processing.

Innovation 

Innokeg Till Combikeg compact keg washer and 

filler. Specially for small and medium-sized companies 

in the beverage industry. 

Proven technology 

If the kegs are severely contaminated, the keg fittings can 

be sprayed with water as they travel along the infeed conveyor. 

This ensures that no particles of dirt which may be on 

the fitting are washed into the inside of the keg. Essential 

features of the cleaning process naturally include a leakage 

test, the blowing out of any remaining beverage with sterile 

air, and optimum pulsating cleaning with up to three 

cleaning media. As an option, the exterior keg washer can 

be incorporated into the system housing. The space within 

the system intended for the exterior washer otherwise remains 

unused. The system achieves optimum soaking of the 

interior of the keg with caustic using two stations. Retrofitting 

is possible without any problems. 

Filling takes place after the keg has been rinsed with 

hot water and finally blown out with steam. The filling 

process uses either the classical, pressure-regulated filling 

system or the DCF filling process with its advantages 

of a 40%-lower CO₂ consumption, extremely accurate 

filling control, and reduced oxygen pickup for improvement 

of the product quality. The whole process is distinguished 

by significant savings in water, waste water, and 

energy. An important aspect is that, for uncomplicated 

products, fewer steps and a less complex machine design 

are possible. 

Once the keg has run through the racking process, 

it is sent on to the discharge station. Here, a check shoe 

pushes it from the machine onto the discharge conveyor.


Practical experience speaks for itself 

Innokeg Till CombiKeg pilot system at Schönbuch Braumanufaktur 

The Schönbuch Braumanufaktur in Böblingen near Stuttgart is now in its sixth generation and managed 

by Werner Dinkelaker and Götz Habisreitinger, ably supported by master brewer Gustavo Tresselt. 

Their company is already using the Innokeg Till CombiKeg pilot system from KHS. In the following, two 

experts of the trade voice their impressions of and describe their first-hand experience with the new system. 

Werner Dinkelaker: “As we know that we 

can rely on KHS in every respect, we were confident 

in investing in the pilot system for the 

newly developed Innokeg Till CombiKeg. In 

retrospect, this was exactly the right decision.” 

Gustavo Tresselt: “Because our proportion of 

kegs is high, it was important for us to invest 

in a robust, reliable system which takes into 

account our high quality requirements.” 

Werner Dinkelaker: “And it also saves space. 

Our operators don’t feel constricted in their 

work, even in this small space. It wouldn’t 

have been possible to install a conventional 

inline machine.” 

Gustavo Tresselt: “There are no long distances 

with this system, as is common with 

inline machines. This saves us an operator.” 

Werner Dinkelaker: “Sustainability as a com- 

pany tradition starts with the little things. We 

are very careful to use resources sparingly in 

every respect.” 

Gustavo Tresselt: “Actually, we hadn’t in- 

tended to include the brushing station in our 

machine. Then during the KHS in-house exhibition 

we noticed that kegs which had been 

brush-cleaned looked considerably better. An 

advantage with this option is also that the 

brush is automatically perfectly matched to 

An operator removes the keg or, in the case of bad kegs, a 

warning signal is given. An automatic rejection station for 

bad kegs can be provided. An automatic palletizing system 

is also conceivable. 

The Innokeg Till CombiKeg also processes non-returnable 

kegs. To this end KHS also supplies the Petainer 

keg, developed in cooperation with Petainer UK Holdings 

Limited. All that’s needed to rack them are additional 

adapters made of plastic. These are pushed onto the plastic 

kegs prior to treatment so that they form a single unit 

during the washing and racking process. 

Conclusion: The Innokeg Till CombiKeg is in every 

respect an advantageous all-rounder for medium-sized 

businesses. The system not only cuts down on costs and 

the particular keg diameter to be processed 

by means of an electric adjustment motor.” 

Gustavo Tresselt: “We are extremely satisfied 

with our Innokeg Till CombiKeg. Our 

confidence in KHS and our courage to invest 

in the pilot system have been rewarded by us 

gaining a reliable, compact system.” 

Werner Dinkelaker: “This will enable us to 

approach the future positively. However, we 

are also planning growth in the future, not 

for growth’s sake but only if the profits are 

right. And also because our beer means a lot 

to us. At Schönbuch, we believe in beer quality 

in the truest sense of the word.” 

required space but also provides tried-and-tested washing 

and racking quality with maximum flexibility and a line efficiency 

of 95%. This is not only of interest to the European 

market but also to already growing keg markets, such as 

that in the USA (in particular amongst craft brewers), and 

the still developing keg markets in Asia and Africa. And if 

that isn’t a hot tip … 

→ Contact 

Rainer Deutschmann 

KHS GmbH, Kriftel, 

Germany 

Phone: +49 (6192) 491-130 

Email: rainer.deutschmann@khs.com

Innovation 

TeMPO 

TeMPO 

TeMPO


One of the largest mineral water bottlers in 

Germany now uses KHS technology for preparing 

and palletizing shrink packs / With the Innopal PBL, 

Mineralquellen Bad Liebenwerda is able to dis- 

tribute a wide range products in different sizes of 

pack, loaded onto a single pallet from four se- 

parate conveyor sections. 

etailers are in a quandary: On the one hand they want 

r to offer a comprehensive product range, on the other 

hand they have only limited storage space. This also applies 

to the suppliers. Horst Kuhl, managing partner of 

Mineralquellen Bad Liebenwerda in Brandenburg, reckons 

that this is also relevant for suppliers: “Brand suppliers have 

to be proactive and quick.” This is precisely why his company 

recently invested in a KHS line with the sole task of automatic 

assembly and palletizing of a wide range of shrink 

packs for different non-returnable PET bottles. The advantage 

for retailers is that they receive all the shrink packs 

they ordered ready mixed on a pallet, which saves space. 

With the new KHS line, Mineralquellen Bad Liebenwerda 

present themselves as industry innovators, and 

not for the first time (see company telegram on page 

37). The company is one of the first mineral water operations 

worldwide to use this trend-setting concept. 

Tempo has always been a trademark of Mineralquellen 

Bad Liebenwerda. Shortly after the German reunification 

the RhönSprudel group took over the former powerful 

1 

Inline robot grouping enables side-clamped shrink packs 

to be gripped, turned and moved with millimeter accuracy 

and with considerable space saving. 

VEB operation. Since then the company has been on the 

up continually. By the end of 1991 the number of fillings 

was already 14 million, in 1992 it was 50 million, 

by the turn of the millennium 110 million, and in 2010 

150 million. 

The KHS assembly line for shrink packs can process up 

to 18,000 non-returnable PET bottles per hour. The line currently 

manages six-packs with 1.5 and 0.50 liter bottles. It 

is planned – and this will also be possible in the future – 

for the line to handle 0.75, 0.33 and 0.25 liter bottles. Operating 

personnel used to stack the shrink-wrapped packs 

manually. Now four conveyor sections can optionally handle 

different products. Costly and comparatively slow manual 

assembly will therefore be a thing of the past. 

Practical example 

Conveyor section 1: Shrink packs with mineral water. 

Conveyor section 2: “Teeträume” shrink packs. 

Conveyor section 3: Soda pop shrink packs. 

Conveyor section 4: “Landträume” shrink packs.

Innovation 

2 

The trade requires widely differing 

shrink packs to be ready mixed and 

positioned on a pallet. 

Another example: If the customer only wants to assemble 

two different shrink packs, two or three conveyor sections 

can handle identical shrink packs. In general, the new KHS 

equipment enables up to four different shrink packs to be 

combined in different ways on a single pallet. Individual 

layer formations can be programmed and adapted to 

changing retailers’ requests at any time. This means maximum 

flexibility. 

Quick overview: 

How the Innopal PBL system works. 

An inline robot grouping assembles the required formations 

for palletizing. The robots grip, turn, and move sideclamped 

packs with millimeter accuracy and only minimal 

space requirements. The gripper elements are lined with 

plastic and are therefore suitable for processing sensitive 

shrink packs. 

The line operates with a combined layer and row 

pusher. The layer pusher incorporated within the palletizer 

also serves as a stop when the layer is discharged 

onto the pallet. Extremely high palletizing accuracy of 

the whole pallet structure is achieved thanks to a block 

centering device arranged beneath the pusher plate. Also 

integrated is a handling robot that uses suction elements 

to remove pallet liners from a magazine and position 

them on the current layer. 

The individual layers are palletized on half pallets or 

Euro pallets. Additional gripper elements arranged on the 

suction head of the handling robot position the pallets in 

the predefined position. A stretch film wrapping machine 

secures the load. This is followed by pallet labeling, transfer 

to a forklift truck, and transport to the store. 

The integrated ReDiS system (Remote Diagnostic Service) 

has a direct online connection to the KHS ReDiS Service 

Center for remote analysis. Managing director Horst 

Kuhl says, “With ReDiS we are on the safe side and can fall 

back on fast KHS support at any time. This is important 

for high line efficiency.” And, of course, for a good tempo. 

→ Contact 

Jörg Hoffmann 

KHS GmbH, Dortmund, 

Germany 

Phone: +49 (231) 569 -1877 

Email: joerg.hoffmann@khs.com


“Manually 

this would be 

impossible.” 

Short interview with Horst Kuhl, managing 

partner of Mineralquellen Bad 

Liebenwerda. 

KHS competence: 

Mr Kuhl, hand on heart, do you see a 

long-term future for medium-sized mineral 

water operations? 

Horst Kuhl (laughs): Certainly! But only if the 

companies position themselves in a targeted 

manner. This includes top product quality, innovations 

based on market demand, and a 

comprehensive, constantly improving service 

package. 

What role does technology play? 

A very big role. High-quality, flexible technical 

solutions that enable us to respond quickly 

are essential. Before you ask: KHS offers such 

technology and is therefore a key factor in our 

positioning strategy. 

How satisfied are you with the 

new assembly line? 

Highly satisfied, not least because it would be 

impossible to achieve such quality and perfect 

layer formation manually. A crucial aspect for 

us is that the line offers scope for further automation, 

should retailers start asking for 

even more sophisticated pallet assemblies. 

What does the future have in store for 

Mineralquellen Bad Liebenwerda? 

Contrary to the current trend, in 2010 our 

brand products achieved around 5% sales 

growth. For 2011 we expect similar growth. 

Thanks to extensive expansion investment we 

are well equipped for 200 million fillings. I’m 

happy for things to continue in this way. 

+++ Company telegram +++ 

+++ Mineralquellen Bad Liebenwerda +++ 

+++ Member of the RhönSprudel group, which also includes Mineralbrunnen RhönSprudel, Spreequell, and Bauer Fruchtsaft GmbH +++ 

+++ Among the 20 largest mineral water operations in Germany +++ 

+++ Mineral water accounts for 80% of fillings +++ 

+++ 40% of which these are conventional carbonated mineral water; 40% Bad Liebenwerda Medium; 20% Bad Liebenwerda Naturell +++ 

+++ The RhönSprudel Group is among the top ten of the German mineral water industry +++

Innovation 

Innoket 360 S: compact and efficient 

THe SPACe SAver 

… processes 50,000 bottles per hour


The Innoket 360 S labeler extends the tried and tested KHS roll-fed range with a 

compact model. The basic package offers a technical solution at an attractive price, 

with modular extension packages available to suit demand. The key features 

are described below. 

Approx. 

25 m² 

1. Compact and space-saving 

The Innoket 360 S with a size 

708 carousel is a compact 

model. This machine needs 

around 40% less space than 

the Innoket 360. 

2. Efficient and 

cost-effective 

In the basic version of the 

Innoket 360 S, the standard electrical 

cabinet is paint-finished. 

The station and centering hood 

are adjusted manually. Hinged 

doors offer adequate access and 

CE-compliant machine protection 

for safe operation at up to 

50,000 bottles per hour. 

Approx. 

16 m² 

3. Fast and precise 

The Innoket 360 S is quickly 

ready for operation as a KHS induction 

heater ensures short 

heat-up times. Self-sharpening 

cutters make sure that the labels 

are always cut precisely. Format 

changeover is easy to understand, 

reproducible, and 

fast, providing operational reliability. 

Overlap correction takes 

place during operation without 

the system having to be 

stopped. This ensures perfect label 

positioning. 

– 35% 

4. Additional options 

and benefits 

The machine features the first 

autosplice system that doesn’t 

need a costly, continuous supply 

of compressed air. The segmented 

vacuum drum makes changeovers 

simple. Motor-driven adjustment 

elements offer support 

if changeovers are frequent. 

