Innovative Filling Platform For Glass Bottles - KHS GmbH
Innovative Filling Platform For Glass Bottles - KHS GmbH
Innovative Filling Platform For Glass Bottles - KHS GmbH
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Innovation<br />
Aseptic linear filler:<br />
maximum standards<br />
» 22 Innovation<br />
» 40 Solutions for Water Bottling Plants » 60<br />
A deluxe shrink packer:<br />
quantum leap<br />
Silver Springs:<br />
bring on the water!<br />
New Era<br />
<strong>Innovative</strong> <strong>Filling</strong> <strong>Platform</strong><br />
<strong>For</strong> <strong>Glass</strong> <strong>Bottles</strong><br />
02.2011
Editorial<br />
Executive Management Board of <strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong><br />
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Niemeyer<br />
Anke Fischer<br />
Prof. E.h. Dr.-Ing. Johann Grabenweger<br />
Marc Hartmann<br />
“ Our objective:<br />
Service and technology leadership.”
competence 02.2011 02/03<br />
Ladies and Gentlemen:<br />
Voltaire coined the phrase: “The best is the enemy of the good.”<br />
If we transfer this to <strong>KHS</strong>, we have started our journey to get to the best. Fit4Future is the<br />
name of our eleven-component program that we use systematically to walk this challenging<br />
path and to boost the already existing mood of awakening in the company.<br />
What are the key points that show you − our customers and partners − that we have started<br />
our journey successfully?<br />
With the goal of operational excellence, we will work even closer with you, improve the<br />
pace in execution, and will respond flexibly to all inquiries and requests. Our declared goal is<br />
the technological and service leadership combined with profitable growth. In this regard, we<br />
can continue to count on the support from our parent company, Salzgitter AG, for the consistent<br />
development of our company and our product portfolio.<br />
Fit4Future means for us, first and foremost, lean processes and reduction of complexity while at<br />
the same time growing physically closer together: The Keg Technology will move from Kriftel to<br />
Bad Kreuznach, our second largest location. Aside from the excellent infrastructure, the plant<br />
in Bad Kreuznach offers the possibility to better compensate for peaks in demands; in addition,<br />
sufficient areas for extension to accommodate further growth are available.<br />
We can only become better if we query the conventional, change the existing and find new, innovative<br />
solutions for developing and improving processes and products. Innovations are needed.<br />
How successful innovation management works is a topic the editors have discussed in<br />
depth with Dr. Tobias Müller-Prothmann. His credo: “Companies must tackle innovations very<br />
systematically.” You can see and experience the result of our own innovation management in a<br />
great number of new products that we are currently launching.<br />
So what <strong>KHS</strong> innovations can we present to you in this issue of competence? The aseptic<br />
linear filling machines Innosept ABF 611 and 711, the compact Innokeg Till CombiKeg, the new<br />
filling machine generation Innofill <strong>Glass</strong> in consistent hygienic design, and a packaging process<br />
for completely closed heat-shrink packs are some of the most important product innovations<br />
that <strong>KHS</strong> is launching in 2011.<br />
As you can see, <strong>KHS</strong> is highly innovative.<br />
Enjoy reading!<br />
Operational excellence<br />
through innovative and intelligent solutions.<br />
Kind regards,<br />
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Niemeyer
Contents<br />
Innovations that give our<br />
customers more<br />
Main topic Page 12–45<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> subjects its products and systems to a continuous<br />
process of improvement. In this edition of <strong>KHS</strong><br />
competence the company will be presenting a number<br />
of different innovative technologies and further<br />
developments. In all of these <strong>KHS</strong> has consistently<br />
focused on the benefit to the customer, thus achieving<br />
sustained product improvements and therefore also<br />
cost and competitive advantages.<br />
Interview<br />
06<br />
Growing With Innovations<br />
Dr Tobias Müller-Prothmann talks about<br />
the importance of systematic innovation<br />
management for companies<br />
Innovation<br />
12<br />
Topic Overview: Innovations In Focus<br />
14<br />
New Era<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> presents the innovative filler platform<br />
for glass bottles<br />
22<br />
Maximum Standards<br />
New generation of aseptic linear fillers<br />
from <strong>KHS</strong> for still beverages and other<br />
liquid products<br />
06<br />
28<br />
Short Routes<br />
New, resource-saving cleaning system from<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> with a 15% investment benefit
competence 02.2011 04/05<br />
Innovation<br />
30<br />
A Real All-Rounder<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> has developed a space-saving keg line<br />
for medium-sized businesses<br />
34<br />
Tempo, Tempo, Tempo<br />
Preparing and palletizing shrink packs with<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> technology<br />
38<br />
The Space Saver<br />
The Innoket 360 S labeler extends the<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> roll-fed range<br />
40<br />
Quantum Leap<br />
Innopack Kisters SP shrink packer<br />
developed even further: a deluxe<br />
shrink packer<br />
Service<br />
46<br />
New System – New Prices<br />
Over half of the prices for <strong>KHS</strong> spare parts<br />
now reduced<br />
48<br />
Keeping On Running<br />
At the Karlsberg brewery a joint concept<br />
provides systematic service<br />
22 60 67<br />
On the Spot<br />
53<br />
HotFill+ – Efficient, Sustainable, Successful<br />
Interview with Rajendra Gursahaney,<br />
senior director of engineering,<br />
Pepsi Beverages Company, the ”father<br />
of the HotFill+ process“<br />
Market Report<br />
56<br />
Underberg / Coca-Cola FEMSA /AST<br />
Beverage / Distell / Cobega / La Casera<br />
Solutions for Sectors<br />
60<br />
Bring On The Water!<br />
The first 72,000-capacity InnoPET BloFill<br />
in operation at the Silver Springs Bottled<br />
Water Company<br />
64<br />
Focus on Quality<br />
Kompania Piwowarska invests in its third<br />
100,000-cph can line from <strong>KHS</strong><br />
66<br />
Fifth Can Filler for CCE in the UK<br />
Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) Great Britain<br />
installs its fifth high-performance can filler<br />
from <strong>KHS</strong><br />
Solutions for Sectors<br />
67<br />
Can Power<br />
France’s largest family-owned brewery,<br />
Meteor, works with a <strong>KHS</strong> large-can line<br />
Special<br />
70<br />
Hidden Champions<br />
How smaller players conquer world markets<br />
In-house News<br />
76<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> at Brau Beviale 2011<br />
Technology. Performance. Reliability.<br />
78<br />
News from <strong>KHS</strong><br />
ECOPROFIT at <strong>KHS</strong> Corpoplast / <strong>KHS</strong> Asia<br />
moves to new offices / FOX AWARD 2011<br />
GOLD for <strong>KHS</strong> competence / Company runs<br />
for charity / <strong>KHS</strong> website for smartphones<br />
79<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> competence<br />
Publisher’s information and addresses
Interview
competence 02.2011 06/07<br />
GrOwING<br />
with<br />
innovations<br />
Dr Tobias Müller-Prothmann talks about the importance<br />
of systematic innovation management for companies.<br />
/<br />
Regardless of whether companies generate strong sales or have to<br />
watch costs carefully when things aren’t going so well, the systematic<br />
management of innovations is at risk of being neglected.<br />
This is a fatal, creeping process. <strong>KHS</strong> competence talked to<br />
Tobias Müller-Prothmann, head of innovation management at<br />
Pumacy Technologies AG, about the appropriate handling of innovations.
Interview<br />
“entrepreneurs have to deal with<br />
innovations very system atically.<br />
The focus must always be on the<br />
employees.”<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> Competence: Dr Müller-Prothmann,<br />
it’s a long way from a brilliant idea to an innovative<br />
product that prevails on the market.<br />
When is innovation management successful?<br />
Dr Müller-Prothmann: Innovation management itself<br />
doesn’t generate new ideas, and it doesn’t market new<br />
technologies. Rather, it supports the whole process from<br />
the early phase of idea generation to implementation to<br />
ensure that in the end a new product or service will prevail<br />
on the market. This, then, is the success.<br />
Where do the enemies of innovations lurk in companies?<br />
When a company is doing well, everyone focuses on<br />
growth, while in bad times the focus is on costs. Systematic<br />
innovation management can easily be neglected.<br />
Inventiveness cannot be ordered from above.<br />
What has to change in people’s heads?<br />
Ultimately the key is openness. Executives have to be open<br />
for internal ideas as well as external impulses. Within companies<br />
it’s important to have lively exchanges between departments.<br />
What’s needed externally is good communication<br />
with research institutes and customers. In addition,<br />
employees need sufficient freedom.<br />
What’s the main motivation for employees<br />
to contribute ideas?<br />
The key is to inspire passion in each individual and let them<br />
participate in success. This doesn’t always have to be in the<br />
form of money. Showing appreciation for ideas and praising<br />
creative staff in front of the whole team can have a tremendous<br />
effect.<br />
How does a manager steer such a process?<br />
He encourages individuals to come up with new ideas, filters<br />
out good approaches as quickly as possible, and avoids<br />
getting bogged down in the process. It’s better to reject<br />
an idea early if the prospects of success are questionable.<br />
Either way, staff should be praised for their suggestions.<br />
How do bosses encourage their executives to<br />
become catalysts for innovations?<br />
All they need to do really is talk about success stories. A classic<br />
example is the attempt to develop a superglue by a 3M<br />
employee, which turned out to have poor adhesion. The first<br />
product to emerge from this was a flop and was stopped<br />
by the boardroom before another colleague continued the<br />
development because his bookmarks kept falling out of his<br />
music in the church choir. Today we all have the result of the
competence 02.2011 08/09<br />
The interviewee<br />
innovation with apparently inferior adhesion on our desks<br />
in the form of yellow Post-it notes. Such stories inspire.<br />
What’s the point of bosses encouraging their teams<br />
to let their minds wander as part of workshops?<br />
Most ideas don’t spring to mind at the workplace. Rather,<br />
they do so in the shower or when jogging. Nevertheless,<br />
creativity workshops during which a team has a clear task<br />
can be very useful. <strong>For</strong> example, a team could be asked to<br />
develop 100 new ideas on topic X or solve a certain problem<br />
Y for the company. <strong>For</strong> such gatherings it can be helpful<br />
to bring in an experienced external moderator, who<br />
can point out new perspectives.<br />
How can vague brainstorming be turned into<br />
concentrated creativity?<br />
Initially it’s important to think outside the box and ignore<br />
possible internal constraints. <strong>For</strong> example, a question for a<br />
round of engineers might be: What can we learn from the<br />
animal world? Because nature has come up with systems<br />
that have been tried and tested over long periods. Those<br />
who look carefully will see blueprints for pioneering innovations.<br />
In other words, what’s known as bionics is the art<br />
of looking for solutions to technical problems in biology.<br />
Dr Tobias Müller-Prothmann<br />
is head of innovation management at Pumacy Technologies AG,<br />
a leading systems provider for knowledge, innovation,<br />
and process management. The 37-year-old studied sociology<br />
and economics in Heidelberg, Germany, and did a PhD in<br />
communication studies in Berlin, Germany. He is the author of<br />
the book Innovations management: Strategien, Methoden und<br />
Werkzeuge für systematische Innovationsprozesse (Innovation<br />
Management: Strategies, Methods, and Tools for Systematic<br />
Innovation Processes), published by Carl Hanser.<br />
<strong>For</strong> example?<br />
Many aircraft now have an upwards facing angle piece at<br />
the end of the wings. These winglets reduce turbulence<br />
at the wing tips, thereby reducing kerosene consumption<br />
significantly. Ultimately, the inspiration for development<br />
engineers came from the pinion feathers of raptors.<br />
What function do skeptics have in creativity workshops?<br />
Critics are important. After all, they may be right and can<br />
help by pointing out risks at an early stage. On the other<br />
hand, objections may be rebutted. This helps to sharpen<br />
the argumentation, and everyone will come on board if<br />
they feel they are being taken seriously.<br />
How independent should the individual teams be?<br />
Today, companies tend to establish quite independent innovation<br />
centers with small teams. These innovation cells<br />
have their own budgets and operate very autonomously,<br />
although they are in contact with other departments in<br />
order to allow communication when problems occur. The<br />
team can market its innovations to the associated business<br />
areas in order to attract further sponsorship from the<br />
respective management, or to hand over innovative approaches<br />
for further development.
Interview<br />
How much influence should marketing be allowed<br />
to have when it comes to the prospects of success<br />
of a product idea?<br />
Sales and marketing experts from the company should be<br />
integrated from the outset, because they know how the<br />
products have to be designed in order to go down well<br />
with customers.<br />
How helpful is it to include scientific institutes in the innovation<br />
processes?<br />
This often works well, particularly in the early design<br />
phase, and is today common practice in biotechnology,<br />
for example.<br />
And how about integrating large customers?<br />
They should definitely be involved from the outset. Because<br />
they know exactly what they need and can often<br />
provide valuable inspiration for new ideas.<br />
Can you give an example of a company<br />
with an excellent innovation culture?<br />
We’ve already mentioned the technology company 3M<br />
who are a good example. They have a long tradition in this<br />
regard. Good ideas are not only rewarded by monetary<br />
incentives, but also by appreciation. The company sells<br />
50,000 products – from Post-its to stethoscopes. The market<br />
share of new products that are less than five years old<br />
is more than a third. We can also learn a lot from younger<br />
technology companies such as Google. Google introduced<br />
the so-called 70/20/10 system for all employees at<br />
an early stage. It means that 70% of the work time should<br />
be spent on core tasks, 20% on collaboration with other<br />
teams, and 10% on an employee’s own ideas.<br />
Many new products fail after generating immense costs.<br />
Why is that?<br />
A much-quoted study found that a successful product is<br />
based on 3,000 raw ideas. In many cases there’s a lack of<br />
systematic support for the process and a lack of clear decisions.<br />
It’s important to allow freedom in the initial phase<br />
and then decide whether or not to pursue the idea. The<br />
decision-makers have to focus on profitable innovations.<br />
During the prototype production phase the number of<br />
ideas that fail should be smaller.<br />
What are the milestones during the development<br />
of an idea into a marketable innovation?<br />
Initially trends are scrutinized, and ideas are checked and<br />
assessed. A detailed system concept should be prepared<br />
during the pre-development phase. A prototype has to<br />
demonstrate how the innovation can be implemented. Finally,<br />
the model is fine-tuned until it is ready for series production.<br />
In the software industry such a process can take<br />
two months, in the automotive industry five to ten years,<br />
and in the aerospace industry two to three decades.<br />
Financial staying power is another important factor.<br />
How can medium-sized companies avoid running out of<br />
steam half way through the process?<br />
Naturally much will depend on the required means and<br />
the time frame. The central question is: When will the innovation<br />
find acceptance on the market and achieve a<br />
return? The entrepreneur may obtain credit from family<br />
members, acquaintances, or his bank. He can take advantage<br />
of public grants, involve large customers in the<br />
financing, or win over a venture capitalist for his idea.<br />
All these options should be considered early on. In many<br />
“Showing appreciation for ideas<br />
and praising creative staff in<br />
front of the whole team can have<br />
a tremendous effect.”
competence 02.2011 10/11<br />
cases the individual phases of an innovative development<br />
require several financing rounds.<br />
Finally, let’s have a look at process innovations in<br />
companies themselves. How can ideas be called up in<br />
order to make operational processes more efficient?<br />
Ideas should be called up where they emerge. On the plant<br />
floor a small mailbox may be all that is needed, or a special<br />
folder on the company server.<br />
Is this where staff hand in good ideas?<br />
Definitely, if appropriate incentives are provided. As an<br />
example, the person with the idea could receive 25% of<br />
the savings that his suggestion makes in the first year. This<br />
works, but not on its own. As already mentioned, what’s<br />
also needed is appreciation that goes beyond monetary<br />
incentives.<br />
How should bosses deal with the (understandable)<br />
concern that individual members of staff could make<br />
themselves redundant with a clever idea?<br />
This may indeed be a worry here and there, but the management<br />
can easily rebut it. They simply have to make it<br />
clear that redundancies are not on the agenda – perhaps<br />
merely relocation to another business area.<br />
In summary, what are the three main points which<br />
ensure that companies achieve significant growth<br />
with compelling innovations?<br />
Innovations aim to secure the company’s future. The environment<br />
and the competition change. In the best case<br />
the company will also grow. The crux of the matter is that<br />
entrepreneurs have to deal with innovations very systematically.<br />
The focus must always be on staff, and innovation<br />
management should be put on a robust basis right from<br />
the start. In other words, potential interference factors<br />
that might obstruct the process should be identified and<br />
taken into account at an early stage. Obstructions may be<br />
internal, for example, departments working against each<br />
other, or there may be technical problems. Those who<br />
detect issues early and find solutions have good prospects<br />
for overcoming the hurdles and for growing with<br />
innovations.<br />
Dr Müller-Prothmann, many thanks for this interview.<br />
The interviewer was Rudolf Kahlen<br />
The milestones<br />
in successful<br />
innovation<br />
Dr Tobias Müller-Prothmann on important aspects<br />
for systematic innovation management.<br />
VII<br />
VI<br />
V<br />
IV<br />
III<br />
II<br />
I<br />
At the start there is a realization:<br />
Companies have a clear need for action when it comes<br />
to the management of innovations, even if the mental<br />
strain is still small.<br />
This is followed by analysis:<br />
Where does the company stand? How innovative is it?<br />
The next stage involves focusing on the<br />
infrastructure for innovations:<br />
How systematic can ideas be realized?<br />
The possible interference factors, either internal,<br />
technical, or external, then have to be identified.<br />
In response, the relevant ‘adjustment screws’ have<br />
to be turned: If, for example, the knowledge exchange<br />
between the departments is not working, this should<br />
be corrected.<br />
The next step is to formulate a strategy and to specify<br />
the required actions.<br />
And finally, even if this may sound obvious,<br />
the specified actions have to be consistently<br />
implemented.
Innovation<br />
ThinkTank <strong>KHS</strong> page 12–45<br />
innovations<br />
that give our customers more<br />
Companies that want to play at top level in the Champions League of<br />
their industry and repeatedly be in charge of their own destiny must subject<br />
themselves and their products to a continuous improvement process. /<br />
In line with this motto, the <strong>KHS</strong> team did not resign to stagnation in times<br />
that were difficult for almost all companies, but instead pushed forward inno-<br />
vation in products, processes and technologies with even more intensity<br />
and dedication. This is in the interest of the customer who thus receives sus-<br />
tainable productivity advantages and, as a result, also gains cost and<br />
competitive advantages.
competence 02.2011 12/13<br />
14 New generation of fillers<br />
22 New standards in aseptic linear PET fillers<br />
28 New resource-saving CIP cleaning system<br />
30 New keg line for medium-sized businesses<br />
34 New packaging system for shrink packs in the retail sector<br />
38 New space-saving labeling machine<br />
40 New deluxe shrink packer<br />
In the Innovation box, you will find a QR code (left) pertaining to each article. Use your<br />
smartphone to create a direct email contact to the corresponding contact person.<br />
<strong>For</strong> this, simply download a corresponding application (app) and scan in the code with<br />
the smartphone’s camera. You can do this with the following free apps, for example:<br />
iPhone → AppStore → “RedLaser”<br />
Android → Market → “Barcode Scanner”<br />
Blackberry → App World → “BeeTagg”
Innovation<br />
New<br />
Era<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> presents the innovative filler<br />
platform for glass bottles / Not only<br />
the technology of the new, innovative<br />
glass bottle filler concept Innofill<br />
<strong>Glass</strong> by <strong>KHS</strong> is the Best of the Best.<br />
What’s more important is that the<br />
optimized Hygienic Design concept<br />
will give the companies who use it<br />
direct competitive advantages. These<br />
include improved filling quality and<br />
considerable cost reductions. <strong>For</strong><br />
technicians and businessmen alike,<br />
this is the stuff of dreams.
competence 02.2011 14/15<br />
At a glance:<br />
Innofill <strong>Glass</strong><br />
→ Increased filling quality<br />
→ Faster cleaning<br />
→ Higher availability<br />
→ Reduced maintenance costs<br />
→ Lower energy costs<br />
→ Less water consumption<br />
→ Less cleaning media<br />
→ Short changeover<br />
… are achieved through comprehensive<br />
hygienic design and modern, lubrication-free<br />
components with optimized wear<br />
properties – developed by <strong>KHS</strong> with its highly<br />
specialized partners.
Innovation<br />
“Our head …,”<br />
French writer, painter and graphic artist Francis Picabia<br />
(1879 to 1953) discovered, “… our head is round so our<br />
thinking can change direction.” The master was looking<br />
far ahead into the twenty-first century. Because, as<br />
Michael Batz, dramatic adviser and light artist from<br />
Hamburg (Reichstag, Speicherstadt Hamburg), put it,<br />
for some time already, “it is not either/or exclusivities,<br />
individual highlights or more or less rigid systems what<br />
matter. Thinking today is formed by plurality, controllability<br />
that should be as easy as possible, time management<br />
and the ability to communicate combined with<br />
low energy consumption and high efficiency.”<br />
It’s about secured product<br />
quality and protection of the<br />
consumer<br />
In addition, and as the basis of all considerations, <strong>KHS</strong> focuses<br />
constantly on the customer in its market. What are<br />
the latter’s requirements? What does the customer need<br />
from a technological and economic perspective? How<br />
does the customer gain a lasting competitive advantage<br />
through <strong>KHS</strong> technology and services? These were exactly<br />
the questions the developers in the <strong>KHS</strong> group asked<br />
themselves when they worked on an innovative system<br />
for glass filling lines, which is now ready for operation.<br />
The focus here: hygienic design and automation. Competitive<br />
companies regard hygienic design as a major criterion<br />
for lowering costs in production. Above all, however,<br />
it is about secured product quality and protection of the<br />
consumer, but also about health at work for the own staff.<br />
Innofill <strong>Glass</strong>: Significant reduction in weight<br />
and parts in the filler carousel.<br />
Until now, beverage machine engineering normally optimized<br />
many individual components in terms of hygienic<br />
design without considering the adjacent machine parts.<br />
Problems: Optimizing, modernizing, and changing over<br />
existing designs always reach limits and obstacles – as<br />
long as the basic design needs to be preserved. Hygienic<br />
design thus remained piecemeal. Solution: the complete<br />
redesign of a filler line in that all design steps focus on<br />
the hygienic design aspect from the beginning without<br />
any regard of currently existing components. The team<br />
put everything to the test, reassessed every detail and<br />
eventually implemented the knowledge gained in innovative<br />
systems.<br />
The result is a platform-based machine concept as we<br />
find in the automotive industry. There, a platform defines<br />
the common technical basic concept, and the functions<br />
of the different models are oriented towards that basic<br />
concept. The definition at <strong>KHS</strong> is similar. A technical basis<br />
is now available that the different computer-controlled<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> filling systems are built on and that takes the respective<br />
individual criteria of the specific filling methods into<br />
account. The first filler for the <strong>KHS</strong> Innofill <strong>Glass</strong> platform<br />
system is the DRS-ZMS pressure filling system used for<br />
bottling beer. Other filling systems for soft drinks, water,<br />
wine, sparkling wine, and spirits will follow.<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> thus heralds a generation change in filling machines<br />
for glass bottles that offers a wide range of benefits,<br />
such as an even better filling quality, higher line<br />
availability, and reduced cost of maintenance, power,<br />
water, and cleaning agents. This is achieved primarily<br />
thanks to the use of modern and lubricant-free components<br />
with optimized wear behavior, which <strong>KHS</strong> has<br />
developed in close cooperation with its highly specialized<br />
partners.