→ Contact Oliver Kress | KHS GmbH, Dortmund, Germany | Phone: +49 (231) 569-1748 | Email: oliver.kress@khs.com 

Manfred Pschichholz | KHS GmbH, Dortmund | Phone: +49 (231) 569-1513 | Email: manfred.pschichholz@khs.com

Innovation 

A deluxe shrink packer 

QuantuM 

LEaP 

Plus points 

The main new features of the new shrink 

tunnel generation at a glance 

→ Improved heating flow saves up to 15% energy 

→ Savings package reduces energy consumption by 

up to 20% 

→ Gas heating saves up to 50% energy costs 

→ Variable hot air nozzles 

→ Even more gentle conveying 

→ Automatic cleaning of the conveyor chains 

→ Lighting and camera monitoring 

→ Six tunnel versions are available


KHS has made further improvements to no less than four modules in its 

Innopack Kisters SP shrink packer for the beverage, food, and non-food industries. 

A new shrink tunnel concept ensures significant energy and cost savings. 

It allows shrink packs to be produced without shrinkage holes, has a pioneering 

feature whereby film can be printed on the inside of the pack, and an option 

to form nested packs. 

The fully automatic Innopack Kisters SP shrink packer 

for producing film-wrapped packs has been received 

enthusiastically. The Advanced product line offers modular 

packaging technology with tried-and-tested economic 

efficiency and maximum flexibility. Yet things can get even 

better. Based on requests from our customers, the KHS development 

engineers have implemented significant technological 

improvements in four areas: 

→ Shrink tunnel (with a whole range of optimizations), 

→ Shrink wrapping of larger product formations 

(now possible without shrinkage holes), 

→ Film printing (inside pack printing now possible), and 

→ Variable secondary packaging (nested packs). 

But first things first. Let’s take a look at shrink packs. It’s 

hard to imagine life without them and they have long 

since become popular worldwide, not least because they 

support the impact of the brand at the point of sale. There 

are two ways of doing this: with an unprinted film the 

products make direct contact with the consumer. Printed 

film communicates the advertising message with a diverse 

range of options. In any case, the key for optimum presentation 

of the brand is a perfect shrink result. 

This requires shrink technology that is well thought 

out down to the last detail. And this is exactly where a lot 

has been happening recently. KHS is now launching a new 

shrink tunnel concept for the Innopack Kisters SP with refined 

technology, a modified approach to the subject, and 

100% practical orientation. The new Innopack Kisters SP 

is a quantum leap for shrink packing; from a basic platform 

the modular system can be configured and expanded 

to specifically suit individual requirements. Moreover, 

the new shrink tunnel concept, which KHS has standardized 

for the Basic and Advanced product lines, is fit for the 

future. All functions can easily be integrated, and energy 

efficiency is a high priority. The twelve chief benefits of the 

new shrink tunnel generation are described below. 

1. Heating system offers improved flow. 

KHS has optimized the heating chamber by carrying out 

a flow simulation. New ventilators ensure improved flow, 

which saves up to 15% energy. Thanks to the optimized 

flow, the number of ventilators and heating elements 

have been reduced. For each possible shrink tunnel version 

(see Page 45) only two instead of three heating chambers 

with one ventilator each are required. Additional 

benefits include less servicing and fewer spare parts. 

2. Energy-saving package: save up to 20% 

An optional, additional energy-saving package offers potential 

for saving up to 20% of energy. 

Key benefit 1: a newly developed roller shutter system 

that adjusts the product infeed and discharge openings 

to suit the size of the pack during production and automatically 

closes them when the packing machine stops. 

This largely minimizes the escape of thermal energy. 

Key benefit 2: standby mode. The electronically controlled 

standby function reduces the energy consumption 

of all functional units involved in the shrink process to a 

minimum. As soon as the production process calls for it, 

all functions return to normal operation. 

3. Environmental bonus: optional 

gas heating available 

The new concept includes an eco shrink tunnel with gas 

heating instead conventional electric heating. In this way

Innovation 

1 

3 

NEW (1) 

Shrink packs without 

shrinkage holes 

An alternative to nested packs and nested 

shifted packs would be to invest in a manipulating 

unit that can form classic shrink packs 

without shrinkage holes. These packs have all 

the advantages of nested packs and nested 

shifted packs yet do not require any additional 

investment in the pack conveyor and palletizer 

section. In practice, the option to produce 

shrink packs without shrinkage holes 

saves significant costs. The process uses less 

material, increases pack stability, simplifies logistics 

and reduces stockholding. In addition, 

only one material has to be disposed of when 

the time comes. 

2 

Shrink packs without shrinkage holes are particularly stable and reduce costs. 

NEW (2) 

Inside film 

printing 

KHS’ new online film printing setup integrates 

film printing into the packaging prior to 

the shrink process. Advantages: the online 

print is on the inside of the pack / thermotransfer 

printers make a perfect print / 

optimum contrast, e.g. for barcodes / wide 

range of print options (logos, additional 

information, attractive images) / variable 

print positioning and dimensions (width: 50 to 

128 mm; length: up to 50 mm) / costs for 

print material and paper labels saved / increased 

machine availability / no handling required. 

In practice, this results in even more safety, 

ease of operation, machine availability, and 

targeted cost reductions. 

NEW (3) 

Shrink packs with 

nested packs 

The term “nested packs” refers to packaging 

where the number of containers in adjacent 

rows differs by one. Nested shifted packs 

differ from nested packs in that each row has 

the same number of packs. In practice, this 

results in improved stability of can, glass, 

or PET packs. The film can be thinner and the 

cardboard trays or pads that were previously 

used are no longer required, thereby cutting 

costs considerably, so that the additional investment 

will pay off quickly.


companies can save up to 50% of their energy costs, depending 

on local energy prices. As an added environmental 

bonus the CO₂ emissions are reduced by up to 60%. 

Another important aspect is that a gas connection is sufficient, 

without the need for air supply and extraction systems 

(chimneys). 

4. Variable positioning of hot air nozzles 

Adjustable hot air nozzles give the best possible results for 

each individual shrink pack. The air flow can be set exactly 

as required to fully suit the individual pack format with regard 

to both height and width. The amount of air required 

for a perfect shrink result can be configured for each individual 

nozzle, either manually or electronically using servo 

motors. Nozzles can also be ‘parked’, a feature that proves 

especially useful when a product program requires operation 

both in a single and in multiple lanes. This ensures that 

hot air is always precisely directed to where it is needed. 

5. Manual or electronic format changeover 

The machine is set up manually for a different format by 

means of spindles (standard). This is carried out accurately 

using digital displays and set-up documentation. As an 

option, operator-guided format changeover offers significantly 

more convenience. The key points in brief: The operator 

receives important information, such as when and 

where an adjustment is to be carried out, at the control 

desk (HMI) / Optimum overview of the changeover process 

/ All parameters are stored for every packaging format 

/ Transfer to the electronic digital displays on the setup 

units / Accurate reproducibility / Shrink tunnel hot air 

nozzles adjusted fully automatically. The advantages include 

no troublesome paper lists / accurate reproducibility 

/ reduced operator errors / smooth restart. 

6. Toothed belt ensures reliable conveying 

The type of conveying chain used in the shrink tunnel area 

depends on the stability of the product being conveyed. 

Packs with cardboard pads require a bar chain and film 

packs a wire link belt. 

7. Constant speed with gentle transitions 

While the tempo on the packaging machine varies according 

to the production volume, in the shrink tunnel a constant 

speed is crucial for a perfect shrink result. For this reason 

a special functional unit has been installed between 

the packaging machine and the shrink tunnel which compensates 

for the difference in speed between these two 

machine sections. 

8. Automatic cleaning of conveyor chains 

Another optional module is an automatic cleaning system 

for conveyor chains made of wire mesh. This system consists 

of a counter-moving stainless steel brush located underneath 

the conveyor chain which is engaged at fixed intervals. 

Film debris and particles of dirt removed from the 

conveyor chain are swept into a drawer that can be easily 

emptied, thereby eliminating the need for time-consuming 

manual shrink tunnel cleaning processes. 

9. Lighting provides safe overview 

Optional hood lighting gives operators a clear view of 

the hood interior. This makes any fine adjustments to the 

shrink process that have to be made by operators or maintenance 

personnel immediately visible. 

10. Camera system for accurate monitoring 

A camera system can be installed at the shrink tunnel discharge 

together with the lighting. This system transmits 

image files to a monitor installed next to the shrink tunnel. 

Images can either be in black-and-white or color, depending 

on the option chosen. This has the advantage that operators 

can conveniently observe the shrink process from 

outside. An ‘air curtain’ is used in place of the standard 

hanging curtains in the shrink tunnel infeed and discharge. 

11. Hygienic design makes cleaning simple 

The cubic machine frame, already established in the Advanced 

series, provides even more space within the shrink

Innovation 

“Heute ein König” (“Today a 

king”) is a catchy advertising slogan 

used by the Duisburg-based 

König-Brauerei and familiar to 

most beer drinkers – at least in 

Germany. The brewery with a 

long tradition has been “committed 

to top quality for more than 

150 years”. The latest investment 

in shrink packer and tray shrink 

packers for the existing canning 

line shows the company has 

König-BrauErEi 

The very best in packaging 

“The operator-controlled format changeover 

is not only kept very simple, but 

also saves time, resulting in high system 

availability.” 

also opted for quality by once 

again choosing KHS technology. 

“The only way we can justify labeling 

the products we sell our 

customers ‘premium’ is by making 

this concept of quality paramount 

in ev ery single one of our 

operations and measures from 

production to sales,” says Guido 

Christiani, König-Brauerei’s production 

and engineering manager, 

hitting the nail on the head. 

Guido Christiani 

Production/ 

Engineering 

manager at 

König-Brauerei 

König uses a KHS Innopack 

Kisters SP/TSP shrink packer 

A wide range of packaging options 

is available for the cans 

filled with König Pilsener. Both 

packers have a capacity of up to 

62,000 cans per hour. The main 

benefits are described below. 

+ Cubic machine frame offers 

a clear view and optimum 

hygienic design 

Together with a new protective 

hood concept the cubic machine 

frame offers operators 

an even better view into the interior 

of the machine. The hygienic 

design is also very advantageous. 

Key features: support 

systems made of painted tubes 

that are permanently welded to 

the machine; collection of detergents, 

rinsing water, and any 

product runoff in drip trays. 

+ Operator-controlled format 

changeover is simple and 

saves time 

Key features: monitor provides 

information on settings; no 

paper lists or checks required; 

quiet, easy to configure, maintenance-free 

toothed belts are 

used where possible. 

+ Two servomotors 

permit high speeds and 

rapid replacement 

Each of the two servomotors 

has a directly allocated sectioning 

tool, resulting in high 

speeds for a wide range of 

product groups. Key features: 

identical servomotors with integrated 

servo controllers; simplified 

replacement if maintenance 

is required; reduced stock 

of spare parts.


Spotlight on König-Brauerei 

Founded in 1858 by Theodor König 

— König Pilsener since 1911 

— Member of the Bitburger group 

Market position Among the top 10 premium breweries 

In Germany 

Products König Pilsener, König Pilsener 

Alkoholfrei, König Pilsener Radler (shandy) 

Export to more than 60 countries on five continents 

Packs 35% kegs (restaurant trade), 

60% glass bottles, 5% cans 

+ Minimized film consumption: 

sustainable and cost-saving 

Using a newly developed film 

cutter and conveyor system, the 

machine is able to process significantly 

thinner film materials 

than in the past. Key features: adjustable 

vacuum belt; automatic 

discharge of electrostatic charges; 

maximum conveying stability; 

system sets the length of film 

section and position of the printed 

image electronically after the 

format is selected at the operator 

panel; servo-driven cutter cuts 

the film with maximum precision 

and minimum cutter wear. 

+ Variable hot air nozzles: 

accurate fit and reproducible 

The shrink tunnel with a conventional 

electric heater is 

equipped with variable hot air 

nozzles. Key features: the hot 

air nozzles accurately fit each 

individual shrink pack format ; 

100% reproducible. 

KHS tray shrink packer: 

precise and flexible 

The KHS Innopack Kisters TSP 

tray shrink packer also operates 

very precisely with a downstream 

KHS shrink tunnel, in 

cases where the customer requires 

loose cans in trays of 24 

to be wrapped in film. By way of 

a summary, Guido Christiani enthuses, 

“The good reputation 

of KHS packaging equipment 

has very quickly proved itself in 

practice.” 