competence 02.2011 16/17<br />
THE NEW TECHNOLOGy AT A GLANCE<br />
Hygienic design is always also a matter of calculated simplicity.<br />
Simple design rules are therefore indispensable:<br />
→ Easy access to all machine surfaces (sanitizing, disinfection, inspection,<br />
maintenance).<br />
→ Avoidance of complex machine surfaces (wherever possible).<br />
→ Avoiding hidden areas (where deposits and biofilms can accumulate).<br />
→ Unobstructed runoff of liquids.<br />
Basic design. The function of the basic design – in brief<br />
– is to feed glass bottles into the machine, supply them<br />
to the filling and capping process, and subsequently discharge<br />
filled and capped bottles from the machine. The focus<br />
of the development work was therefore to design all<br />
parts relating to bottle conveying, with focus on hygienic<br />
design. Key features: supporting pipe bodies that are open<br />
on all sides (optimally accessible for cleaning and disinfection)<br />
/ broken glass falls directly to the floor and is easy to<br />
remove / stars and cappers are interconnected by flangeless<br />
cross-pipes and secured towards the outside by hygienically<br />
designed sealing systems / all bottle format parts are
Innovation<br />
designed to allow for optimal cleaning / weight-reduced<br />
design with easy-to-operate shape and position fixing<br />
locking pins / container format parts can be changed easily<br />
and quickly without any tools.<br />
Conveyor. A new stainless steel conveyor with open de-<br />
sign conveys the glass bottles directly to the feed screw.<br />
An automatic cleaning system can be integrated. The<br />
feed screw has no large surface areas. Instead: many<br />
rounded and sloped surfaces allow liquids to run off / the<br />
unit is driven by a stainless-steel encapsulated round servomotor<br />
/ attachment systems comprising bottle glide<br />
and guide strips (automatic cleaning) prevent the formation<br />
of gaps and niches where beverage residue could<br />
accumulate and microorganisms could grow.<br />
Machine carousel. The lightweight construction of the<br />
lift cylinder table and the tubular ring bowl additionally<br />
reduces the required driving forces / the tubular shape<br />
of the ring bowl allows for efficient cleaning results /<br />
the significantly reduced amount of materials saves energy<br />
by shortening the heating and cooling phases /<br />
electrical signal and output transmission to the carousel<br />
by maintenance-free rotary distributors / linear drive<br />
technology adjusts the height of all outer control cams<br />
and stop segments (control ring with additional height<br />
adjustment motor, angle gears, universal joint shafts<br />
and lifting columns are no longer required) / bottlelifting<br />
elements offer more room for discharging broken<br />
glass / height-adjustable scissor joints equipped<br />
with aseptic sealing systems supply beverage and process<br />
media. The result is a noticeably reduced number<br />
and variety of parts in the filler carousel (more efficient<br />
cleaning and maintenance).<br />
1<br />
1<br />
Injection of water at high pressure into filled beer<br />
bottles: the medium is fed through a hollow shaft<br />
within the torque motor.<br />
2<br />
Ludwig Clüsserath, Manager, <strong>Filling</strong> Technology<br />
Competence Center: “<strong>KHS</strong> is introducing a new era in<br />
filling technology with the Innofill <strong>Glass</strong> concept.”<br />
Torque motors. Transfer stars and cappers operate with<br />
low-wear and energy-efficient torque motors (without<br />
gearbox) / high torques / no mechanical abrasion / 96%<br />
efficiency [conventionally: 85%] / minimized wear / long<br />
service life). The energy conservation potential is up to<br />
20%. Another advantage is the hollow shaft design. Media<br />
are fed through the hollow shaft for injection at high<br />
pressure, for example.<br />
<strong>Filling</strong> system. The Innofill DRS-ZMS filling process has<br />
been optimized further. At the same time, however, the<br />
tried-and-tested filling process principle is essentially maintained<br />
(filling level probe / triple evacuation / double CO₂<br />
rinsing / fast filling phase / precise fill level measurement /<br />
low-foam pressure-controlled pressure relief / speed-independent<br />
filling process / option for central changing of<br />
valves at any time).<br />
Modifications: Optimized swirler allows for improved<br />
low-turbulence and smooth filling while ensuring minimum<br />
oxygen pick-up / bell rods exposed to the outside and sloped<br />
surfaces ensure easy cleaning of the filling valves / hose connections<br />
no longer need to be hooked up separately.<br />
Electrical elements. There are no electrical elements, cables,<br />
or pneumatic supply hoses in the area of the filling valves<br />
and bottles / controlling pilot valves are arranged within a<br />
protected area, completely encapsulated in a housing.<br />
Compact valve manifolds. Fittings are specifically constructed<br />
vertically and not horizontally / this offers the advantage<br />
of taking up 50% less space; maintenance and<br />
checks are easier / compact valve manifolds are positioned<br />
in the immediate vicinity of the filler cladding / advantages:<br />
media passages are very short; quick, and efficient cleaning.
competence 02.2011 18/19<br />
2
Innovation<br />
Vacuum Pumps: Systematic Modules<br />
As part of the new product line for glass bottles, <strong>KHS</strong> presents a standard model for vacuum pumps that is also modular<br />
in design. Naturally, it also offers a large number of advantages for bottling plants. And, what’s more, it already fulfils<br />
EU regulations on energy efficiency, which will become effective in 2017.<br />
When bottling beer in glass bottles, vacuum pumps reduce oxygen<br />
pickup and CO₂ consumption thanks to gas exchange. The standard<br />
practice to date has been to customize only one vacuum pump for the<br />
respective filling system, for example in terms of the filling output, the<br />
product temperature, or the CO₂ content in the product. Many versions<br />
Example: becoming flexible!<br />
An example of minimized power consumption and partial redundancy/redundancy:<br />
a filling system processes 50,000 0.33-liter or 50,000 0.5-liter glass bottles.<br />
UP TO NOW: ONE VACUUM PUMP<br />
WITH 18.5 KW CONNECTED LOAD.<br />
Both versions<br />
Capacity in the operating point:<br />
14.5 kW at 50 Hertz<br />
Possible output of vacuum pump:<br />
26,000 liters per hour<br />
Possible line output if one<br />
pump fails:<br />
The line stops<br />
Number of active pumps: 1<br />
Capacity in the operating point:<br />
50 to 60 Hertz / 8 to 12 kW<br />
of these pumps differed as far as their electrical systems or size and<br />
equipment are concerned. In the future, <strong>KHS</strong> will offer a standardized<br />
vacuum pump model. Only the following decision must be made depending<br />
on the output of the filling system: does the filler require one,<br />
two, or three identical vacuum pumps?<br />
IN THE FUTURE: TWO VACUUM PUMPS<br />
WITH A CONNECTED LOAD OF 15 KW EACH.<br />
option 1: 0.33-liter glass bottles<br />
Possible output of vacuum pump:<br />
16,500 liters per hour<br />
Possible line output if one<br />
pump fails:<br />
100%<br />
(50,000 bottles/hr x 0.33-liter bottles)<br />
If one pump fails:<br />
Second pump is switched on<br />
* At a low frequency value always in optimal operating point<br />
→ Contact: Olaf Muszinski | <strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>, Bad Kreuznach, Germany | Phone: +49 (671) 852-2704 | Email: olaf.muszinski@khs.com<br />
option 2: 0.50-liter glass bottles<br />
Number of active pumps: 2<br />
Capacity in the operating point:<br />
50 to 60 Hertz / 12 to 16 kW<br />
Possible output of vacuum pumps:<br />
25,000 liters/hr (2nd pump switches in*)<br />
Possible line output if one<br />
pump fails:<br />
75%<br />
(37,500 bottles/hr x 0.5 liters/bottle)<br />
If pump fails:<br />
Second pump capacity is regulated upward
competence 02.2011 20/21<br />
3<br />
Just one type of vacuum<br />
pump is sufficient for<br />
the new range. Up to<br />
three can be connected<br />
in parallel depending<br />
on the capacity.<br />
4<br />
The <strong>KHS</strong> operating<br />
panel has received many<br />
awards thanks to outstanding<br />
ergonomics,<br />
accurate navigation and<br />
brilliant design.<br />
Vacuum pump. <strong>For</strong> the new product line, a single pump<br />
type is sufficient; depending on the output, up to three<br />
are connected in parallel. This saves costs and reduces the<br />
footprint, lowers power and water consumption and ensures<br />
fast supply with spare parts.<br />
Crown capper. A more open design improves cleaning of<br />
many individual elements / closed servo motors substitute<br />
belt drives and other driving systems that were operated<br />
by belts or gear wheels / most important innovation:<br />
cappers for other closure types can be added like modules<br />
without any preparing investment and can easily be<br />
docked to the platform (open bottles do not need to pass<br />
through existing capping systems).<br />
Exterior cladding. Free-standing, makrolon or glass exterior<br />
cladding / advantage: unobstructed view of all machine<br />
components / dirt and deposits can be seen immediately<br />
from the outside / sufficient access area for cleaning<br />
and maintenance / basic exterior cladding can be upgraded<br />
to a closed sanitary room.<br />
Timesaving. Rapid intermediate rinsing and cleaning<br />
processes during product change / lines are installed<br />
with a slope to ensure quick emptying of the product passages<br />
/ advantage: significant time savings for frequent<br />
changeover / in addition, reduced time for machine installation<br />
and initial operation.<br />
Diagnostic system. Optionally, reference filling valves<br />
can be equipped with pressure sensors that continuously<br />
record the pressure curve during a filling process and<br />
send it to the display screen. This has the advantage that<br />
3 4<br />
the process sequence can be monitored permanently<br />
even inside the bottle. The vacuum actually achieved in<br />
the bottles and the correct CO₂ purging process can be<br />
read, among other things.<br />
This is an important aspect in order to ensure lowoxygen<br />
filling.<br />
Operator panel. The new multiple-award winning <strong>KHS</strong><br />
operator panel (Red Dot Award & iF Award) with integrated<br />
RFID system controls the platform system.<br />
Conclusion: Innofill <strong>Glass</strong> rings in a new area in filling technology.<br />
The platform offers maximum transparency and<br />
cleanliness while ensuring even greater product safety.<br />
Oriented towards the requirements of the brewing trade<br />
to be able to fill beer pasteurized by a flash pasteurizer<br />
under optimal hygienic conditions without the need for<br />
bottle pasteurization after the filling and capping process,<br />
<strong>KHS</strong>’ development experts have done a perfect job.<br />
Light artist Michael Batz sees it this way: “It is neither the<br />
wind nor the sun – thinking is the largest renewable energy<br />
source. ”<br />
→ Contact<br />
Ludwig Clüsserath<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>,<br />
Bad Kreuznach, Germany<br />
Michael Beisel<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>,<br />
Bad Kreuznach, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (671) 852 -2501<br />
Email: ludwig.cluesserath@khs.com<br />
Phone: +49 (671) 852 -2205<br />
Email: michael.beisel@khs.com
Innovation<br />
Maximum<br />
Standards<br />
New generation of aseptic linear fillers from <strong>KHS</strong><br />
/<br />
Now, aseptic cold filling of PET bottles for<br />
non-carbonated beverages or other liquid products is<br />
becoming more flexible, easier, and more cost-<br />
efficient. With Innosept Asbofill ABF, <strong>KHS</strong> sets worldwide<br />
standards, for example with minimum sterile zones<br />
or numerous options – and one drop of liquid nitrogen.
competence 02.2011 22/23<br />
New generation of linear filling machines:<br />
Innosept Asbofill ABF 611 and Innosept Asbofill ABF 711<br />
process up to 12,000 PET bottles per hour ranging between<br />
100 ml and 2.0 liters. A twin concept doubles the capacity.