→ Contact 

Wolfgang Augel 

KHS GmbH, Dortmund, Germany 

Phone: +49 (231) 569 -1635 

Email: wolfgang.augel@khs.com 

tunnel section, among other things. Large exterior surfaces 

make external cleaning easy. The double-walled cladding 

allows cables to be laid. An additional benefit is that 

the insulating elements for the shrink hood have no thermal 

bridges whatsoever, so that the heat remains exactly 

where it is supposed to be: inside the tunnel hood. 

12. Dimensions: six versions 

The new generation of KHS shrink tunnels is available in 

lengths of four, six, and eight meters and widths of between 

700 and 1,000 millimeters. In other words, the 

range comprises six different shrink tunnel versions. The 

right choice will depend on the respective packing tasks. 

KHS can assist by recommending a suitable shrink tunnel 

version and advise on optional accessories that can 

be integrated. 

Result 

With the new shrink tunnel generation KHS also offers a 

gas heating option with cutting-edge porous combustion 

technology that offers energy cost savings of up to 50%. 

High security of investment is ensured by the extremely 

high quality of the machines – as to be expected where 

KHS is involved – and also by the fact that all functions can 

be retrofitted at a later date. The energy-saving package, 

the eco shrink tunnel, automatic conveyor chain cleaning, 

additional pack cooling: should customers find they 

require the one or the other extra after initially operating 

the new shrink tunnel without, they can upgrade at 

any stage for even more future potential. And that’s what 

it’s all about. 

→ Contact 

Karl-Heinz Klumpe 

KHS GmbH, Kleve, Germany 

Werner Oster 

KHS GmbH, Kleve, Germany 

Phone: +49 (2821) 503-212 

Email: karl-heinz.klumpe@khs.com 

Phone: +49 (2821) 503-152 

Email: werner.oster@khs.com

Service 

KHS Spare Parts 

Many machines have to run for longer, and that not only since 

the difficult times of the economic crisis. This is why KHS 

has completely revised the price structure for well over 

100,000 spare parts. The result: fair calculation, maximum 

transparency, and price reductions for 55% of all items – 

while maintaining maximum quality. KHS competence 

spoke to Günter Unkrig, corporate service manager at KHS. 

KHS Competence: Mr Unkrig, KHS will in 

future mark its spare parts with a best value 

label. Isn’t this just old wine in new bottles? 

Günter Unkrig (smiles): No, not at all. To the customer, 

best value basically means getting maximum 

quality at a reasonable and fair price. 

What does this mean for the 

customers in detail? 

Firstly, we produce each original spare part 

with identical material and identical production 

processes as those used for KHS new machines. 

More quality is not possible. This is 

what we vouch for with our good name and 

this is what we promise … 

… and how to you arrive at the fair price? 

Secondly, we now have a uniform calculation 

basis for KHS spare parts worldwide. This 

was initially achieved based on extensive market 

price research on different continents. In 

addition, we separately analyzed each individual 

common KHS spare part in terms of 

complexity and manufacturing expenditure. 

Eventually, a specifically developed calculation 

model arrived at new spare part prices. 

Will you pleasantly surprise your customers? 

We will indeed. Our customers will probably be 

highly satisfied that we were able to reduce the 

price of more than 55 % of all KHS spare parts. 

On what scale are you talking about 

in this context? 

KHS offers 100,000 common spare parts. We 

define common spare parts as parts that the 

market requests more than twice per year. 

Best value means 

maximum quality at 

a fair price. 

Why a new system at all? 

In the past few years, many industries invested 

less in new lines and machines. 

Accordingly, existing, in some cases older 

lines had to continue operating reliably. 

I would like to say it very frankly here: especially 

during that time, numerous customers 

gave us the feedback that our spare part prices 

were “too expensive”. That was sufficient 

reason for us to analyze this in more depth, as 

KHS always focuses on the customer. 

How deep is in depth? 

For example, during the research, we found 

that some of our prices were not in line with 

the market. Here, we have to admit that there 

was some neglect at our end. Even though a 

very harmonized calculation scheme was developed 

for spare parts at KHS more than a 

decade ago, however, it made provision for a 

linear update of the prices. The model failed 

to sufficiently consider changed market prices


and increasing costs in manufacture and purchasing. 

We have put an end to this for now 

and for the future. 

Will the same KHS spare part price apply 

worldwide in the future? 

Basically yes. However, prices may vary slightly 

within narrowly defined general conditions 

in individual markets. In some regions, for example, 

special documents must be provided 

with spare part deliveries, which require 

a certain amount of expense. In the future, 

we will calculate this with clearly indicated 

surcharges for spare part deliveries. We 

thus ensure maximum transparency for our 

customers. 

What is the quickest way for KHS customers to 

find out if and how the new spare part prices 

are advantageous for them in concrete terms? 

Eventually, what matters to every customer is 

the cost for the complete spare part shopping 

cart to be ordered. We therefore recommend 

inquiring the required spare parts from KHS 

and comparing the prices with those of other 

suppliers. A decision can then be made based 

on our quote – obviously, one should never 

forget the quality aspect. What should also be 

considered is that our service staff offers the 

customers extensive on-site advice in respect 

of preventative maintenance. 

Other important aspects include delivery 

time and service … 

… Of course. At our headquarters in Dortmund, 

we have approx. 60,000 pallet parking 

stations for spare parts, which ensures an especially 

high availability of parts. Our warehouse 

is manned around the clock on 365 

days a year. 

“Our customers will probably be highly satisfied 

that we were able to reduce the price of more than 

55% of all KHS spare parts.” 

Günter Unkrig 

Corporate service manager, KHS GmbH 

Parts can be requested day and night using 

the hotline on +49 (0)231 569 -10000, 

our Innoshop e-commerce platform or 

the Internet. 

Simultaneously, we maintain separate spare 

parts warehouses in many parts of the world. 

After all, our logistics partners offer a highly 

reliable and especially quick delivery service 

worldwide – and this is another decisive 

point. 

How likely are further price reductions 

in future? 

Very likely. We are committed to passing 

any price advantages that we achieve directly 

on to our customers. For example, if process 

optimizations can be implemented in 

manufacture or if the purchasing conditions 

offered by our suppliers improve, KHS customers 

worldwide will benefit from this. On 

the other hand, we will pass on increased 

costs, which the production of spare parts 

for very old machines may incur, in the same 

manner. An approach that we feel is fair and 

transparent in every respect. 

With everything in mind, could you describe 

your vision in one sentence? 

KHS wants to be the service leader in its markets. 

No more but also no less than this. Well, 

that’s two sentences (laughs). 

Mr Unkrig, thank you very much for 

your honest words. 

The interview was conducted by Friederike Arndt

Service 

Bernd Franzmann is a man who likes to 

come straight to the point. “Two things 

enable the above-average service life of our 

filling and packaging lines. The first is the 

good training of our machine operators, and 

the second the comprehensive KHS service activities 

in our company. We’re talking about a 

machine operation time of at least 20 years.” 

This is how the Karlsberg brewery’s manager 

of machine equipment, servicing, and the 

environment summarizes the joint success of 

the partnership between Karlsberg and KHS, 

which has been sustained over decades. 

For Karlsberg Brauerei KHS is much more 

than just a supplier of filling and packaging 

equipment. Franzmann says, “Since the 1960s 

KHS has been a reliable partner for us, not 

only giving us high-quality line technology, 

but also services that contribute to the long 

Keeping On running 

Systematic service 

/ 

At the Karlsberg brewery a joint win-win concept with partner KHS 

ensures long system service life and high availability, resulting in reduced 

costs and ever improving sustainability. Positively exemplary. 

life of our lines and to their high efficiencies. 

We have always been able to rely on KHS in 

the past, and no doubt we will continue to 

work with KHS in the future.” 

We could leave it at that. However, it’s 

worth taking a look behind the scenes. What 

are the facts behind the sound judgment of 

an experienced specialist such as Franzmann? 

What exactly happens, and who benefits? 

And finally, what’s behind this partnership, 

and on what basis does it all happen at the 

Karlsberg brewery? 

The answer to the last and possibly crucial 

question becomes apparent if we look at 

the obvious reasons for the Karlsberg’s success 

story. The history of the Karlsberg Group 

began with the foundation of Karlsberg Brauerei 

in 1878. Today the group is involved in 

a diverse range of business areas associated 

with beverages and services (including transport 

and events) for beer, fruit juice, mineral 

water, and soft drinks. 

The Karlsberg 

motto is 

“Be successful together”. 

The group motto is “Be successful together.” 

And the associated corporate strategy has 

been clearly recognized and specified: to convince 

customers through performance, quality, 

and innovation. 

For example, with Desperados Tequilaflavored 

beer the company was a pioneer 

for mixed beer beverages. At the same time


“Our filling and packaging lines have an above-average service life. 

we’re talking about a machine operation time of at least 20 years.” 

Bernd Franzmann 

Manager of machine equipment, servicing, and the environment at Karlsberg 

Karlsberg developed the MiXery Bier + Cola + 

X brand containing beer, cola, and a secret ingredient, 

which according to market surveys 

by Nielsen has a 30% share of the market in 

Germany and is regarded as the number one 

among cola beers. In early 2011 the group 

launched another innovation in the form of 

an iced version of MiXery Bier + Cola + X. At 

the same time important beer brands such 

as Karlsberg UrPils are deeply rooted in regional 

markets. The high quality standard 

of UrPils was recent rewarded with a gold 

medal from the German Agricultural Society 

(DLG). Dr Hans-Georg Eils, engineering and 

logistics manager at the Karlsberg brewery, 

says, “The award from the German Agricultural 

Society shows that our policy of focusing 

on quality and high-quality raw materials 

is spot on.” 

The basis of all this success is the fact that the 

company branches create a powerful competence 

network that not only enables optimum 

market penetration but also forms the 

foundation for genuine added value for customers, 

staff, and partners. 

Tailored service from KHS 

This is where partner KHS comes in. The challenge 

is that product ranges and packs that 

come in many versions (see Spotlight) require 

state-of-the-art filling and packaging equipment 

that is flexible and reliable. The starting 

point: Karlsberg currently uses two glass 

lines, a keg line, and a canning line, which are 

all mainly equipped with KHS components. 

The glass lines (installed in 1991 and 2007) 

each have a capacity of 60,000 glass bottles 

per hour (holding 0.33 and 0.5 liters). The can 

line (installed in 1996) can handle 70,000 cans 

per hour (0.33, 0.5, and 0.568 liters). The keg 

line manages 360 kegs in the hour, filled with 

either 15, 20, 30 or 50 liters of Karlbserg beer. 

The solution is a service system that was 

precisely tailored to the requirements of the 

company. In short, it includes regular consultations, 

regular technical overhauls, fast response 

in emergencies, speedy implementation 

of required modifications, and the 

transfer of updates and remote maintenance 

via ReDiS (Remote Diagnostic Service). 

Contact between Karlsberg and KHS occurs 

about every two weeks, so that any queries 

can quickly be clarified and any measures 

that may be required at the machines can be initiated 

rapidly, while spare parts orders can be 

discussed and triggered at the same time. Turn 

to page 51 for some specific practical examples.

Service 

Spotlight: Karlsberg at a glance 

1878 Karlsberg Brauerei founded 

2011 Karlsberg Group with diverse business areas, including: 

+ Mineralbrunnen Überkingen-Teinach AG (MinAG) with Staatl. Fachingen, 

Hirschquelle, and Teinacher 

+ The latter’s subsidiary Tucano Holding, company with Merziger Fruchtsäfte, 

Niehoffs Vaihinger Fruchtsäfte, and Klindworth Fruchtsäfte 

+ Brasserie Licorne, with production in France 

+ Original Karlsberg Brewery with wide range of beer brands, including Karlsberg UrPils, 

UrPils light, Feingold, Gründel’s Alkoholfrei, Pils, Export, Bockbier, and currently also 

Karlsberg Weizen in four versions


Karlsberg Brauerei: regular overhauls 

ensure high plant availability. 

1 

Service example: 

regular overhauls 

KHS overhauls the lines regularly, including 

overall inspection and listing of required 

spare parts. Spare parts have helpful labels indicating 

how long the individual components 

are expected to be fully functional. On this 

basis KHS makes the brewery an offer, which 

both partners then discuss in detail and with 

plenty of expertise. This is essential for longterm 

cooperation. What follows is the actual 

overhaul, with a time frame of around two 

weeks. Within this period the experts from 

KHS and Karlsberg strip all relevant sections 

of the affected machines almost down to 

their individual parts. In the filler area the key 

components which are removed and dismantled 

are the filling valves, the product and gas 

controllers, and the probe adjustments. It’s 

a continuous learning process. Furthermore, 

the service team checks the chain tension of 

the bottle washers every three months, while 

the machine controller continuously monitors 

the torques of the individual drives. 