Innovation<br />
“Our customers produce more<br />
effectively and more cost-efficiently.<br />
That was what mattered to us.”<br />
Paul-Uwe Winterhoff<br />
Head of Mechanical and Electrical Design,<br />
Competence Center Aseptic <strong>Filling</strong> Technology<br />
The basic three advantages of aseptic cold filling in<br />
plastic bottles are known. Firstly, natural taste and<br />
aroma of the beverages as well as their color are preserved.<br />
Secondly, the lighter, cost-efficient cold-fill PET<br />
bottle can be used instead of the thick-walled hot-fill bottle.<br />
Thirdly, preservatives are no longer necessary.<br />
What’s new is that <strong>KHS</strong> has developed a young generation<br />
of aseptic linear fillers which incorporate many optimized<br />
features. Users thus have a whole package of benefits if they<br />
choose the process of so-called dry bottle sterilization before<br />
the filling process. This principle also applies to the new<br />
aseptic linear fillers Innosept Asbofill ABF 611 and Innosept<br />
Asbofill ABF 711 from <strong>KHS</strong> that reduce the required sterile<br />
area significantly compared to the classical ACF wet process.<br />
Instead of the 65 cubic meters necessary, only 15 cubic<br />
meters are required when using the rotary design principle,<br />
while in linear operation the sterile area is drastically<br />
reduced even further – which is the decisive benefit that<br />
linear technology offers. The Innosept Asbofill ABF 711, for<br />
example, requires a sterile area of just 1.5 cubic meters and<br />
the Innosept Asbofill ABF 611 only 0.9 cubic meters.<br />
In linear operation,<br />
no mechanical intervention is<br />
required in the aseptic zone.<br />
At the same time, this reduced area offers maximum aseptic<br />
safety as the system conveys the bottles in a single holder<br />
through the entire machine. No switching from one carousel<br />
to the other – as is the case in the rotary system – is<br />
required. Thus, mechanical intervention in the aseptic<br />
zone is not necessary. All conceivable conversion and replacement<br />
measures take place in the unsterile area. Another<br />
benefit of the linear machine compared to the rotary<br />
system is that intermediate sterilization is not required.<br />
Oriented fully towards the respective product to be filled,<br />
the production cycle is between 48 and 72 hours.<br />
Aseptic linear filling machines generally cover a low<br />
to medium output range. The new lines process up to<br />
12,000 plastic bottles per hour (24,000 with the twin concept)<br />
with different shapes. Special sizes, including rectangular<br />
or square, are possible. The ABF linear fillers have<br />
been designed for filling non-carbonated beverages, such<br />
as milk, yoghourt drinks, fruit juices, and fruit juice drinks.<br />
Pulpy beverages containing up to 20% pulp and with<br />
fiber lengths of up to 18 millimeters can be processed. In<br />
addition, Innosept Asbofill ABF 611 and Innosept Asbofill<br />
ABF 711 are optimally suitable for filling pharmaceuticals,
competence 02.2011 24/25<br />
provided they are liquid products for enteral feeding or<br />
health drinks for example.<br />
Possible, retrofittable options<br />
Users can also integrate all options for the individual entrepreneurial<br />
practice later.<br />
+ Pulp nozzles. Pulp nozzles can be installed in the filling<br />
valves, especially when fruit juices with high pulp content<br />
are to be processed.<br />
+ Nitrogen. Especially for beverages sensitive to oxygen:<br />
nitrogen flushing before the filling process and flushing<br />
of the head space of the plastic bottles with nitrogen after<br />
the filling process. This has the advantage that oxygen<br />
in the beverage is reduced even further.<br />
+ Liquid nitrogen. Another possible option is to place a<br />
drop of liquid nitrogen in the head space of the filled plastic<br />
bottles. The advantage of this process, which has been<br />
uniquely designed for linear fillers, is that more oxygen is<br />
displaced. It is especially suitable for lightweight bottles.<br />
Also: the pressure inside the PET bottles ensures greater<br />
bottle stability. This results in improved sub sequent processing<br />
such as labeling, palletizing, and conveying. And finally,<br />
the fact that less plastic is used saves material and costs.<br />
+ Filters. Double filters can also be used in the valve manifold<br />
instead of single-filter units.<br />
+ Code. Further options include coding of the plastic bottles<br />
during the production process.<br />
Much easier – at several levels<br />
+ Sterilization zone. The number of components in the<br />
sterilization zone has been reduced even further. <strong>For</strong> example,<br />
only one single servomotor is used for all drying<br />
lances. Advantages include easier maintenance and lower<br />
operating cost.<br />
+ Cable routing. The cable routing has been optimized<br />
even further, the location of the H₂O₂ treatment and other<br />
units has been changed. This has the advantage of even<br />
better machine accessibility.<br />
+ Measuring instruments. All measuring instruments are<br />
new-generation components. Advantages include improved<br />
ease of operation and optimized information density.<br />
+ Machine capacity. A twin-concept doubles the original<br />
machine capacity. This has the advantage of long-term<br />
reduction of cost compared to the investment in two individual<br />
machines. The reason for this is that essential<br />
components can be shared. Only one valve manifold, one<br />
bottle conveyor, one product and steam supply, one controller,<br />
one operator terminal and one machine cladding<br />
are required, for example. Added to this are the cost advantages<br />
of reducing spare part stock keeping. In addition<br />
to requiring less space.<br />
The most importnt stations in brief<br />
An air conveyor carries the PET bottles reliably and gently<br />
by means of neck handling while maintaining best possible<br />
hygienic conditions. Each section has a frequencycontrolled<br />
blower that supplies the air channel and controls<br />
the conveying speed of the bottles by means of<br />
various volume flows.<br />
Permanent sterile air<br />
in the<br />
aseptic zone.<br />
Infeed of the bottle is outside the aseptic zone. A chain<br />
moves past the air conveyor. The end of the latter is provided<br />
with a curve that ensures that the bottles are inserted<br />
in holders specially integrated into the chain for this<br />
purpose (the Innosept Asbofill ABF 611 has 24 holders, the<br />
Innosept Asbofill ABF 711 has 30 holders).<br />
After the checking process, the bottles are transferred<br />
to the sterilization zone where the system introduces<br />
H₂O₂ aerosol with temperatures between 90 and 120° C<br />
into every bottle in cycles by means of a lance positioned<br />
directly underneath the neck. All surfaces are uniformly<br />
coated regardless of the size and shape of the bottle.<br />
A partition separates the sterilization and the filling<br />
process in different housings. The aseptic zone always extends<br />
from the bottle mouth to the neck ring. Accordingly,
Innovation<br />
At a glance:<br />
the new aseptic linear fillers<br />
Criteria Innosept Asbofill ABF 611 Innosept Asbofill ABF 711<br />
Process Aseptic cold filling in PET / dry sterilization<br />
Suitable for Non-carbonated beverages, liquid products, e.g. pharmaceutical<br />
Sterile area 0.9 cubic meters 1.5 cubic meters<br />
Capacity 12,000 PET bottles per hour — twin concept: 24,000<br />
Standard bottles 0.1 to 0.75 liters 0.25 to 2.0 liters<br />
Standard diameter <strong>Bottles</strong> up to 85 mm <strong>Bottles</strong> up to 120 mm<br />
Standard height <strong>Bottles</strong> up to 240 mm <strong>Bottles</strong> up to 350 mm<br />
Neck ring Constant 38 or 43 mm<br />
Options<br />
Special advantages<br />
Pulp nozzles for products containing fruit / nitrogen flushing before<br />
and after the filling process for products sensitive to oxygen / liquid<br />
nitrogen for displacing oxygen / double filters in the valve manifold /<br />
coding during the production process<br />
Easier to operate (improved accessibility) / cost-reducing options<br />
(lighter bottles, time saving, higher availability)
competence 02.2011 26/27<br />
a partition also extends only up to the cell carrier bar and<br />
only contains openings for the necks of the individual<br />
plastic bottles. Sterile air is blown permanently into the<br />
area of the aseptic zone and is discharged downward by<br />
so-called positive displacement current via an adjacent<br />
perforated plate.<br />
As there is no overfill,<br />
product is saved.<br />
From there, it enters the machine room where it can either<br />
escape or be specifically extracted. The actual sterile<br />
air preparation is located in a valve manifold installed on<br />
the machine, which also provides other media required for<br />
the production process. Blowers convey the air to the valve<br />
manifold that includes candle sterile filters. Candle filters<br />
offer the advantage that they can be sterilized with steam<br />
prior to production. Any microorganisms that might be<br />
present are thus reliably destroyed while ensuring maximum<br />
process reliability.<br />
<strong>Filling</strong> is carried out in two stages using the safe, aseptic<br />
open jet process with a filling valve which has been specially<br />
developed for low-foam filling. The preset filling recipes<br />
can be accessed by pressing a button on the operator<br />
terminal. <strong>Filling</strong> by means of electromagnetic inductive<br />
flowmetering allows for exact fill levels without any overfill<br />
(product savings). Changeover to other bottle sizes is<br />
completed at the push of a button.<br />
An adapter located within the filling station closes<br />
the filling valves for cleaning. The result: continuous circulation<br />
during the cleaning process of the filling valves. The<br />
entire aseptic zone is always cleaned by foam cleaning prior<br />
to production. In this process, every individual place inside<br />
the aseptic room is reliably reached.<br />
Possible closure types include seals (for dairies for example)<br />
or screw caps (for example for fruit juices). The capping<br />
process always takes place in a housing that is separate<br />
from the filling process. Consequently, the bottles<br />
pass through a partition again after filling.<br />
From the beginning, the sealing process is fully automatic.<br />
It is no longer necessary to place seals in hoppers<br />
provided for this purpose. This has the advantage that<br />
aseptic safety is increased even further while operator errors<br />
that might result in malfunctions are prevented.<br />
From the sorter, plastic closures are transferred into a<br />
feed chute. Aligned in the same manner, the caps – fully<br />
oriented towards the number of plastic bottles conveyed<br />
at each cell carrier bar – are distributed on eight lanes in the<br />
Innosept Asbofill ABF 611, and respectively on ten lanes in<br />
the Innosept Asbofill ABF 711. Sterilization is the same as<br />
bottle sterilization. Application of the screw caps has been<br />
thought out right down to the last detail. In a first step, a<br />
suction unit places the caps on the bottles, which are thus<br />
largely protected against external influences. The capper<br />
housing is divided into two chambers; the aseptic zones of<br />
these are separated by partitions. In the next step, the caps<br />
are screwed on in a separate sterile chamber. The key advantage<br />
is that the rotary capping motion, which usually<br />
entails greater risk in the aseptic zone, takes place within<br />
a sterile zone in which the bottles are as good as sealed.<br />
Maximum aseptic safety is also the motto here. Apart from<br />
classical plastic screw caps, sports caps can optionally also<br />
be processed (retrofittable).<br />
This step is followed by the closure check. After that,<br />
the bottles are clocked up to a position from where a<br />
gripping system takes them out and places them on the<br />
conveyor.<br />
Conclusion: With the new generation of aseptic linear<br />
fillers, <strong>KHS</strong> offers a technical system that fulfils the<br />
demands required by companies. Maximum safety goes<br />
hand in hand with flexibility with regard to the product<br />
and also the plastic bottles to be filled and the closures<br />
used on them. Thanks to a comprehensive package of options,<br />
which can also be integrated into the latest generation<br />
of Innosept Asbofill ABF machines later, this is a machine<br />
generation that is perfectly equipped for the present<br />
and the future.<br />
→ Contact<br />
Thomas Niehr<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>,<br />
Bad Kreuznach, Germany<br />
Paul-Uwe Winterhoff<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>,<br />
Bad Kreuznach, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (671) 852-2900<br />
Email: thomas.niehr@khs.com<br />
Phone: Phone: +49 (671) 852-2900<br />
Email: paul-uwe.winterhoff@khs.com
Innovation<br />
SHOrT<br />
routEs<br />
New, resource-saving cleaning system from <strong>KHS</strong> /<br />
The newly developed Innopro CIP C cleaning system<br />
offers noticeable additional resource savings and<br />
an investment plus of around 15%. A clever aspect is<br />
that long routes for media transport are avoided.<br />
In the beverage sector it goes without saying that filling<br />
lines have to be perfectly clean. This is what CIP<br />
(Cleaning in Place) is for. This process reliably removes production<br />
residues, deposits, and product-harming microorganisms.<br />
The new Innopro CIP C (Cleaning in Place Compact)<br />
system developed by <strong>KHS</strong> offers even more. It saves<br />
water, chemicals, energy (and therefore costs), doesn’t require<br />
a lot of space, and can easily be integrated in new<br />
or ex isting filling lines. From a filling operation perspective<br />
there are ten important questions regarding the application<br />
in practice.<br />
Question 1: What are the benefits?<br />
The Innopro CIP C is a local CIP system that not only cleans<br />
the filling system but also an additional process component,<br />
such as the flash pasteurizer or the mixer, as well<br />
as itself. The key advantage of this solution is that media<br />
transport over long distances is avoided. Compared<br />
with conventional CIP systems the energy consumption is<br />
therefore significantly lower, because thanks to the central<br />
position and short media lines the heating losses are<br />
much reduced. In addition, media consumption is lower,<br />
and the smaller number of mixing phases means that the<br />
cleaner uses much less water and cleaning media.
competence 02.2011 28/29<br />
Question 2: <strong>For</strong> which applications<br />
is the cleaner suitable?<br />
The Innopro CIP C can be used for a wide range of filling<br />
applications, such as beer, water, soft drinks, juice, wine,<br />
or milk, and containers such as cans, glass, plastic bottles,<br />
or kegs. It is equally suitable for cold filling, aseptic filling,<br />
ultra-clean filling, and hot filling.<br />
Question 3: What is the technical concept?<br />
The Innopro CIP C is equipped with three tanks: a caustic<br />
tank, a hot water tank, and a primary water feed tank<br />
which serves as system isolator. This has the advantage<br />
that the CIP flow pump cannot run dry and always has<br />
water available, even in the event of an overload of the<br />
water network.<br />
Innopro CIP C:<br />
a true ecological package.<br />
Question 4: How long does the installation take?<br />
The tanks of the Innopro CIP C have been deliberately designed<br />
as rectangles. This makes the whole system compact<br />
and suitable for standardized overseas containers, resulting<br />
in cost-effective transport. All components required for<br />
the system operation such as pumps, valves, heaters, media<br />
tanks, and the control cabinet with the controller are already<br />
installed on a stainless steel frame in the container and ready<br />
for operation.<br />
Question 5: How does the Innopro CIP C work?<br />
The cleaning media and the hot water are heated using<br />
a plate heat exchanger and saturated steam. The cleaning<br />
temperature is controlled electropneumatically. A<br />
flow pump ensures circulation of individual cleaning media<br />
and maintains the cleaning pressure. While the fresh<br />
water is immediately disposed of after the first cleaning<br />
process, the conductivity and temperature of the caustic<br />
are measured after the cleaning process. Should returned<br />
caustic be discarded or returned to the caustic tank and<br />
therefore the production process? The pneumatic metering<br />
system adds caustic. The system is then rinsed with hot<br />
water and finally with cold water in order to cool down<br />
the piping and components.<br />
Question 6: Can acid be used for cleaning?<br />
Deposits are removed with acid. With the Innopro CIP C,<br />
acid can be introduced into the existing hot water tank<br />
and from there fed to all components.<br />
Question 7: How does the system clean itself ?<br />
The Innopro CIP C automatically deals with regular selfcleaning.<br />
The CIP media is introduced into the respective<br />
tank using spray balls. At the same time the spray balls<br />
flush the tank walls with cleaning solution or rinsing water,<br />
resulting in optimum cleaning.<br />
Question 8: Manual or automatic?<br />
The system offers a choice between manual and fully automated<br />
operation. In manual mode the operator has to<br />
switch on the flow pump or the steam and fresh water<br />
supply, for example. In fully automated mode all process<br />
steps run as stored in the recipe.<br />
Question 9: What accessories are available?<br />
The options are limited in order to keep the system clear<br />
and simple. Possibilities: Reasonably priced insulated<br />
media tanks (for additional energy savings) are avail able<br />
as an option, as are tanks in standard stainless steel.<br />
Question 10: Are special service options available?<br />
Included as standard: ReDiS (Remote Diagnostic Service)<br />
is included as a standard. If assistance is required, you can<br />
contact the <strong>KHS</strong> ReDiS Service Center directly. The possibility<br />
of reprogramming through ReDiS increases the system<br />
availability.<br />
Conclusion: The Innopro CIP C not only offers numerous<br />
technical and system benefits, but also an investment advantage<br />
of around 15% compared with standard CIP systems.<br />
This is achieved by deliberately using a compact<br />
tank unit. The standardized system design minimizes the<br />
design effort.<br />
→ Contact<br />
Alfons Abels-Rümping<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>,<br />
Bad Kreuznach,<br />
Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (671) 852-2211<br />
Email: alfons.abels-ruemping@khs.com
Innovation<br />
A real<br />
all-rounder
competence 02.2011 30/31<br />
Insights: Infeed station and first cleaning head; the exterior<br />
cleaning booth is on the right in the background.<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> has developed a special keg line for medium-sized businesses /<br />
Special characteristics: very low space requirement, low budget, system<br />
efficiency of 95%, capacity of up to 90 kegs per hour, expansion options.<br />
The pilot system is running successfully.<br />
hot tip for companies in the brewing, soft drinks, min -<br />
A eral water, fruit juice, and wine segments whose keg<br />
filling capacity is unlikely to exceed 90 kegs per hour in the<br />
future is the Innokeg Till CombiKeg. The new development<br />
from the market leader in keg technology is an extremely<br />
compact keg washing and racking machine.<br />
All processes are integrated within a single frame and<br />
include external and internal cleaning, the filling process,<br />
up to five media tanks, the control system, and an infeed<br />
and discharge conveyor. The system fits exactly into one<br />
container and is ready-piped, cabled, and thoroughly pretested<br />
in the <strong>KHS</strong> plant. It can therefore be installed, connected<br />
up, and commissioned at the filling plant in just a<br />
few days. Once the media and product connections have<br />
been prepared on site, all that remains to be done is to<br />
erect and connect up the machine, press the start button,<br />
carry out the first CIP operation – and production can start.<br />
Long live the Plug & Produce principle!<br />
Features and advantages<br />
The new Innokeg Till CombiKeg processes 60 to 90 kegs<br />
an hour and is based on the principle of rotary processing<br />
which has been successfully employed and continuously<br />
developed by <strong>KHS</strong> for several decades. Advantages<br />
include cyclic processing and a low space requirement.<br />
If more than 90 kegs per hour are to be processed on a<br />
continuous basis, <strong>KHS</strong> recommends the in-line Innokeg<br />
Till Transomat which can be expanded without difficulty.<br />
But back to the main features and advantages of its<br />
little sister, the Innokeg Till CombiKeg. With this machine,<br />
the infeed and discharge areas are not separate but are<br />
arranged directly next to one another, making them extremely<br />
user-friendly. Just one operator can place the<br />
empty kegs onto the infeed conveyor and, without having<br />
to walk any distance at all, subsequently remove and palletize<br />
the racked kegs straight off the discharge conveyor.<br />
Another exceptional feature is that the system is modular,<br />
enabling a great number of options.<br />
Three or five<br />
washing heads, depending<br />
on capacity.<br />
The basic Innokeg Till CombiKeg R 3 machine has three<br />
washing heads and one racking head, and works with<br />
a classic, pressure-dependent racking system and return<br />
gas control. Performance: 60 kegs per hour. The<br />
Innokeg Till CombiKeg R 5 is fitted with five washing<br />
heads and one racking head, and uses the patented <strong>KHS</strong><br />
Direct Flow Control (DFC) filling process (which can also<br />
be integrated into the basic machine at any time). Performance:<br />
up to 90 kegs per hour. Further peripheral<br />
components, such as scales, keg turners, keg cappers,<br />
and cameras can of course also be integrated into the<br />
system concept.<br />
The cladding, which is fixed within the machine frame<br />
and is designed in accordance with Hygienic Design specifications,<br />
is easy to clean and enables optimum process<br />
control and rapid maintenance access. Tried-and-tested<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> washing and racking heads, simple, clearly arranged<br />
matrix piping, and the use of hygienic membrane valves<br />
for media supply make for easier servicing and reliable<br />
processing.
Innovation<br />
Innokeg Till Combikeg compact keg washer and<br />
filler. Specially for small and medium-sized companies<br />
in the beverage industry.<br />
Proven technology<br />
If the kegs are severely contaminated, the keg fittings can<br />
be sprayed with water as they travel along the infeed conveyor.<br />
This ensures that no particles of dirt which may be on<br />
the fitting are washed into the inside of the keg. Essential<br />
features of the cleaning process naturally include a leakage<br />
test, the blowing out of any remaining beverage with sterile<br />
air, and optimum pulsating cleaning with up to three<br />
cleaning media. As an option, the exterior keg washer can<br />
be incorporated into the system housing. The space within<br />
the system intended for the exterior washer otherwise remains<br />
unused. The system achieves optimum soaking of the<br />
interior of the keg with caustic using two stations. Retrofitting<br />
is possible without any problems.<br />
<strong>Filling</strong> takes place after the keg has been rinsed with<br />
hot water and finally blown out with steam. The filling<br />
process uses either the classical, pressure-regulated filling<br />
system or the DCF filling process with its advantages<br />
of a 40%-lower CO₂ consumption, extremely accurate<br />
filling control, and reduced oxygen pickup for improvement<br />
of the product quality. The whole process is distinguished<br />
by significant savings in water, waste water, and<br />
energy. An important aspect is that, for uncomplicated<br />
products, fewer steps and a less complex machine design<br />
are possible.<br />
Once the keg has run through the racking process,<br />
it is sent on to the discharge station. Here, a check shoe<br />
pushes it from the machine onto the discharge conveyor.