2 


24-hour hotline 

Should problems occur despite all preventive 

measures, the central KHS telephone hotline 

is available around the clock. 

Service example: ReDiS Remote 

Diagnostic Service 

3 5 

For the latest KHS glass line, which is equipped 

with cutting-edge control components, Karlsberg 

uses ReDiS (Remote Diagnostic Service). 

This is based on the principle that a connection 

to the KHS ReDiS Service Center can be 

established quickly at any time; this then 

triggers a comprehensive remote analysis. 

In many cases machine problems can be resolved 

through online access to electronic 

line components. If the problem involves mechanical 

components, the technician at the 

machine is notified as to which exact actions 

must be taken. Other benefits include reprogramming 

or transfer of software updates. 

4 


filler conversion 

A recent project as part of a scheduled overhaul 

at Karlsberg Brewery involved retrofitting 

the filling valves of the KHS can filler. 

As a result, the filling quantity can be set 

even more precisely, and oxygen pickup in 

the product is minimized. This is added value 

offered by a new, mechanically controlled 

KHS can filling system. Bernd Franzmann says, 

“The investment will pay for itself in less than 

two years. No overfilling means we save product, 

and we can improve the product quality 

thanks to even lower oxygen pick-up. That’s 

what I call a true win-win situation.” 

∞ 


bottle washing software update 

The partners recently implemented a software 

update for the bottle washer servo technology 

which was installed in 2007, resulting 

in functional improvements and enhanced 

operator convenience. 

As a general rule, Karlsberg is never alone 

when it comes to making decisions. KHS is always 

on hand to discuss pros and cons in order 

to reach a sound basis upon which a decision 

can be made. Franzmann summarizes, 

“Our lines achieve high availability not least 

thanks to regular overhauls. The glass and keg 

lines are more than 80% efficient, and the can 

line even reaches more than 90%.” 

These are outstanding values which the 

Karlsberg brewery relies upon in view of limited 

storage space, a large range of items and 

comparatively low stockpiling. The machines 

simply have to keep on running, sometimes 

in two shifts but usually in three-shift mode. 

And that’s exactly what they do. 

→ Contact 

Jürgen Vandree | KHS GmbH, Dortmund, Germany 

Phone: +49 (231) 569 -1851 

Email: juergen.vandree@khs.com 

Jürgen Thielen | KHS GmbH, Dortmund , Germany 

Phone: +49 (231) 569 -1543 

Email: juergen.thielen@khs.com

On the Spot 

hot FIll 

efficient, sustainable, successful 

Pioneering achievement by PepsiCo and KHS 

for hot filling of thin-wall PET bottles / 

Rajendra Gursahaney instigated the HotFill+ project and was 

confident of success right from the start. Read on in the following 

interview to learn more about how the project unfolded. 

Mr. Gursahaney, I could rightfully refer to 

you as the father of the HotFill+ process, as it 

was you who decided to develop a new PET 

bottle for Lipton Tea without vacuum compensation 

panels and to fill them with the 

help of a new hot filling method. Where did 

this idea come from? 

Gursahaney: The trigger behind it all was 

that Lipton Tea without any preservatives was 

to be introduced to the Russian market. Two 

options were available to us for filling Lipton 

Tea without preservatives: aseptic cold filling 

and hot filling. From our perspective, the 

high investment and operating costs associated 

with an aseptic cold filling line were a 

distinct disadvantage. If we invested in a hot 

filling system, we would be paying about the 

same as for a classic soft drink line. Hot filling 

would, however, cost more, largely due to the 

higher costs for energy and the PET bottles 

which required vacuum compensation panels 

for hot filling and would thus be heavier. My 

idea was to go down the hot filling route but 

eliminate the drawbacks associated with it. 

This sounds simple – but did in fact present 

quite a challenge. How did you start to 

tackle the problem? 

We very quickly found a solution to the energy 

problem. Working with KHS, we developed 

an innovative energy recovery process. 

Heat, which is transferred to the water in the 

bottle cooler, is returned to the beverage 

heating process. Regarding a reduction in the 

Interview 

with Rajendra Gursahaney, 

Senior Director of Engineering, 

Pepsi Beverages Company 

weight of the PET bottles, we had the idea of 

flushing the head space of the freshly filled, 

classic PET bottles with nitrogen to compensate 

for any shrinking of the PET bottles after 

hot filling, thus making vacuum compensation 

panels superfluous. 

Where did this idea come from exactly? 

I was at Packexpo in Chicago to find out more 

about new technologies and new ideas on the 

market. While I was there, I spoke with a company 

that markets nitrogen flushing systems 

and asked the following question: is it possible 

to inject liquid nitrogen into a PET bottle containing 

a hot beverage and to do so in such a 

way that the nitrogen stays in the head space 

and does not get into the beverage?


They told me that they did not have an answer 

to the question but that they were willing to 

work together with PepsiCo to find out. That 

was the first step towards HotFill+. To carry out 

the research, we also needed a partner that 

specializes in filling systems and another partner 

that specializes in PET bottle production. 

“Go down the hot filling 

route but eliminate 

the disadvantages 

associated with it.” 

As your PET bottle manufacturing partner 

you specifically opted for what is now KHS 

Corpoplast, with KHS as your preferred 

partner for filling technology. What is the 

reason for this? 

I presented my ideas to both KHS Corpoplast 

and KHS; both companies were enthusiastic 

and prepared to bear the risks should my idea 

not work. In them I had found just the kind of 

pioneering spirit that was needed to develop 

something new. 

KHS took certain risks when it became 

involved in the project. What kind of risks 

did PepsiCo face? 

PepsiCo was taking a significant risk. For one 

thing, we had to invest in a blow-molding machine 

which in the worst-case scenario would 

have been of no use to us. On top of that, 

production of Lipton Tee without preservatives 

would have been delayed by six months 

had the experiment failed. According to various 

studies, this would have meant that Pepsi 

would have lost a large share of the Russian 

market for tea. However, like our partners, PepsiCo 

was willing to run this very significant risk. 

“The weight of a 1.5-liter PeT bottle has been reduced 

from 63 to 48 grams.” 

Rajendra Gursahaney 

Senior Director of Engineering, Pepsi Beverages Company 

In order to try out the HotFill+ idea, you 

set up a team of six people who carried out 

tests in the KHS Corpoplast laboratory. 

Who was on the team exactly and what was 

this test phase like? 

The team was made up of specialists from KHS 

Corpoplast, KHS filling technology, and the 

company that was responsible for nitrogen 

flushing. Lipton’s marketing manager was also 

on site to assess the newly developed PET bottles 

from a marketing point of view. 

In addition to this permanent team, many 

employees from the companies involved in the 

experiment also came into the lab from time 

to time to see how we were progressing. I was 

also in Hamburg several times. 

The new bottle was developed in line with 

the well-known KHS Corpoplast Bottles & 

Shapes program. We tested various PET bottles 

with differing distributions of material 

to see how they behaved during hot filling, 

during the ensuing flush with a precisely 

stipulated amount of nitrogen, and during 

capping. 

We even set up a kind of manual filling 

line for testing. First, we filled each PET bottle 

with hot water. At the next station on the 

line, an exact amount of nitrogen was added 

to each PET bottle. The PET bottle was then 

capped and cooled with ice-cold water. After 

cooling, each and every PET bottle was examined 

down to the last detail.

On the Spot 

HotFill+ for PET bottles from PepsiCo: 

nitrogen in the head space 

Do you know how many PET bottles went 

through this test phase? 

Several thousand. All in all, the test phase lasted 

half a year. By the end of this period we had 

developed a PET bottle that was perfectly suited 

for defined nitrogen flush after hot filling. 

“The reject rate for 

PeT bottles using the 

HotFill+ process is 

currently less than 0.1%.“ 

What came next? 

The next step was to test everything that we 

had learned in practice. KHS rented a filling 

line in Germany specifically for our project. On 

it we tested the new HotFill+ process using the 

PET bottles that had been specially designed 

for this purpose. We filled roughly 5,000 PET 

bottles. It turned out that only about half of 

them met the defined criteria. The other half 

was either too unstable or too heavily inflated. 

My conclusion from the trials was that 

the technique worked. All we now had to do 

was to ensure that we duplicated the performance 

that had produced the perfectly filled 

PET bottles. Specifically, this meant that all 

three companies had to aim for a repeated 

accuracy of their process of almost 100%. All 

three partners gave me a clear “yes”. This was 

what prompted us to invest in our first KHS 

line in Yekaterinburg which operates on Hot- 

Fill+ technology. 

What were the filling results like on 

the new line installed at Yekaterinburg? 

Did everything run satisfactorily? 

When we first started operating the machinery, 

we initially had a loss of 10%. After further 

optimization, about four weeks later we had a 

rejection rate of less than 0.1% – which we still 

have now. This is the standard in our branch of 

industry, and we are very satisfied with it. 

When you now look back, did you make 

exactly the right decision for the company? 

It definitely was the right decision, but there 

were a few things that were absolutely crucial. 

We had to find the right partners who were 

willing to take risks with us. That was essential. 

The project resulted in a significant image enhancement 

for the partners who invented Hot- 

Fill+. HotFill+ has produced very significant cost 

savings, which is a major benefit to PepsiCo. 

The weight of a 1.5-liter PET bottle, for 

example, has been reduced from 63 to 48 

grams. This saves us approximately $ 2.5 million 

a year in PET bottle costs – just on one filling 

line. We now have three filling lines which 

use the HotFill+ process at our sites in Yekaterinburg 

and Moscow , saving us $ 7.5 million a 

year. The reduction in PET consumption is also 

good news for the environment. 

In the space of two years, we have had absolutely 

no problems with the quality of PET 

bottles filled using HotFill+ technology. There 

have been no complaints whatso ever – either 

from retailers or consumers. That is an 

outstanding achievement, and it proves once 

again just how good the new HotFill+ process 

really is. 

“we thus save 

approximately 2.5 

million dollars a year in 

costs for PeT bottles – 

just for one filling line.” 

HotFill+ technology was initially developed 

exclusively for PepsiCo. After its development 

proved successful, you decided not to patent 

it just for yourself but to allow all interested 

companies access to it. Why? 

We wanted to share the advantages of this 

technology with others, if for no other reason 

than HotFill+ saves significant amounts of PET 

material, and that is good news for the environment. 

By making this process freely available 

to everyone including our competitors, 

we are making a tangible contribution to the 

environment and our planet. 

Mr. Gursahaney, thank you very much 

for this interview. 

→ Contact 

Frank Haesendonckx | KHS Corpoplast GmbH 

Phone: +49 (40) 67907-475 

Email: frank.haesendonckx@khs.com


Spotlight 

PreFOrM STerIlIzATION 

FOr UCF APPlICATIONS 

H₂O₂ process now in the heater: sterile preforms 

with a precise heating profile 

Filling fruit juices or spritzers calls for an inexpensive process that ensures 

that production is germ free. Sterilizing preforms isn’t that easy, however; not 

every process can guarantee first-class PET bottle quality. Applying the decades 

of experience amassed by its various PET experts, KHS Corpoplast has 

now developed an extremely beneficial preform sterilization process. This is 

how it works: 

→ The preforms are heated in the blow molder heater according to a 

specific heating profile. 

→ A mixture of hot air and of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is fed in and 

sterilizes the preforms. 

→ A final heating process applies the precisely defined heating profile to the 

preforms just upstream of the blow station. 

→ The preforms pass through a tunnel purged with sterile air to the respective 

blow station; finished bottles are also discharged through a sterile air 

tunnel and arrive at the filler protected from possible contamination. 

→ In the filler a constant stream of sterile air ensures that the bottles also 

cannot become contaminated here. 

The great advantage of this process is that the preforms pass to the blow 

mold with the exact heating profile the customer requires. This ensures that 

specifications are kept to – and also permits ultra-lightweight bottles to be 

manufactured. And we also mustn’t forget the economical use of media here! 

EXTRACTION 

H₂O₂ 

+ HOT AIR

Market Report 

Market report 

Successful customer projects and KHS acceptance tests around the globe.


Underberg Group, Berlin plant 

Small Bottles – Big Success 

Underberg is a world famous brand. For nearly 35 years, the company has been 

using KHS systems tailored to its exact needs. A new fully automatic glass 

depalletizer recently went into operation at Underberg. The company produces 

around 300 million miniature bottles a year, and it is totally satisfied 

with the great performance of the new bulk depalletizer. 

when Hubert Underberg took a trip to 

Holland in the middle of the 19th century, 

he had no idea that he was destined to 

become the founder of a global company. 