competence 02.2011 32/33<br />
Practical experience speaks for itself<br />
Innokeg Till CombiKeg pilot system at Schönbuch Braumanufaktur<br />
The Schönbuch Braumanufaktur in Böblingen near Stuttgart is now in its sixth generation and managed<br />
by Werner Dinkelaker and Götz Habisreitinger, ably supported by master brewer Gustavo Tresselt.<br />
Their company is already using the Innokeg Till CombiKeg pilot system from <strong>KHS</strong>. In the following, two<br />
experts of the trade voice their impressions of and describe their first-hand experience with the new system.<br />
Werner Dinkelaker: “As we know that we<br />
can rely on <strong>KHS</strong> in every respect, we were confident<br />
in investing in the pilot system for the<br />
newly developed Innokeg Till CombiKeg. In<br />
retrospect, this was exactly the right decision.”<br />
Gustavo Tresselt: “Because our proportion of<br />
kegs is high, it was important for us to invest<br />
in a robust, reliable system which takes into<br />
account our high quality requirements.”<br />
Werner Dinkelaker: “And it also saves space.<br />
Our operators don’t feel constricted in their<br />
work, even in this small space. It wouldn’t<br />
have been possible to install a conventional<br />
inline machine.”<br />
Gustavo Tresselt: “There are no long distances<br />
with this system, as is common with<br />
inline machines. This saves us an operator.”<br />
Werner Dinkelaker: “Sustainability as a com-<br />
pany tradition starts with the little things. We<br />
are very careful to use resources sparingly in<br />
every respect.”<br />
Gustavo Tresselt: “Actually, we hadn’t in-<br />
tended to include the brushing station in our<br />
machine. Then during the <strong>KHS</strong> in-house exhibition<br />
we noticed that kegs which had been<br />
brush-cleaned looked considerably better. An<br />
advantage with this option is also that the<br />
brush is automatically perfectly matched to<br />
An operator removes the keg or, in the case of bad kegs, a<br />
warning signal is given. An automatic rejection station for<br />
bad kegs can be provided. An automatic palletizing system<br />
is also conceivable.<br />
The Innokeg Till CombiKeg also processes non-returnable<br />
kegs. To this end <strong>KHS</strong> also supplies the Petainer<br />
keg, developed in cooperation with Petainer UK Holdings<br />
Limited. All that’s needed to rack them are additional<br />
adapters made of plastic. These are pushed onto the plastic<br />
kegs prior to treatment so that they form a single unit<br />
during the washing and racking process.<br />
Conclusion: The Innokeg Till CombiKeg is in every<br />
respect an advantageous all-rounder for medium-sized<br />
businesses. The system not only cuts down on costs and<br />
the particular keg diameter to be processed<br />
by means of an electric adjustment motor.”<br />
Gustavo Tresselt: “We are extremely satisfied<br />
with our Innokeg Till CombiKeg. Our<br />
confidence in <strong>KHS</strong> and our courage to invest<br />
in the pilot system have been rewarded by us<br />
gaining a reliable, compact system.”<br />
Werner Dinkelaker: “This will enable us to<br />
approach the future positively. However, we<br />
are also planning growth in the future, not<br />
for growth’s sake but only if the profits are<br />
right. And also because our beer means a lot<br />
to us. At Schönbuch, we believe in beer quality<br />
in the truest sense of the word.”<br />
required space but also provides tried-and-tested washing<br />
and racking quality with maximum flexibility and a line efficiency<br />
of 95%. This is not only of interest to the European<br />
market but also to already growing keg markets, such as<br />
that in the USA (in particular amongst craft brewers), and<br />
the still developing keg markets in Asia and Africa. And if<br />
that isn’t a hot tip …<br />
→ Contact<br />
Rainer Deutschmann<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>, Kriftel,<br />
Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (6192) 491-130<br />
Email: rainer.deutschmann@khs.com
Innovation<br />
TeMPO<br />
TeMPO<br />
TeMPO
competence 02.2011 34/35<br />
One of the largest mineral water bottlers in<br />
Germany now uses <strong>KHS</strong> technology for preparing<br />
and palletizing shrink packs / With the Innopal PBL,<br />
Mineralquellen Bad Liebenwerda is able to dis-<br />
tribute a wide range products in different sizes of<br />
pack, loaded onto a single pallet from four se-<br />
parate conveyor sections.<br />
etailers are in a quandary: On the one hand they want<br />
r to offer a comprehensive product range, on the other<br />
hand they have only limited storage space. This also applies<br />
to the suppliers. Horst Kuhl, managing partner of<br />
Mineralquellen Bad Liebenwerda in Brandenburg, reckons<br />
that this is also relevant for suppliers: “Brand suppliers have<br />
to be proactive and quick.” This is precisely why his company<br />
recently invested in a <strong>KHS</strong> line with the sole task of automatic<br />
assembly and palletizing of a wide range of shrink<br />
packs for different non-returnable PET bottles. The advantage<br />
for retailers is that they receive all the shrink packs<br />
they ordered ready mixed on a pallet, which saves space.<br />
With the new <strong>KHS</strong> line, Mineralquellen Bad Liebenwerda<br />
present themselves as industry innovators, and<br />
not for the first time (see company telegram on page<br />
37). The company is one of the first mineral water operations<br />
worldwide to use this trend-setting concept.<br />
Tempo has always been a trademark of Mineralquellen<br />
Bad Liebenwerda. Shortly after the German reunification<br />
the RhönSprudel group took over the former powerful<br />
1<br />
Inline robot grouping enables side-clamped shrink packs<br />
to be gripped, turned and moved with millimeter accuracy<br />
and with considerable space saving.<br />
VEB operation. Since then the company has been on the<br />
up continually. By the end of 1991 the number of fillings<br />
was already 14 million, in 1992 it was 50 million,<br />
by the turn of the millennium 110 million, and in 2010<br />
150 million.<br />
The <strong>KHS</strong> assembly line for shrink packs can process up<br />
to 18,000 non-returnable PET bottles per hour. The line currently<br />
manages six-packs with 1.5 and 0.50 liter bottles. It<br />
is planned – and this will also be possible in the future –<br />
for the line to handle 0.75, 0.33 and 0.25 liter bottles. Operating<br />
personnel used to stack the shrink-wrapped packs<br />
manually. Now four conveyor sections can optionally handle<br />
different products. Costly and comparatively slow manual<br />
assembly will therefore be a thing of the past.<br />
Practical example<br />
Conveyor section 1: Shrink packs with mineral water.<br />
Conveyor section 2: “Teeträume” shrink packs.<br />
Conveyor section 3: Soda pop shrink packs.<br />
Conveyor section 4: “Landträume” shrink packs.
Innovation<br />
2<br />
The trade requires widely differing<br />
shrink packs to be ready mixed and<br />
positioned on a pallet.<br />
Another example: If the customer only wants to assemble<br />
two different shrink packs, two or three conveyor sections<br />
can handle identical shrink packs. In general, the new <strong>KHS</strong><br />
equipment enables up to four different shrink packs to be<br />
combined in different ways on a single pallet. Individual<br />
layer formations can be programmed and adapted to<br />
changing retailers’ requests at any time. This means maximum<br />
flexibility.<br />
Quick overview:<br />
How the Innopal PBL system works.<br />
An inline robot grouping assembles the required formations<br />
for palletizing. The robots grip, turn, and move sideclamped<br />
packs with millimeter accuracy and only minimal<br />
space requirements. The gripper elements are lined with<br />
plastic and are therefore suitable for processing sensitive<br />
shrink packs.<br />
The line operates with a combined layer and row<br />
pusher. The layer pusher incorporated within the palletizer<br />
also serves as a stop when the layer is discharged<br />
onto the pallet. Extremely high palletizing accuracy of<br />
the whole pallet structure is achieved thanks to a block<br />
centering device arranged beneath the pusher plate. Also<br />
integrated is a handling robot that uses suction elements<br />
to remove pallet liners from a magazine and position<br />
them on the current layer.<br />
The individual layers are palletized on half pallets or<br />
Euro pallets. Additional gripper elements arranged on the<br />
suction head of the handling robot position the pallets in<br />
the predefined position. A stretch film wrapping machine<br />
secures the load. This is followed by pallet labeling, transfer<br />
to a forklift truck, and transport to the store.<br />
The integrated ReDiS system (Remote Diagnostic Service)<br />
has a direct online connection to the <strong>KHS</strong> ReDiS Service<br />
Center for remote analysis. Managing director Horst<br />
Kuhl says, “With ReDiS we are on the safe side and can fall<br />
back on fast <strong>KHS</strong> support at any time. This is important<br />
for high line efficiency.” And, of course, for a good tempo.<br />
→ Contact<br />
Jörg Hoffmann<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>, Dortmund,<br />
Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (231) 569 -1877<br />
Email: joerg.hoffmann@khs.com
competence 02.2011 36/37<br />
“Manually<br />
this would be<br />
impossible.”<br />
Short interview with Horst Kuhl, managing<br />
partner of Mineralquellen Bad<br />
Liebenwerda.<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> competence:<br />
Mr Kuhl, hand on heart, do you see a<br />
long-term future for medium-sized mineral<br />
water operations?<br />
Horst Kuhl (laughs): Certainly! But only if the<br />
companies position themselves in a targeted<br />
manner. This includes top product quality, innovations<br />
based on market demand, and a<br />
comprehensive, constantly improving service<br />
package.<br />
What role does technology play?<br />
A very big role. High-quality, flexible technical<br />
solutions that enable us to respond quickly<br />
are essential. Before you ask: <strong>KHS</strong> offers such<br />
technology and is therefore a key factor in our<br />
positioning strategy.<br />
How satisfied are you with the<br />
new assembly line?<br />
Highly satisfied, not least because it would be<br />
impossible to achieve such quality and perfect<br />
layer formation manually. A crucial aspect for<br />
us is that the line offers scope for further automation,<br />
should retailers start asking for<br />
even more sophisticated pallet assemblies.<br />
What does the future have in store for<br />
Mineralquellen Bad Liebenwerda?<br />
Contrary to the current trend, in 2010 our<br />
brand products achieved around 5% sales<br />
growth. <strong>For</strong> 2011 we expect similar growth.<br />
Thanks to extensive expansion investment we<br />
are well equipped for 200 million fillings. I’m<br />
happy for things to continue in this way.<br />
+++ Company telegram +++<br />
+++ Mineralquellen Bad Liebenwerda +++<br />
+++ Member of the RhönSprudel group, which also includes Mineralbrunnen RhönSprudel, Spreequell, and Bauer Fruchtsaft <strong>GmbH</strong> +++<br />
+++ Among the 20 largest mineral water operations in Germany +++<br />
+++ Mineral water accounts for 80% of fillings +++<br />
+++ 40% of which these are conventional carbonated mineral water; 40% Bad Liebenwerda Medium; 20% Bad Liebenwerda Naturell +++<br />
+++ The RhönSprudel Group is among the top ten of the German mineral water industry +++
Innovation<br />
Innoket 360 S: compact and efficient<br />
THe SPACe SAver<br />
… processes 50,000 bottles per hour
competence 02.2011 38/39<br />
The Innoket 360 S labeler extends the tried and tested <strong>KHS</strong> roll-fed range with a<br />
compact model. The basic package offers a technical solution at an attractive price,<br />
with modular extension packages available to suit demand. The key features<br />
are described below.<br />
Approx.<br />
25 m²<br />
1. Compact and space-saving<br />
The Innoket 360 S with a size<br />
708 carousel is a compact<br />
model. This machine needs<br />
around 40% less space than<br />
the Innoket 360.<br />
2. Efficient and<br />
cost-effective<br />
In the basic version of the<br />
Innoket 360 S, the standard electrical<br />
cabinet is paint-finished.<br />
The station and centering hood<br />
are adjusted manually. Hinged<br />
doors offer adequate access and<br />
CE-compliant machine protection<br />
for safe operation at up to<br />
50,000 bottles per hour.<br />
Approx.<br />
16 m²<br />
3. Fast and precise<br />
The Innoket 360 S is quickly<br />
ready for operation as a <strong>KHS</strong> induction<br />
heater ensures short<br />
heat-up times. Self-sharpening<br />
cutters make sure that the labels<br />
are always cut precisely. <strong>For</strong>mat<br />
changeover is easy to understand,<br />
reproducible, and<br />
fast, providing operational reliability.<br />
Overlap correction takes<br />
place during operation without<br />
the system having to be<br />
stopped. This ensures perfect label<br />
positioning.<br />
– 35%<br />
4. Additional options<br />
and benefits<br />
The machine features the first<br />
autosplice system that doesn’t<br />
need a costly, continuous supply<br />
of compressed air. The segmented<br />
vacuum drum makes changeovers<br />
simple. Motor-driven adjustment<br />
elements offer support<br />
if changeovers are frequent.<br />
→ Contact Oliver Kress | <strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>, Dortmund, Germany | Phone: +49 (231) 569-1748 | Email: oliver.kress@khs.com<br />
Manfred Pschichholz | <strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>, Dortmund | Phone: +49 (231) 569-1513 | Email: manfred.pschichholz@khs.com