Briefly, the story is as follows. While he was 

there, Underberg drank an herb elixir which 

the publicans diluted with Dutch gin as they 

saw fit. Underberg liked the herbal drink as a 

bitter cordial, but he was irritated by the random 

addition of Dutch gin so much that he 

decided to create a beverage that combined 

the soothing properties of the herbs with 

modern methods of production. 

So there it was, the 0.02 liter single-portion 

bottle (the straw paper wrapping was 

added later). Millions of people in more than 

100 countries now consume the beverage containing 

herbs from 43 countries every day. Underberg 

has remained the Group’s core brand 

to this day. In the meantime however, other alluring 

names such as Asbach, Xuxu, Pitu, Unicum, 

and Dettling have been added to the 

portfolio. The list also includes Riemerschmid 

fruit and bar syrups, Schlumberger sparkling 

wines and Blanc Foussy. Today, the Underberg 

Group and it approximately 900 employees realize 

a turnover of roughly € 500 million. 

In the meantime, the company maintains 

production sites in Austria, Hungary, 

France, and Switzerland and plants in Germany 

in Berlin, Erding, and Wilthen. Three hundred 

million mini containers of between 0.02 

and 0.2 liters come off the line in Berlin yearly, 

making it the Group’s center of expertise for 

miniature bottles. Until recently, the following 

scenario was commonplace on all filling 

lines: the operators unloaded pallets containing 

new glass bottles (four large trays per layer) 

and brought the miniature bottles to the 

line where they were needed. 

10 downers in 

200,000 bottles. 

Now, operations have moved into the modern 

age. A fully automatic KHS new glass bulk 

depalletizer has been installed that supplies 

bottles to two filling lines one of which handles 

six different 0.02 liter bottles and the other 

eight different versions of that size bottle. 

The list includes Asbach, Averna, Hubertus, 

Boonekamp, Würfelspiel, and Libero bottles. 

KHS was at the customer’s side to provide 

advice at an early stage. A joint team 

comprised of employees from the Underberg 

Group and the glassworks developed the ideal 

layer pattern for the pallets loaded with new 

glass to be depalletized fully automatically 

by the bulk depalletizer. Depalletizing takes 

place essentially as follows: a forklift truck places 

two new-glass pallets in parallel on designated 

segments. Operators remove the film. 

With the new system, the pallets are placed 

into a staging area where they are picked up 

by a shuttle car equipped with two pallet stations. 

Depending on the quantity of bottles on 

the conveyor, the system automatically detects 

which of the two lines has a greater need for 

a supply of bottles. Based on that information, 

the servo-controlled shuttle car very gently positions 

the correct pallet in the depalletizing 

zone with tenth-of-a-millimeter accuracy. The 

toothed belts are maintenance free and also 

noticeably reduce the noise level. 

A handling robot with an inverted tray 

chute first removes the inverted tray. A pusher 

head then travels over the layer to be removed 

and pushes the gripped layers of miniature 

bottles onto the bottle table. Sensors 

detect whether the miniature bottles are 

standing upright. If not, the machine automatically 

stops. Plant Manager Edgar Bischoff 

is extremely satisfied with the KHS new-glass 

depalletizer. “KHS provided a complete system 

and we are totally satisfied. Despite the fact 

that we’re depalletizing extremely delicate 

miniature bottles, we have recorded less than 

10 downers per shift – with over 200,000 bottles 

processed. Instead of working with three 

to four operators as in the past, we now only 

have one operator in the new glass bulk depalletizing 

area. I would call that a super achievement.” 

Excellent concept – excellent results. 

www.underberg.com

Market Report 

Coca-Cola FEMSA, Ixtacomitán, Mexiko 

27% Capacity 

Increase 

AST Beverage, Bangladesh 

150,000 

PET Bottles 

per Hour 

Coca-Cola FEMSA, the world’s second largest 

Coca-Cola bottler and the leading 

supplier of Coca-Cola brand products in Latin 

America, took delivery of a filler line complete 

with a new-generation InnoPET Blomax 

AST Beverage in Dhaka (Narayanganj, 

Bangladesh) has placed its fourth order 

for a complete turn-key PET line for CSD beverages 

within the space of only thirty months. 

The company, part of the internationally renowned 

Globe Group, now has the capacity 

to produce 150,000 bottles per hour (280/500 

milliliters) on KHS lines (Line 1: 28,800 bottles 

of CSD water per hour; Line 2: 44,000 bottles 

of CSD hot fill per hour; Line 3: 28,800 bottles 

of CSD per hour; Line 4, ordered in July 2011: 

50,000 bottles of CSD per hour). 

After a change of suppliers, a strong bond 

based on mutual trust, integrity and excellent 

service quickly developed between AST Beverage 

and KHS Asia Singapore. KHS provided 

ongoing support to the customer including a 

Series IV blow molder at its Ixtacomitán plant 

in the state of Tabasco. This is the second Blomax 

system with a full set of features within 

the space of two years. Both lines have the 

flexibility to handle carbonated and non-carbonated 

beverages in non-refillable PET bottles 

(0.6 – 3 liters, 19,000 – 44,000 bottles per 

hour). The heating module of the new system 

takes up 50% less space, heats the preforms 

with near infra red, and saves up to 

40% energy. 

Coca-Cola FEMSA is Mexico’s leading 

bottler and number one supplier of carbonated 

soft drinks and still non-alcoholic beverages. 

The company, which has sales of around 

14 billion liters, is part of the highly successful 

FEMSA group. 

www.coca-colafemsa.com 

service engineer stationed on site for a period 

of twelve months. Harunur Rashid (photo), 

Chairman of AST Beverage, is pleased 

with the “increased line capacity, high product 

quality, lower energy consumption, and 

reduced preform weight made possible by 

KHS technology.” His company, founded in 

2001, is a leading national bottler and one of 

the country’s largest. It has a 40% share of total 

CSD output in Bangladesh. Every month, 

AST Beverage also exports more than a million 

cartons of its carbonated TIGER Energy 

product, making it the country’s leading beverage 

exporter. 

www.globepharmagroupbd.com


Distell, South Africa 

KHS for the 

Second Time 

Cobega, Spain 

The 

Versatile One 

Cobega, Spain’s largest Coca-Cola bottler, 

has bought a complete KHS PET 

line for use at Martorellas in the Valles Oriental 

region. 

The palletizing system in particular will 

enable the bottling plant to work with maximum 

performance and flexibility. Cobega 

decided to place the complete project with 

KHS in the light of their excellent cooperation 

during the development phase. With 

corporate headquarters in Esplugas, Cobega 

operates a number of glass, PET and can filling 

lines at its plants in Martorellas, Palma de 

Mallorca (Balearian Islands), and Tacoronte 

(Canary Islands). 

The Distell Group of South Africa will be 

taking its second delivery of a 60,000 bph 

non-refillable glass line to bottle and package 

cider and alcopop at its Springs plant 

(near Johannesburg). The long-standing KHS 

customer is very satisfied with the cider line 

(installed in 2009), the high efficiency of the 

machinery and local KHS service. The Distell 

Group has its headquarters in Stellenbosch 

and a number of production sites in the country 

(e.g. Springs). It is South Africa’s largest 

producer of wine, cider, and spirits. The company, 

which exports a significant amount of 

what it makes, is highly successful. Turnover 

of cider in particular is growing faster than 

the market. 

The machine on order is a state-of-theart, 

high-tech line with electronic Innofill DRF 

filler that delivers outstanding filling performance. 

Precision control of product pasteurization 

using the KHS Innopas C tunnel 

www.cobega.es 

pasteurizer is particularly important for Distell. 

A KHS Advanced series shrink packer and 

a KHS Advanced series wrap-around packer 

give the company maximum flexibility. The 

KHS palletizer with robot grouping station 

also supports a full range of palletizing options. 

Distell is so satisfied with its KHS machines 

that it has placed another order for 

delivery of an Advanced series KHS shrink 

packer and an Advanced series KHS tray 

packer to be installed at the same plant. We 

should also mention that the glass line delivered 

two years ago is configured with virtually 

the same machines. So the company and its 

employees are already familiar with KHS machines. 

The advantages for the customer are 

reduced training needs and a common spare 

parts inventory for both lines. 

La Casera, Spain 

Three at 

One Go 

www.distell.co.za 

Spanish bottler Casera, part of the global 

Orangina Schweppes Group, has ordered 

three packaging machines at once for 

its Alcalá de Guadaira site near Seville. The 

Innopack Kisters SP A-H, PSP 050 B and WP 

A-H are capable of processing up to 28,000 

1.5-liter bottles per hour. Excellent machine 

reliability and efficiency were the factors that 

swayed the management team in favor of 

KHS. The machines, which can easily handle 

0.2, 0.31, 0.5, and 1.5-liter PET bottles, offer 

great versatility. 

www.oranginaschweppes.com


BrING 

ON THe 

watEr!


World premiere: The first 72,000-capacity InnoPET BloFill is up and running 

at Silver Springs Bottled Water Company 

/ 

The next-generation monoblocked stretch blow molder / filler line 

will have a part to play in the ongoing success story of America’s leading 

family-owned supplier of bottled water. A high-performance version. 

“It was the right decision … 

... to play the pioneering role in the latest KHS 

pilot project”, enthuses Kane Richmond, President 

and CEO of Silver Springs Bottled Water 

Company. In this context, it is important 

to know that back in 2008, Silver Springs was 

the first beverage company in the world to 

use the new InnoPET BloFill monoblock on a 

monoblocked KHS stretch blow molder / filler 

line. The Florida-based company was able 

to exploit the technological advantage which 

it gained at the time. 

But first, let us take a brief look back. Native 

Americans in the sixteenth century fully 

appreciated the excellent quality of Silver 

Springs water. Primarily because of the 

breath-taking scenery which has featured in 

so many movies. Kane Richmond, CEO of Silver 

Springs Bottled Water Company, readily 

admits that this is definitely an asset to the 

company which was founded in 1985. “Silver 

Springs is a tourist attraction which projects an 

image of the exceptional quality which we offer 

with the Silver Springs water bottled here. 

Focus on the customer. 

We also set an example with our pricing, 

our service and our diverse packaging options. 

We provide real added value to our 

customers.” 

The company is fully focused on customer 

needs. The success story only shifted into 

high gear when Karl and Margaret Richmond 

took over the company in 1991. At the time, 

the company had six employees and the bottled 

water business in the US was struggling 

to make headway. However, the Richmonds 

were looking well out into the future. The 

company currently has 150 employees. Sales 

have grown by an average 20% over the past 

10 years. The product is supplied in large containers 

as well as in a variety of PET bottles 

ranging from 0.24 liters (8 oz.) to 1.5 liters. 

According to son Kane Richmond, “We 

are totally focused on customer needs, because 

the customer is the boss.”


Richmond is highly impressed with the innovative 

KHS technology: “The pilot project 

has enabled us to further reduce energy consumption 

in production and achieve additional 

lightweighting in our PET bottles.” This 

is the advantage which the company gained 

by being the first customer worldwide to install 

the KHS InnoPET BloFill block including 

the next-generation InnoPET Blomax Series IV 

stretch blow molder on the production floor. 

The line is the high-end version with an output 

capacity of 72,000 0.5-liter PET bottles per 

hour (the maximum bottle size is 2.0 liters). 

The underlying concept and KHS technology 

give the Silver Springs company a whole 

range of impressive advantages backed up by 

in-depth expertise. The main ones are listed 

below. 

Bottles & Shapes: optimized bottles. 

The first consideration was bottle optimization 

undertaken with the long term in mind. 

Richmond explained: “The KHS Bottles & 

Shapes program provided valuable assistance. 

Since 2008, we have succeeded in reducing 

the weight of our 0.5-liter bottle, which 

makes up 70% of our PET sales, by nearly a 

third, from 13.2 grams to 9.1 grams. 

Sights set on 8 grams. 

The next step is to go below 9 grams, and we 

are actually aiming for 8 grams.” To refresh 

your memory, Bottles & Shapes is the service 

and consultancy portfolio offered by KHS Corpoplast 

for plastic bottle development and 

design, and there is nothing like it anywhere 

in the world. 

Monoblock concept: less material (I). 

The line’s monoblock design reduces material 

consumption during production of the plastic 

bottles. Because the PET bottles which have 

just been produced are handled very gently, 

lighter weight PET bottles can be used than 

would be the case with air conveyors. In addition, 

monoblocking the blow molder and 

The successful duo Karl (Right) and Kane Richmond 

(President and CEO of Silver Springs). 

filler is now even easier on the new InnoPET 

BloFill block than in the past. After exiting the 

airlock, the PET bottles move directly to the 

filler infeed star. 

Servo motors: less material (II). 

The stretching process takes place under servo 

control at constant speed. As a result, preforms 

can be used which optimize material 

consumption down to the last tenth of a 

gram. That was not possible in the past, because 

the stretching process was cam controlled 

which resulted in speed reductions. 

Heating module: 

energy consumption reduced by 30%. 

A new heating module in the InnoPET Blomax 

Series IV cuts the time it takes to heat 

the preforms roughly in half compared to 

the Series III. Short-wavelength infrared radiation 

(near infrared) heats the preforms. 

Richmond explained: “We now use 30 % less 

energy, despite the fact that the new line delivers 

significantly higher performance than 

the 43,000 bph line which was installed in 

2008.” Another plus is the fact that the high 

energy density and small mandrel pitch significantly 

speed up the preform heating process, 

cutting the startup time to a mere 15 

seconds. The new design also significantly reduces 

compressed air consumption. 

Filling system: lower product 

consumption. 

The blocked Innofill NV operates at normal 

pressure under electronic control. Non-contact 

filling using a free-flowing filling valve 

ensures excellent microbiological and hygienic 

safety. Volumetric filling, which eliminates 

the need for overfilling, is designed specifically 

to reduce product consumption. Silver 

Springs also has a simple way of filling noncarbonated 

water which has little or no electrical 

conductivity, because the system uses 

non-contact impeller flow metering rather 

than electromagnetic flow metering. 

Optimal advice and perfection 

in on-site service. 

The filling system is also suitable for other 

non-carbonated beverages in the future such 

as fruit juice and flavored water. 

Kane Richmond sums it all up: “You can’t 

improve on the customer focus that we have 

seen from KHS. We are extremely satisfied 

with the new technology. KHS also provides 

excellent advice, and the on-site service we 

receive from the US subsidiary is second to 

none. As a result, we can fully concentrate on 

customer needs in our markets. Compared 

to what the competition has to offer, it is my 

view that KHS technology has given us a clear 

advantage in terms of engineering, availability 

and total cost of ownership.” You might say 

that the boss is always right. 

→ Contact 

Michael Brancato | KHS USA, Inc., Waukesha, USA 

Phone: +1 (262) 787-1664 

Email: mike.brancato@khs.com


Showcase project: 

the new KHS InnoPET BloFill block


Focus 

ON 

Quality 

100% 

80% 

60% 

Poland’s No. 1 brewery Kompania Piwowarska invests 

in its third KHS 100,000 cph can line / The SABMiller 

subsidiary continues its unparalleled market 

conquest. The company maintains its uncompromising 

commitment to top-quality and total customer focus. 

Tomasz Miazek, Manufacturing Development 

Manager at Kompania Piwowarska, 

gets straight to the point as he outlines 

his expectations for the huge new filling line 

which has a throughput capacity of 100,000 

0.5-liter cans per hour. “For us, high system 

availability and total control of the production 

process are crucial.” He then immediately 

adds a compliment for his preferred supplier 

KHS: “Even the acceptance test data for 

the new line was exceptional, with an efficiency 

level of 96%. To date, the average efficiency 

is well over 90%. That is outstanding 

performance. ” 

… 96% efficiency … 

He is also full of praise for the way in which 

the project was managed: “We made the 

space for the line available to KHS as agreed. 

KHS took charge of everything after that including 

furnishing the offices, documentation 

management, and installation of the 

complete line. This was a turnkey project 

in the truest sense of the word. The end result 

was nothing less than outstanding.” 

That is hardly surprising, given that Kompania 

Piwowarska and KHS have been working 

well together for the last three decades. 

Roughly 80% of all technical systems at the 

company were supplied by KHS including a 

whole range of glass lines and three gigantic 

100,000 can-per-hour lines. 

So what is the secret behind the stratospheric 

rise of Kompania Piwowarska? It all began 

when SABMiller, one of the world’s largest 

brewery groups with operations in 60 countries 

and a product portfolio which includes 

200 beer brands, acquired a share in the Lech 

brewery in Posen in 1995. Two other breweries, 

Tyskie in Tychy and Dojlidy in Bialystok, 

were added later on. The decision was made 

in 1999 to consolidate all of the breweries under 

the Kompania Piwowarska umbrella. The 

breweries in the group have a total capacity 

of 18 million hectoliters. 

Excellent product quality has always 

been a priority for the management team, 

and the company only uses top-class line 

equipment at its breweries. Market share increased 

from 22% in 1999 to just under 42% 

in 2011, and that is no coincidence. The people 

in charge recognized early on that there 

were thirsty customers in Poland just waiting 

for beer. Per capita consumption was a mere 

37 liters in 1995. The figure increased to 63 

liters by 2001 and peaked in 2007 at 93 liters, 

falling back to 90 liters in 2010. 

The Kompania Piwowarska brewery 

group continues to generate the largest 

turnover for the SABMiller Group in Europe. 

The leading brands are Tyskie (more than 

50% of total turnover) and Zubr. The mainstream 

brands include the premium brands 

Lech Premium, Wojak, and Debowe Mocne 

malt liquor. Kompania Piwowarska also 

markets a number of international premium 

beers including Pilsner Urquell, Peroni


Nastro Azzurro, Grolsch, and Miller Genuine 

Draft. 

Nor should we forget Redd’s and Gingers 

mixed beer beverages. Major emphasis 

is always placed on the brand strategy. Each 

brand has an exact target group definition. 

The target group for Lech, for instance, is active, 

educated 25 to 35-year-olds who play 

sports and are chiefly city-dwellers. Tyskie on 

the other hand is the brand for tradition-conscious 

beer lovers in the over 30s age group. 

Beer produced by Kompania Piwowarska 

is delivered to consumers primarily in 

returnable 0.5-liter glass bottles. Products 

supplied in glass bottles generate around 

The can line: special features by the dozen 

1. Pressureless discharge to the conveyor belt 

for gentle handling of the cans. 

2. Two vacuum bridges, two rinsing stations and 

two filling and seaming systems. 

3. Electromagnetic inductive flow metering for 

maximum filling accuracy. 

4. Deviations in tolerances on cans supplied by 

different manufactures are no longer an issue. 

5. Mechanical parts no longer come into direct 

contact with the product being filled. 

6. Membrane sealing technology on the electropneumatically 

controlled filling values ensures 

microbiological safety. 

50% of total sales. Just under 10% is supplied 

in kegs and the remaining 40% in 

cans. Tomasz Miazek explained that people 

in Poland like the convenience of cans. He 

continued: “With our new KHS canning line, 

we are prepared for further growth. The 

line gives us the versatility to cater to a full 

range of customer preferences in terms of 

can sizes and packaging options.” The new 

line is dedicated exclusively to filling different 

brand products into 0.5-liter cans. It 

could also handle 0.568 and 0.33-liter cans. 

Besides 24 and 12-can tray and pad shrink 

packs, smaller packaging units can also be 

put together. 

7. Stainless steel can guide parts for long 

service life. 

8. Rapid changeover at the press 

of a button. 

9. At two-hour intervals, a nozzle system performs 

a cleaning cycle with chlorine dioxide water 

when the filler is stopped. 

10. Prior to seaming, the system checks that the 

cans have been filled properly. 

11. X-ray checking of fill level and lids. 

12. Second fill level check enhances measurement 

precision and identifies inaccurately seamed 

beer cans. 

The advanced production data acquisition 

system (AIS) keeps a watchful eye on the production 

flow. With the system which is based 

on the Weihenstephan standard, Kompania 

Piwowarska now has an excellent tool for 

managing batch tracking, product liability, 

documentation requirements, quality monitoring, 

system availability enhancement, 

benchmarking, and cost control. 

→ Contact 

Jaroslaw Gajda | KHS Poland 

Phone: +48 (22) 646 8490 

Email: jaroslaw.gajda@khs.com


Fifth Can Filler for CCE in the UK 

Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) Great Britain will be taking delivery of its fifth 

KHS Innofill DVD high-performance can filler within the space of two years, 

and there are undoubtedly good reasons why. 

Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd (CCE) in 

the UK produces and markets many 

different soft drinks on the island. The 

company is the world’s third largest 

independent Coca-Cola bottler, and 

each year it sells more than four billion 

bottles and cans. CCE recently placed 

an order with KHS for delivery and 

installation of an additional can filler 

for its high-performance production 

operations. The CCE site in Sidcup is the 

destination for one of the world’s largest 

can fillers. 

In the last two years, KHS has already 

delivered four of these lines to the CCE 

Group. All of the lines deliver enormous 

performance, ranging between 90,000 

and 120,000 cans per hour. Four followup 

orders clearly indicate that the customer 

is totally satisfied with the lines, 

which offer great technical features 

along with excellent reliability and costefficiency. 

The CCE Group has very 

high confidence in our our exceptional 

can technology expertise and values 

the ease of doing business with KHS. 

The new line for Sidcup meets the 

same high customer expectations. The 

brief summary below outlines the main 

features of the filler. 

1. MILLIMETER-PRECISION FILLING ACCURACy 

Volumetric filling on the DVD delivers 

leading-edge can filling precision, even at 

the high-end of the performance range. 

The product filled into the cans meets the 

most demanding technological standards. 

Can tolerances are irrelevant. If the filling 

volume is set to 0.33 liters, exactly 0.33 liters 

2. KEy MICROBIOLOGICAL SAFETy FEATURES 

Non-contact technology is deployed for volumetric 

flow metering. No mechanical parts come 

in contact with the product being filled. 

Membrane sealing technology which has a 

proven track record on bottle fillers is used on 

3. PUSH-BUTTON CHANGEOVER 

Changeover times are reduced to a minimum 

when the filler is used in combination 

with the KHS Innopro Paramix C blender. 

Using the program select function, a simple 

click switches the system on the computer-controlled 

can filler from product 1 to 

4. 120,000 CANS PER HOUR ON REQUEST 

Like the four previously installed lines, 

the new can filler at CCA’s Sidcup site produces 

90,000 to 120,000 cans per hour. 

will be in the can. The volume is measured 

by means of an electromagnetic inductive 

flowmeter. This not only guarantees consistently 

uniform filling results in all capacity 

and operating phases, but also that the filling 

process can be carried out independently 

of the respective machine speed. 

the electro-pneumatically controlled filling valves 

for added safety. Additional features such as 

CIP caps with automatic control, automatic valve 

manifolds, foam cleaning, and hygienic enclosure 

ensure maximum microbiological safety. 

product 2, for example. While the twocomponent 

Innopro Paramix C starts mixing 

the new beverage, the filler is still finishing 

the last cans. The changeover takes no 

more than ten minutes. A new benchmark 

in can filling. 

Such a capacity is among the world’s 

highest outputs in can filling technology.


C A N 

PowEr 

France’s largest family-owned brewery consistently relies 

on the trendy 5-liter can 

/ 

Triple the performance with the same number of filling heads. 

Nearly 100% efficiency. Flexibility to handle all can types. 

Maximum hygiene, minimal O₂ pickup, minimized CO₂ loss, 

fewer operators. That is the power of the new KHS large-can line at 

the Meteor brewery in Alsace.


“we are expecting continued growth. we are ideally equipped 

now that we have the new KHS line.” 

Bernard Oster 

Engineering Manager at the Meteor brewery 

Just imagine how far back this business 

can trace its roots. In 1640 while the Thirty 

Years War was still raging across Europe, 

what is now the Meteor brewery brewed its 

first beer. And for three centuries, France’s 

No. 1 among family-run breweries has held 

fast on three unshakable central guide lines: 

quality, flexibility, and creativity. The company 

intends to considerably increase the sale 

of 5-liter large-size cans that are currently the 

trend while relying on cutting-edge filling 

technology from KHS with all of the related 

advantages (see: Highlights). 

Back at the beginning of the 1980s, Meteor 

demonstrated its innovative creativity by 

being the first brewery in France to introduce 

the 5-liter container. This was an astute and 

visionary decision. Initially, sales amounted to 

only a few hundred hectoliters a year. However, 

consumer demand for small-size kegs continued 

to rise. By 2009, sales had increased to 

30,000 hectoliters. “We are expecting continued 

growth, ” says Bernard Oster, Engineering 

Manager at the brewery. “We are ideally positioned 

now that we have the new KHS line,” 

he continues. This brief assessment is based 

on a forward-looking three-pronged strategy. 

To start with, an additional filling station 

can easily be added to the line. Secondly, the 

brewery is adding a second production shift. 