Innovation<br />
A deluxe shrink packer<br />
QuantuM<br />
LEaP<br />
Plus points<br />
The main new features of the new shrink<br />
tunnel generation at a glance<br />
→ Improved heating flow saves up to 15% energy<br />
→ Savings package reduces energy consumption by<br />
up to 20%<br />
→ Gas heating saves up to 50% energy costs<br />
→ Variable hot air nozzles<br />
→ Even more gentle conveying<br />
→ Automatic cleaning of the conveyor chains<br />
→ Lighting and camera monitoring<br />
→ Six tunnel versions are available
competence 02.2011 40/41<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> has made further improvements to no less than four modules in its<br />
Innopack Kisters SP shrink packer for the beverage, food, and non-food industries.<br />
A new shrink tunnel concept ensures significant energy and cost savings.<br />
It allows shrink packs to be produced without shrinkage holes, has a pioneering<br />
feature whereby film can be printed on the inside of the pack, and an option<br />
to form nested packs.<br />
The fully automatic Innopack Kisters SP shrink packer<br />
for producing film-wrapped packs has been received<br />
enthusiastically. The Advanced product line offers modular<br />
packaging technology with tried-and-tested economic<br />
efficiency and maximum flexibility. Yet things can get even<br />
better. Based on requests from our customers, the <strong>KHS</strong> development<br />
engineers have implemented significant technological<br />
improvements in four areas:<br />
→ Shrink tunnel (with a whole range of optimizations),<br />
→ Shrink wrapping of larger product formations<br />
(now possible without shrinkage holes),<br />
→ Film printing (inside pack printing now possible), and<br />
→ Variable secondary packaging (nested packs).<br />
But first things first. Let’s take a look at shrink packs. It’s<br />
hard to imagine life without them and they have long<br />
since become popular worldwide, not least because they<br />
support the impact of the brand at the point of sale. There<br />
are two ways of doing this: with an unprinted film the<br />
products make direct contact with the consumer. Printed<br />
film communicates the advertising message with a diverse<br />
range of options. In any case, the key for optimum presentation<br />
of the brand is a perfect shrink result.<br />
This requires shrink technology that is well thought<br />
out down to the last detail. And this is exactly where a lot<br />
has been happening recently. <strong>KHS</strong> is now launching a new<br />
shrink tunnel concept for the Innopack Kisters SP with refined<br />
technology, a modified approach to the subject, and<br />
100% practical orientation. The new Innopack Kisters SP<br />
is a quantum leap for shrink packing; from a basic platform<br />
the modular system can be configured and expanded<br />
to specifically suit individual requirements. Moreover,<br />
the new shrink tunnel concept, which <strong>KHS</strong> has standardized<br />
for the Basic and Advanced product lines, is fit for the<br />
future. All functions can easily be integrated, and energy<br />
efficiency is a high priority. The twelve chief benefits of the<br />
new shrink tunnel generation are described below.<br />
1. Heating system offers improved flow.<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> has optimized the heating chamber by carrying out<br />
a flow simulation. New ventilators ensure improved flow,<br />
which saves up to 15% energy. Thanks to the optimized<br />
flow, the number of ventilators and heating elements<br />
have been reduced. <strong>For</strong> each possible shrink tunnel version<br />
(see Page 45) only two instead of three heating chambers<br />
with one ventilator each are required. Additional<br />
benefits include less servicing and fewer spare parts.<br />
2. Energy-saving package: save up to 20%<br />
An optional, additional energy-saving package offers potential<br />
for saving up to 20% of energy.<br />
Key benefit 1: a newly developed roller shutter system<br />
that adjusts the product infeed and discharge openings<br />
to suit the size of the pack during production and automatically<br />
closes them when the packing machine stops.<br />
This largely minimizes the escape of thermal energy.<br />
Key benefit 2: standby mode. The electronically controlled<br />
standby function reduces the energy consumption<br />
of all functional units involved in the shrink process to a<br />
minimum. As soon as the production process calls for it,<br />
all functions return to normal operation.<br />
3. Environmental bonus: optional<br />
gas heating available<br />
The new concept includes an eco shrink tunnel with gas<br />
heating instead conventional electric heating. In this way
Innovation<br />
1<br />
3<br />
NEW (1)<br />
Shrink packs without<br />
shrinkage holes<br />
An alternative to nested packs and nested<br />
shifted packs would be to invest in a manipulating<br />
unit that can form classic shrink packs<br />
without shrinkage holes. These packs have all<br />
the advantages of nested packs and nested<br />
shifted packs yet do not require any additional<br />
investment in the pack conveyor and palletizer<br />
section. In practice, the option to produce<br />
shrink packs without shrinkage holes<br />
saves significant costs. The process uses less<br />
material, increases pack stability, simplifies logistics<br />
and reduces stockholding. In addition,<br />
only one material has to be disposed of when<br />
the time comes.<br />
2<br />
Shrink packs without shrinkage holes are particularly stable and reduce costs.<br />
NEW (2)<br />
Inside film<br />
printing<br />
<strong>KHS</strong>’ new online film printing setup integrates<br />
film printing into the packaging prior to<br />
the shrink process. Advantages: the online<br />
print is on the inside of the pack / thermotransfer<br />
printers make a perfect print /<br />
optimum contrast, e.g. for barcodes / wide<br />
range of print options (logos, additional<br />
information, attractive images) / variable<br />
print positioning and dimensions (width: 50 to<br />
128 mm; length: up to 50 mm) / costs for<br />
print material and paper labels saved / increased<br />
machine availability / no handling required.<br />
In practice, this results in even more safety,<br />
ease of operation, machine availability, and<br />
targeted cost reductions.<br />
NEW (3)<br />
Shrink packs with<br />
nested packs<br />
The term “nested packs” refers to packaging<br />
where the number of containers in adjacent<br />
rows differs by one. Nested shifted packs<br />
differ from nested packs in that each row has<br />
the same number of packs. In practice, this<br />
results in improved stability of can, glass,<br />
or PET packs. The film can be thinner and the<br />
cardboard trays or pads that were previously<br />
used are no longer required, thereby cutting<br />
costs considerably, so that the additional investment<br />
will pay off quickly.
competence 02.2011 42/43<br />
companies can save up to 50% of their energy costs, depending<br />
on local energy prices. As an added environmental<br />
bonus the CO₂ emissions are reduced by up to 60%.<br />
Another important aspect is that a gas connection is sufficient,<br />
without the need for air supply and extraction systems<br />
(chimneys).<br />
4. Variable positioning of hot air nozzles<br />
Adjustable hot air nozzles give the best possible results for<br />
each individual shrink pack. The air flow can be set exactly<br />
as required to fully suit the individual pack format with regard<br />
to both height and width. The amount of air required<br />
for a perfect shrink result can be configured for each individual<br />
nozzle, either manually or electronically using servo<br />
motors. Nozzles can also be ‘parked’, a feature that proves<br />
especially useful when a product program requires operation<br />
both in a single and in multiple lanes. This ensures that<br />
hot air is always precisely directed to where it is needed.<br />
5. Manual or electronic format changeover<br />
The machine is set up manually for a different format by<br />
means of spindles (standard). This is carried out accurately<br />
using digital displays and set-up documentation. As an<br />
option, operator-guided format changeover offers significantly<br />
more convenience. The key points in brief: The operator<br />
receives important information, such as when and<br />
where an adjustment is to be carried out, at the control<br />
desk (HMI) / Optimum overview of the changeover process<br />
/ All parameters are stored for every packaging format<br />
/ Transfer to the electronic digital displays on the setup<br />
units / Accurate reproducibility / Shrink tunnel hot air<br />
nozzles adjusted fully automatically. The advantages include<br />
no troublesome paper lists / accurate reproducibility<br />
/ reduced operator errors / smooth restart.<br />
6. Toothed belt ensures reliable conveying<br />
The type of conveying chain used in the shrink tunnel area<br />
depends on the stability of the product being conveyed.<br />
Packs with cardboard pads require a bar chain and film<br />
packs a wire link belt.<br />
7. Constant speed with gentle transitions<br />
While the tempo on the packaging machine varies according<br />
to the production volume, in the shrink tunnel a constant<br />
speed is crucial for a perfect shrink result. <strong>For</strong> this reason<br />
a special functional unit has been installed between<br />
the packaging machine and the shrink tunnel which compensates<br />
for the difference in speed between these two<br />
machine sections.<br />
8. Automatic cleaning of conveyor chains<br />
Another optional module is an automatic cleaning system<br />
for conveyor chains made of wire mesh. This system consists<br />
of a counter-moving stainless steel brush located underneath<br />
the conveyor chain which is engaged at fixed intervals.<br />
Film debris and particles of dirt removed from the<br />
conveyor chain are swept into a drawer that can be easily<br />
emptied, thereby eliminating the need for time-consuming<br />
manual shrink tunnel cleaning processes.<br />
9. Lighting provides safe overview<br />
Optional hood lighting gives operators a clear view of<br />
the hood interior. This makes any fine adjustments to the<br />
shrink process that have to be made by operators or maintenance<br />
personnel immediately visible.<br />
10. Camera system for accurate monitoring<br />
A camera system can be installed at the shrink tunnel discharge<br />
together with the lighting. This system transmits<br />
image files to a monitor installed next to the shrink tunnel.<br />
Images can either be in black-and-white or color, depending<br />
on the option chosen. This has the advantage that operators<br />
can conveniently observe the shrink process from<br />
outside. An ‘air curtain’ is used in place of the standard<br />
hanging curtains in the shrink tunnel infeed and discharge.<br />
11. Hygienic design makes cleaning simple<br />
The cubic machine frame, already established in the Advanced<br />
series, provides even more space within the shrink
Innovation<br />
“Heute ein König” (“Today a<br />
king”) is a catchy advertising slogan<br />
used by the Duisburg-based<br />
König-Brauerei and familiar to<br />
most beer drinkers – at least in<br />
Germany. The brewery with a<br />
long tradition has been “committed<br />
to top quality for more than<br />
150 years”. The latest investment<br />
in shrink packer and tray shrink<br />
packers for the existing canning<br />
line shows the company has<br />
König-BrauErEi<br />
The very best in packaging<br />
“The operator-controlled format changeover<br />
is not only kept very simple, but<br />
also saves time, resulting in high system<br />
availability.”<br />
also opted for quality by once<br />
again choosing <strong>KHS</strong> technology.<br />
“The only way we can justify labeling<br />
the products we sell our<br />
customers ‘premium’ is by making<br />
this concept of quality paramount<br />
in ev ery single one of our<br />
operations and measures from<br />
production to sales,” says Guido<br />
Christiani, König-Brauerei’s production<br />
and engineering manager,<br />
hitting the nail on the head.<br />
Guido Christiani<br />
Production/<br />
Engineering<br />
manager at<br />
König-Brauerei<br />
König uses a <strong>KHS</strong> Innopack<br />
Kisters SP/TSP shrink packer<br />
A wide range of packaging options<br />
is available for the cans<br />
filled with König Pilsener. Both<br />
packers have a capacity of up to<br />
62,000 cans per hour. The main<br />
benefits are described below.<br />
+ Cubic machine frame offers<br />
a clear view and optimum<br />
hygienic design<br />
Together with a new protective<br />
hood concept the cubic machine<br />
frame offers operators<br />
an even better view into the interior<br />
of the machine. The hygienic<br />
design is also very advantageous.<br />
Key features: support<br />
systems made of painted tubes<br />
that are permanently welded to<br />
the machine; collection of detergents,<br />
rinsing water, and any<br />
product runoff in drip trays.<br />
+ Operator-controlled format<br />
changeover is simple and<br />
saves time<br />
Key features: monitor provides<br />
information on settings; no<br />
paper lists or checks required;<br />
quiet, easy to configure, maintenance-free<br />
toothed belts are<br />
used where possible.<br />
+ Two servomotors<br />
permit high speeds and<br />
rapid replacement<br />
Each of the two servomotors<br />
has a directly allocated sectioning<br />
tool, resulting in high<br />
speeds for a wide range of<br />
product groups. Key features:<br />
identical servomotors with integrated<br />
servo controllers; simplified<br />
replacement if maintenance<br />
is required; reduced stock<br />
of spare parts.