Thirdly, Meteor is investing in this production 

capacity in order to take on contract filling 

work from other breweries. 

The seventh generation 

is now at the helm of the 

family-owned company. 

It is worth taking a look at the success story 

and the structure of the brewery, neither of 

which was the result of chance. Instead, they 

reflect a business strategy that was well conceived 

and continually developed. Since the 

Haag family acquired it in 1844, the company 

has been 100% family owned. The seventh 

generation is now in charge. 

Meteor handles a wide variety of container 

types. The biggest seller in the glass 

segment is the 0.25-liter non-refillable bottle. 

Meteor also fills 0.33-liter and 0.65-liter oneway 

bottles along with the 0.75-liter refillable 

bottles which are commonly used in Alsace. 

The conventional keg range includes 20, 

30 and 50-liter kegs as well as non-refillable 

KeyKegs. The only cans filled are those that 

hold 5 liters. 

The company decided in favor of the new 

KHS can line because, in the words of Oster, 

“the overall concept fits our needs.” In addition, 

the management team has great confidence 

in KHS technology. Both glass lines at 

the brewery plus a keg line were supplied by 

KHS. Oster expressed unreserved praise: “All 

of the machines are very reliable. When we 

have needed service (and for us that is another 

crucial consideration), we have always 

been very satisfied with the KHS response.” 

The business relationship brings together several 

hundred years of expertise and tradition. 

→ Contact 

Rainer Deutschmann | KHS GmbH, Kriftel 

Phone: +49 (6192) 491-130 

Email: rainer.deutschmann@khs.com


The right overall concept: the Meteor Brewery decided 

on a 5-liter canning line from KHS. 

Highlights of the 5-liter can line from 

the customer perspective 

The major features and advantages 

— Great versatility. In addition to conventional 5-liter cans, the line easily handles cans 

with CO₂ cartridges that extend the beer shelf life. 

— Three times the output. Previously, maximum output was 170 5-liter cans per hour. 

With the same number of filling heads, maximum output has now increased 

to 600 cans per hour in spite of fewer operators being required. 

— High efficiency. Line efficiency during acceptance testing was 98%, and performance 

during ongoing operation has been outstanding as well.

Special: Hidden Champions 

Assault on conventional models 

HIDDEN 

CHAMPIONS


How smaller players conquer world markets 

/ 

In Germany alone, more than 1,000 world market leaders 

are medium-sized businesses. With their sights set on 

ambitious goals, many of them give their global competitors 

a real run for the money as they rise to the top in international 

markets. KHS competence looks at the strategies 

behind the success of these world champions. 

The crisis has passed. It has been a long 

time since Germany’s economy was in 

such good shape. Once again, the impetus is 

coming largely from the medium-sized business 

sector, led largely by companies that 

have been front runners for many years and 

are now the world market leaders in their areas 

of specialization. Despite their impressive 

achievements, very few people know anything 

about them. 

Who are these world-class companies? 

Kern-Liebers, to take one example, produces 

80% of the springs that are used in seatbelts. 

The memory chips on four out of five of the 

world’s smart cards are mounted using a special 

adhesive made by Delo. The market share 

held by these mid-tier world market leaders 

often exceeds 50% and in many cases, their 

slice of the market is twice as large as that of 

their next-largest competitor. Nevertheless, 

the companies remain largely invisible to the 

general public. 

For around 25 years Hermann Simon, 

Professor of Economics and management 

consultant based in Bonn, Germany, has 

been analyzing mid-tier companies which 

are world market leaders in their segments. 

In the German speaking region alone, he has 

identified 1,316 medium-size market leaders. 

Klais organ at Overture Hall 

in Madison, WI, USA 

Simon coined the term “hidden champions” 

to describe this group. That may sound like 

downplay, and that is just what it is. To start 

with, many products remain inconspicuous 

in our everyday lives. German companies are 

the world leaders in the button (Union Knopf 

in Bielefeld), book cloth (Kaliko in Bamberg), 

and fly trap (Aeroxon in Waiblingen) markets. 

Another reason for the low profile of these little 

giants lies in the fact that they prefer to focus 

their time and energy on business activities 

rather than on PR. 

Staying away from 

talk shows. 

PR (if any) zeroes in on the essentials. Conventional 

mass-media advertising and CEOs 

making the rounds on the talk show circuit 

are not something you see much from medium-sized 

market leaders. The reason is that 

demonstrating the company’s strengths and 

capabilities to customers, competitors, and 

employees tends to be more important than 

public posturing. Beacon projects are a good 

example. Otto Bock HealthCare supplies hightech 

artificial limbs that restore mobility for 

the disabled. What could be better for getting 

the message across than the countless


2 

3 

4 

1 

medals which disabled athletes have won 

with the company’s support? Klais, who designs, 

produces and restores organs, is yet another 

champion. The virtuosity and perfection 

of the company’s craftsmanship is truly 

admirable. The portfolio ranges from restoration 

of a bamboo organ in the Philippines 

(originally built in 1824) to one of the world’s 

biggest organs at the new National Theater in 

Beijing. Or take Groz-Beckert, the world market 

leader in precision tools for textile production. 

The company constructed the world’s 

longest textile-reinforced concrete bridge in 

Albstadt, Germany. The innovative textilebased 

design significantly extends useful life 

compared to conventional steel-reinforced 

concrete bridges. 

Beacon projects only 

come from the best. 

1 

2 

3 

4 

Beacon projects reflect achievements which 

only the best can deliver. The ultimate goal of 

the world’s best is market leadership. Based 

on the strategy “attack is the best form of defense”, 

these companies proactively shape 

their business environments rather than 

The world’s longest textile-reinforced concrete bridge in 

Albstadt, Germany, produced by Groz Beckert, the world 

market leader in precision tools for the textile industry. 

The technology extends the useful life compared to 

standard concrete. 

Johannes Klais Orgelbau in Bonn, Germany is one of the 

world’s leading organ makers. Philipp C. A. Klais is the 

third-generation CEO of the company which was founded 

in 1882. 60 employees, turnover € 6 million. 

Professor Hans Georg Näder is the CEO of Otto Bock 

Health-Care in Duderstadt, the world market leader in artificial 

limbs. Latest technology: a mind-controlled prosthetic 

arm. 4,300 employees, turnover € 529 million. 

Dr. Thomas Lindner, Executive Board Chairman at Groz 

Beckert in Albstadt-Ebingen, Germany, world leader in 

precision tools for textile production. 7,000 employees, 

turnover € 531 million. 

merely reacting to events. “Is there a better 

way?” They seem to mull over this question 

always and everywhere, starting within their 

own four walls. 

Developing in-house capability. No 

company is immune to the ups and downs of 

the business cycle. Everyone does well when 

times are good. Many are satisfied with that, 

which is a problem. In contrast, the success of 

world-class players is based on continual improvement. 

They never stop looking for ways 

to improve and often find opportunities in 

many of the small things. The search extends 

beyond production and engineering to include 

the entire value-added chain. 

They prepare themselves for business 

downturns as well as for the good times. At a 

time when others are running all of their vital 

systems in standby mode as the recession sets 

in, the really successful companies increase 

their emphasis on improvement and innovation. 

This gives them the strength to achieve 

a quantum increase in market share when 

the markets recover. “In our experience, market 

share realignment takes place when times 

are tough rather than in phases when business 

is booming,” Hermann Simon confirms. 

Developing the market and sharpening 

competitiveness. Do you have to accept the 

current definition of the market? The best of


At a glance: 

leSSONS FrOM THe 

h i D D E n 

ChaMPions 

In his analysis of hidden champions, Professor Hermann Simon has identified seven factors that 

apparently make these companies particularly strong. 

1. Leadership and goals 

Hidden champions not only know what they want, but they also 

have the willpower and energy – and sometimes the obsession – 

to achieve what they set out to do. Leadership means that they instill 

this burning desire in people with different national and 

cultural backgrounds. 

2. Strong team 

Hidden champions manage to create conditions which keep staff 

turnover extremely low, and they reap the benefits. You only get 

the very best from your people if they are highly motivated and 

identify very strongly with the company. To achieve that, you have 

to recruit the right employees. 

3. Decentralization 

Many hidden champions operating in narrow markets where they 

have a large market share are left with limited growth opportunities. 

They then decide to diversify. In order to avoid putting their traditional 

strengths at risk, they opt for full decentralization, normally 

in the form of legally independent companies. 

4. Focus 

Focus normally provides the only route to world-class performance. 

Hidden champions are better able to concentrate their limited resources 

than others, and they continue to do so until they have 

reached the top. The definition of the playing field is itself part of 

the company’s focus. 

5. Globalization 

Nothing will change the world over the decades ahead more than 

globalization. Companies that take advantage of the changes will 

have enormous growth opportunities. 

However, setting up worldwide production and sales networks 

often takes generations. Sales is the first area where internationalization 

takes place followed by the workforce and finally 

management. 

Strategies and practical implementation at most hidden champions 

are still very much work in progress. Simon observes: “To exploit the 

opportunities, you have to get rid of national limitations and be in it 

for the long haul.” 

6. Innovation 

Most hidden champions have plans for massive innovation activities. 

The market and the technology have priority in driving innovation. 

Few large corporations are able to achieve this balance. Innovation 

stems primarily from creativity and quality and is by no 

means only dependent on money. 

7. Customer proximity 

Proximity to the customer is more important for hidden champions 

than a focus on competitive strategies. Customer relationships over 

many years are their real strength. Delivering top value to the customer 

automatically creates a competitive advantage. Simon recommends, 

“Using top customers as well as top competitors as performance 

stimulators”.


Search game 

Quitting time. Just under two hours to go until the 

theater performance starts. Mr. Jones takes his 

cell phone off the charger and heads for the office building 

door which opens automatically. On the way 

home, he stops by the supermarket. He hurriedly 

places eggs, hot chocolate, beer, fish fillet, and a great 

wine from Chile into his shopping basket. Done. 

wHere THe 

ChaMPions 

Are HIDING 

On the way home, the road is closed for construction 

(he didn’t need that). Fortunately, his intelligent navigation 

system routes him through a detour. When he gets home, 

he has just enough time to take the dog out for a walk. 

Not long thereafter, Mr. Jones reaches his seat at the theater 

in time. The curtain rises, and he hasn’t missed a thing. 

Or has he? On this brief journey, he came across a dozen 

hidden champions. 

wHere THeY were HIDING.


SOLUTIONS 

Charger: Friwo Gerätebau is synonymous 

with power supplies and chargers 

worldwide. 

Automatic door: Dorma Holding is the 

world leader in door closing systems. 

Dairy eggs: Deutsche Frühstücksei in 

Neuen kirchen-Vörden is one of Europe’s 

largest egg producers. 

Cacao: Bühler Barth in Freiberg is the 

world market leader in cacao processing 

systems. 

Beer: The Nuremberg-based Barth Haas 

Group is the world’s largest supplier of 

hops and hop products. 

Fish fillets: Lübeck’s Nordischer 

Maschinenbau has an 80% share of the 

worldwide fish processing machinery 

market. 

Wine: The JF Hillebrand Group in Mainz 

is the world’s leading logistics supplier for 

the wine and spirits industry. 

Shopping carts: Wanzl Metallwarenfabrik 

in Leipheim is the world market leader in 

shopping carts. 

Road paving: Wirtgen Windhagen has a 

70% share of the world market for road 

stripping machines. 

Traffic management system: Ahrensburg-based 

Basler is the world’s leading 

producer of digital cameras used in applications 

such as intelligent traffic management 

systems. 

Dog leashes: flexi - Bogdahn International 

in Bargteheide is the world market leader 

in retractable dog leashes. 

Stage curtains: Gerriets of Umkirch is the 

only company in the world that makes 

large theater curtains. 

Professor Hermann 

Simon has been re- 

searching mid-tier 

world market lead- 

ers for 25 years. He 

coined the term 

“hidden champions” 

to describe these 

companies. 

the best do not think so. They redefine their 

markets and narrow down the playing field. 

In other words, these companies look 

specifically for niche markets where they can 

make a success of what they are really good 

at. This allows them to concentrate their resources 

and focus expertise in their particular 

area of specialization to gain a clear competitive 

advantage. An example of that is 

Winterhalter Gastronom which makes dishwashing 

systems exclusively for the commercial 

market. Brita is yet another example. 

The company has created its own market for 

household drinking water filtration systems. 

By cleverly staking out markets for themselves, 

the companies support their strategies 

for achieving market dominance as they 

gain ground on competitors. 

Success spiral. 

Developing customer benefits. In his bestseller 

Hidden Champions of the Twenty-First 

Century, Professor Simon describes seven 

very useful lessons for prospective champions 

(see Lessons learned from the hidden 

champions, page 73). It is interesting to note 

that these factors complement and reinforce 

each other. This results in a kind of success 

spiral. Companies deliver real customer 

benefit, build long-term customer relationships, 

constantly innovate, conscientiously 

work on the task at hand and make sure 

that they are better than the competition 

where it really counts, enabling them to deliver 

even more customer real benefits. 

However, Simon warns against interpreting 

these lessons as a panacea which will 

automatically turn every mid-tier company 

more or less automatically into a world market 

leader. Instead, companies should carefully 

examine their own expertise and goals. 

The next step is to analyze the market and the 

competition. The third phase is implementation, 

starting with generation of an action 

plan and continuing right through to results 

analysis. 

“The hidden champions prove that management 

will continue to be based primarily 

on good common sense as we move into the 

twenty-first century. If you do a lot of small 

things better, you can even become a world 

market leader.” This view was expressed by 

Reinhold Würth who was at the helm while 

a small medium-sized company transformed 

itself into the world’s leading wholesaler of 

fastening and assembly products. It should be 

interpreted by the CEO of every mid-tier company 

as an exhortation to act. Now is time to 

go into the offensive! 

Horst Kern, Munich / Jürgen Jacobs, Cologne

In-house News 

KHS at 

Brau Beviale 

2011 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

Technology. Performance. Reliability. 

At Brau Beviale 2011 in Nuremberg, Germany, from November 9–11 

KHS will be presenting a whole host of innovative ideas and exhibits. 

One of the main focuses will be on the area of service. Presentations 

in this area include countless upgrades for older KHS machines 

which boost the performance of older-generation KHS technology. 

For all beverage operations 

INNOFILL GLASS: NEW FILLER PLATFORM 

The Innofill Glass bottling concept heralds the arrival of a new generation of fillers for glass bottles. KHS provides a 

base machine to which various electronic KHS filling systems can be added. The benefits: higher line availability and 

reduced operating costs. 

For all medium-sized companies 

THE INNOKEG TILL COMBIKEG: NEW KEG LINE 

KHS has developed an extremely compact, space and budget-saving keg washing and racking machine with an 

output of up to 90 kegs an hour, especially designed for medium-sized businesses. This system has a very high efficiency 

(approx. 95%) and a number of very interesting options. 

Especially for breweries 

THE INNOPRO ECOSTAB: NEW PVPP FILTER 

Another outstanding innovation is the newly developed Innopro ECOStab. This system is a regenerative beer stabilizing 

system which uses PVPP. The advantages of this as opposed to classic filters are reduced investment costs and a low PVPP 

volume. PVPP from various manufacturers can also be used with a high degree of automation. 

For beverage, food and non-food companies 

INNOPACK SP: NEW CONCEPT 

KHS has taken a quantum leap with the Innopack Kisters SP shrink packer. No less than four modules have been further 

improved. A new shrink tunnel concept ensures sustainable energy and cost savings. Shrink packs without shrinkage 

holes are now also no problem in practice. Film printing inside the pack and nested packs are also possible. 

For all beverage operations 

THE INNOKET 360 S: NEW COMPACT LABELER 

KHS has now extended the proven Innoket 360 roll-fed labeler series to include the compact Innoket 360 S. As a modular 

system the Innoket 360 S permits a number of possible variations and options. The new compact labeler saves space, 

produces up to 50,000 labeled bottles an hour with the shortest glue heating times and permanently precision-cut labels, 

and also offers plenty of practical options. Can be seen on the Nordson stand in Hall 7, Stand 320.


Khs 

IN-HOUSe 

PrACTICe 

We look forward to seeing you! 

Visit KHS at Brau Beviale 2011 

in Hall 5, Booth 127 

Contact: manfred.rueckstein@khs.com 

3 

2 

1 

4

In-house News 

Sustainable budgeting 

KHS CUTS 

ENERGy COSTS 

WITH ECOPROFIT 

KHS Corpoplast has been able to save well 

over € 700,000 in costs for electricity, gas, 

water/wastewater, and refuse disposal over 

the past few years due to the Hamburg company’s 

involvement in the plant environment 

management program ECOPROFIT. The project, 

which is a cooperation between the local 

authorities and local businesses, aims to 

systematically introduce environmental costcutting 

measures in the participating companies. 

The project has a number of interlinked 

Lights out at the end of the shift 

components, with the relevant topics being 

tackled by delegated employees at various 

workshops held throughout the year. At the 

end of these they take stock of the situation at 

their company, analyze the relevant data, define 

targets, and implement suitable measures. 

The costs for such measures are also reasonable. 

These could include automatically switching 

off lights in rooms not constantly in use, 

reusing packaging, and regulating heating systems 

to sensible levels. In other cases, such as 

waterless urinals, investments pay off within a 

very short period of time. ECOPROFIT has certified 

and awarded KHS Corpoplast several times 

for its exemplary behavior in this field. 

New offices 

KHS ASIA 

MOVES 

TO THE TOP 

KHS Asia in Singapore is going up in the 

world. The team recently moved from the 

third floor of the German Center to the twentyfifth 

floor of the Keypoint Building. The opening, 

complete with a two-day program that 

dealt with several specialized topics, was well 

received by the guests, many of whom were 

long-standing customers of KHS. Seventy beverage 

industry representatives from all over 

Southeast Asia were present at the event. The 

KHS Moving to the Top slogan stands not only 

for the elevated location of the new offices 

Well rewarded 

KHS COMPETENCE 

WINS THE 

FOX AWARD 2011 

A question of honor: the FOX AWARD 2011 

but also for quick action and ambitious performance. 

Werner Gessner, vice president of KHS’ 

Asia-Pacific Market Zone, says, “This move not 

only indicates that KHS is one of the top suppliers 

of filling and packaging technology for 

the Asian beverage industry, but also that KHS 

intends to consolidate its leading position on 

this market.” 

Singapore: over 70 guests attended 

the opening ceremony 

The jury was impressed – and awarded 

KHS competence a gold FOX AWARD 

2011 in the Mechanical Engineering Customer 

Magazine category. The “cross-medial supplements 

and the readers’ ability to get into 

direct contact with the authors” were what 

made the most impact. The FOX AWARD is 

the first efficiency award in corporate publishing, 

where a jury of science and media 

professionals assesses in-house and external 

communication media with regard to their 

development, range of distribution, proof of 

performance, sales impulse, quality of distribution, 

and market conformity. The overall 

impression – the pleasure and curiosity generated 

in using such media – also affects the 

total number of points. In 2011, 87 companies 

and agencies submitted work. “This is a 

great start if you consider that companies are 

giving us an insight into their sacred efficiency 

analyses,” concludes initiator Pia Dahlem, editor-in-chief 

of the CPWISSEN corporate publishing 

forum.


Company run 

KHS EMPLOyEES 

RUN FOR CHARITy 

This was a fine growth indeed: as opposed to 40 in 

2010, no less than 80 KHS employees lined up for 

the 6 pm start of the second Bad Kreuznach company 

run on June 9, 2011. At the event organized by local 

radio station Antenne Bad Kreuznach part of the 

proceeds go to charity. Around 2,400 runners from 

local companies of all sizes braved the five-kilometer 

(three-mile) course. Incidentally, KHS was the fifth 

fastest single team out of over 600 groups, had the 

twelfth fastest female runner, and notched up place 

24 in the men’s category. 

The enthusiastic team of KHS runners 

Modern times 

KHS WEBSITE FOR 

SMARTPHONES 

Service at its best: On the KHS website customers 

and other interested individuals can find all 

the information they might need on the company, 

browse through detailed descriptions of its products 

and services, gain interactive, 24/7 access to the service 

center, and order spare parts quickly and easily 

from the Innoshop. And what about users who are 

out on the road without an online laptop connection? 

In November KHS is launching a technology 

which will make their entire Internet presence available 

to iPads and smartphones. We live in modern 

times indeed … 

KHS competence 

PUBLISHER 

KHS GmbH, Dortmund 

EDITORS 

KHS: Matthias Damm, Manfred Rückstein; 

jj-media, Cologne; Friederike Arndt, Bonn 

GRAPHICS 

Trawny/Quass von Deyen, Konzeption+Design, Cologne 

CONTRIBUTIONS 

Alfons Abels-Rümping, Werner Ageling, Michael Beisel, Ludwig Clüsserath, 

Rainer Deutschmann, Jaroslaw Gajda, Frank Haesendonckx, 

Matthias Hahn, Jörg Hoffmann, Rudolf Kahlen, Horst Kern, Oliver Kress, Thomas Niehr, 

Werner Oster, Manfred Pschichholz, Olaf Reinecke, Achim Schlicher, Jürgen Thielen, 

Günter Unkrig, Jürgen Vandree, Paul-Uwe Winterhoff 

TRANSLATIONS 

Fachübersetzungen CP MacKusick 

PHOTOS / ILLUSTRATIONS 

AST Beverage, Friederike Arndt, Timo Beylemanns, Groz Beckert, 

Johannes Klais Orgelbau, König-Brauerei, Otto Bock HealthCare, PepsiCo, Frank Reinhold, 

Jakob Schneider, Joerg Schwalfenberg Photography, shutterstock (Valentin Agopov, nuttakit) 

Simon-Kucher & Partners, Anne Vogt 

This information is non-binding. Only the technical specifications of our quotes are determinative 

with regard to design and scope of delivery. Subject to design modifications. 

INFORMATION FOR ORDERING 

KHS Competence is published in English, German, French, Spanish, and Russian. 

Those interested can order further copies of the magazine at www.khs.com. 

KHS GmbH 

Juchostrasse 20 

44143 Dortmund, Germany 

Phone: +49 (231) 569-0 

Fax: +49 (231) 569-1541 

Planiger Strasse 139–147 

55543 Bad Kreuznach, Germany 

Phone: +49 (671) 852-0 

Fax: +49 (671) 852-2411 

Enzingerstrasse 139 

67551 Worms, Germany 

Phone: +49 (6247) 97-0 

Fax: +49 (6247) 97-3300 

Ruwoldtweg 14 

22309 Hamburg, Germany 

Phone: +49 (40) 63703-37100 

Fax: +49 (40) 63703-37150 

Boschstrasse 1–3 

47533 Kleve, Germany 

Phone: +49 (2821) 503-0 

Fax: +49 (2821) 26110 

Kapellenstrasse 47–49 

65830 Kriftel, Germany 

Phone: +49 (6192) 491-0 

Fax: +49 (6192) 491-144 

Email: info@khs.com 

Addresses 

KHS Corpoplast 

GmbH & Co. KG 

Meiendorfer Strasse 203 


Phone: +49 (40) 67907-0 

Fax: +49 (40) 67907-100 

KHS Plasmax GmbH 

Meiendorfer Strasse 203 


Phone: +49 (40) 67907-364 

Fax: +49 (40) 67907-353 

KHS UK Ltd. 

Unit 6, Monkspath Business Park, 

Highlands Road, Shirley, Solihull 

West Midlands B90 4NY, 

Great Britain 

Phone: +44 (121) 713-6900 

Fax: +44 (121) 713-6935 

Email: info@khs.com 

KHS USA, Inc. 

880 Bahcall Court 

Waukesha, WI 53186, USA 

Phone: +1 (262) 797-7200 

Fax: +1 (262) 797-0025 

Email: mike.brancato@khs.com 

5501 N. Washington Blvd. 

Sarasota, FL 34243, USA 

Phone: +1 (941) 359-4000 

Fax: +1 (941) 359-4043 

Email: john.turner@khs.com 

KHS PACIFIC Pty. Ltd. 

P.O. Box 378 

1–3 Freight Road 

Tullamarine, Vic. 3043, Australia 

Phone: +61 (393) 35-1211 

Fax: +61 (393) 35-1331 

Email: info@khspacific.com.au 

KHS ASIA Pte. Ltd. 

25 International Business Park 

# 3–15/19 German Centre 

Singapore 609916 

Phone: +65 (6560) 9313 

Fax: +65 (6560) 9910 

Email: info@khsasia.com 

KHS MACHINERy Pvt. Ltd. 

15, Madhuban, Nr. Madalpur 

Underbridge, Ellisbridge, 

Ahmedabad - 380 006, India 

Phone: +91 (79) 2644-0331 

Fax: +91 (79) 2644-5146 

Email: khs@khsindia.com

30 1992-01-995/2 1011 DR

Innovative Filling Platform For Glass Bottles - KHS GmbH

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