competence 02.2011 44/45<br />
Spotlight on König-Brauerei<br />
Founded in 1858 by Theodor König<br />
— König Pilsener since 1911<br />
— Member of the Bitburger group<br />
Market position Among the top 10 premium breweries<br />
In Germany<br />
Products König Pilsener, König Pilsener<br />
Alkoholfrei, König Pilsener Radler (shandy)<br />
Export to more than 60 countries on five continents<br />
Packs 35% kegs (restaurant trade),<br />
60% glass bottles, 5% cans<br />
+ Minimized film consumption:<br />
sustainable and cost-saving<br />
Using a newly developed film<br />
cutter and conveyor system, the<br />
machine is able to process significantly<br />
thinner film materials<br />
than in the past. Key features: adjustable<br />
vacuum belt; automatic<br />
discharge of electrostatic charges;<br />
maximum conveying stability;<br />
system sets the length of film<br />
section and position of the printed<br />
image electronically after the<br />
format is selected at the operator<br />
panel; servo-driven cutter cuts<br />
the film with maximum precision<br />
and minimum cutter wear.<br />
+ Variable hot air nozzles:<br />
accurate fit and reproducible<br />
The shrink tunnel with a conventional<br />
electric heater is<br />
equipped with variable hot air<br />
nozzles. Key features: the hot<br />
air nozzles accurately fit each<br />
individual shrink pack format ;<br />
100% reproducible.<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> tray shrink packer:<br />
precise and flexible<br />
The <strong>KHS</strong> Innopack Kisters TSP<br />
tray shrink packer also operates<br />
very precisely with a downstream<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> shrink tunnel, in<br />
cases where the customer requires<br />
loose cans in trays of 24<br />
to be wrapped in film. By way of<br />
a summary, Guido Christiani enthuses,<br />
“The good reputation<br />
of <strong>KHS</strong> packaging equipment<br />
has very quickly proved itself in<br />
practice.”<br />
→ Contact<br />
Wolfgang Augel<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>, Dortmund, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (231) 569 -1635<br />
Email: wolfgang.augel@khs.com<br />
tunnel section, among other things. Large exterior surfaces<br />
make external cleaning easy. The double-walled cladding<br />
allows cables to be laid. An additional benefit is that<br />
the insulating elements for the shrink hood have no thermal<br />
bridges whatsoever, so that the heat remains exactly<br />
where it is supposed to be: inside the tunnel hood.<br />
12. Dimensions: six versions<br />
The new generation of <strong>KHS</strong> shrink tunnels is available in<br />
lengths of four, six, and eight meters and widths of between<br />
700 and 1,000 millimeters. In other words, the<br />
range comprises six different shrink tunnel versions. The<br />
right choice will depend on the respective packing tasks.<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> can assist by recommending a suitable shrink tunnel<br />
version and advise on optional accessories that can<br />
be integrated.<br />
Result<br />
With the new shrink tunnel generation <strong>KHS</strong> also offers a<br />
gas heating option with cutting-edge porous combustion<br />
technology that offers energy cost savings of up to 50%.<br />
High security of investment is ensured by the extremely<br />
high quality of the machines – as to be expected where<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> is involved – and also by the fact that all functions can<br />
be retrofitted at a later date. The energy-saving package,<br />
the eco shrink tunnel, automatic conveyor chain cleaning,<br />
additional pack cooling: should customers find they<br />
require the one or the other extra after initially operating<br />
the new shrink tunnel without, they can upgrade at<br />
any stage for even more future potential. And that’s what<br />
it’s all about.<br />
→ Contact<br />
Karl-Heinz Klumpe<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>, Kleve, Germany<br />
Werner Oster<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>, Kleve, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (2821) 503-212<br />
Email: karl-heinz.klumpe@khs.com<br />
Phone: +49 (2821) 503-152<br />
Email: werner.oster@khs.com
Service<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> Spare Parts<br />
Many machines have to run for longer, and that not only since<br />
the difficult times of the economic crisis. This is why <strong>KHS</strong><br />
has completely revised the price structure for well over<br />
100,000 spare parts. The result: fair calculation, maximum<br />
transparency, and price reductions for 55% of all items –<br />
while maintaining maximum quality. <strong>KHS</strong> competence<br />
spoke to Günter Unkrig, corporate service manager at <strong>KHS</strong>.<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> Competence: Mr Unkrig, <strong>KHS</strong> will in<br />
future mark its spare parts with a best value<br />
label. Isn’t this just old wine in new bottles?<br />
Günter Unkrig (smiles): No, not at all. To the customer,<br />
best value basically means getting maximum<br />
quality at a reasonable and fair price.<br />
What does this mean for the<br />
customers in detail?<br />
Firstly, we produce each original spare part<br />
with identical material and identical production<br />
processes as those used for <strong>KHS</strong> new machines.<br />
More quality is not possible. This is<br />
what we vouch for with our good name and<br />
this is what we promise …<br />
… and how to you arrive at the fair price?<br />
Secondly, we now have a uniform calculation<br />
basis for <strong>KHS</strong> spare parts worldwide. This<br />
was initially achieved based on extensive market<br />
price research on different continents. In<br />
addition, we separately analyzed each individual<br />
common <strong>KHS</strong> spare part in terms of<br />
complexity and manufacturing expenditure.<br />
Eventually, a specifically developed calculation<br />
model arrived at new spare part prices.<br />
Will you pleasantly surprise your customers?<br />
We will indeed. Our customers will probably be<br />
highly satisfied that we were able to reduce the<br />
price of more than 55 % of all <strong>KHS</strong> spare parts.<br />
On what scale are you talking about<br />
in this context?<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> offers 100,000 common spare parts. We<br />
define common spare parts as parts that the<br />
market requests more than twice per year.<br />
Best value means<br />
maximum quality at<br />
a fair price.<br />
Why a new system at all?<br />
In the past few years, many industries invested<br />
less in new lines and machines.<br />
Accordingly, existing, in some cases older<br />
lines had to continue operating reliably.<br />
I would like to say it very frankly here: especially<br />
during that time, numerous customers<br />
gave us the feedback that our spare part prices<br />
were “too expensive”. That was sufficient<br />
reason for us to analyze this in more depth, as<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> always focuses on the customer.<br />
How deep is in depth?<br />
<strong>For</strong> example, during the research, we found<br />
that some of our prices were not in line with<br />
the market. Here, we have to admit that there<br />
was some neglect at our end. Even though a<br />
very harmonized calculation scheme was developed<br />
for spare parts at <strong>KHS</strong> more than a<br />
decade ago, however, it made provision for a<br />
linear update of the prices. The model failed<br />
to sufficiently consider changed market prices
competence 02.2011 46/47<br />
and increasing costs in manufacture and purchasing.<br />
We have put an end to this for now<br />
and for the future.<br />
Will the same <strong>KHS</strong> spare part price apply<br />
worldwide in the future?<br />
Basically yes. However, prices may vary slightly<br />
within narrowly defined general conditions<br />
in individual markets. In some regions, for example,<br />
special documents must be provided<br />
with spare part deliveries, which require<br />
a certain amount of expense. In the future,<br />
we will calculate this with clearly indicated<br />
surcharges for spare part deliveries. We<br />
thus ensure maximum transparency for our<br />
customers.<br />
What is the quickest way for <strong>KHS</strong> customers to<br />
find out if and how the new spare part prices<br />
are advantageous for them in concrete terms?<br />
Eventually, what matters to every customer is<br />
the cost for the complete spare part shopping<br />
cart to be ordered. We therefore recommend<br />
inquiring the required spare parts from <strong>KHS</strong><br />
and comparing the prices with those of other<br />
suppliers. A decision can then be made based<br />
on our quote – obviously, one should never<br />
forget the quality aspect. What should also be<br />
considered is that our service staff offers the<br />
customers extensive on-site advice in respect<br />
of preventative maintenance.<br />
Other important aspects include delivery<br />
time and service …<br />
… Of course. At our headquarters in Dortmund,<br />
we have approx. 60,000 pallet parking<br />
stations for spare parts, which ensures an especially<br />
high availability of parts. Our warehouse<br />
is manned around the clock on 365<br />
days a year.<br />
“Our customers will probably be highly satisfied<br />
that we were able to reduce the price of more than<br />
55% of all <strong>KHS</strong> spare parts.”<br />
Günter Unkrig<br />
Corporate service manager, <strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong><br />
Parts can be requested day and night using<br />
the hotline on +49 (0)231 569 -10000,<br />
our Innoshop e-commerce platform or<br />
the Internet.<br />
Simultaneously, we maintain separate spare<br />
parts warehouses in many parts of the world.<br />
After all, our logistics partners offer a highly<br />
reliable and especially quick delivery service<br />
worldwide – and this is another decisive<br />
point.<br />
How likely are further price reductions<br />
in future?<br />
Very likely. We are committed to passing<br />
any price advantages that we achieve directly<br />
on to our customers. <strong>For</strong> example, if process<br />
optimizations can be implemented in<br />
manufacture or if the purchasing conditions<br />
offered by our suppliers improve, <strong>KHS</strong> customers<br />
worldwide will benefit from this. On<br />
the other hand, we will pass on increased<br />
costs, which the production of spare parts<br />
for very old machines may incur, in the same<br />
manner. An approach that we feel is fair and<br />
transparent in every respect.<br />
With everything in mind, could you describe<br />
your vision in one sentence?<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> wants to be the service leader in its markets.<br />
No more but also no less than this. Well,<br />
that’s two sentences (laughs).<br />
Mr Unkrig, thank you very much for<br />
your honest words.<br />
The interview was conducted by Friederike Arndt
Service<br />
Bernd Franzmann is a man who likes to<br />
come straight to the point. “Two things<br />
enable the above-average service life of our<br />
filling and packaging lines. The first is the<br />
good training of our machine operators, and<br />
the second the comprehensive <strong>KHS</strong> service activities<br />
in our company. We’re talking about a<br />
machine operation time of at least 20 years.”<br />
This is how the Karlsberg brewery’s manager<br />
of machine equipment, servicing, and the<br />
environment summarizes the joint success of<br />
the partnership between Karlsberg and <strong>KHS</strong>,<br />
which has been sustained over decades.<br />
<strong>For</strong> Karlsberg Brauerei <strong>KHS</strong> is much more<br />
than just a supplier of filling and packaging<br />
equipment. Franzmann says, “Since the 1960s<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> has been a reliable partner for us, not<br />
only giving us high-quality line technology,<br />
but also services that contribute to the long<br />
Keeping On running<br />
Systematic service<br />
/<br />
At the Karlsberg brewery a joint win-win concept with partner <strong>KHS</strong><br />
ensures long system service life and high availability, resulting in reduced<br />
costs and ever improving sustainability. Positively exemplary.<br />
life of our lines and to their high efficiencies.<br />
We have always been able to rely on <strong>KHS</strong> in<br />
the past, and no doubt we will continue to<br />
work with <strong>KHS</strong> in the future.”<br />
We could leave it at that. However, it’s<br />
worth taking a look behind the scenes. What<br />
are the facts behind the sound judgment of<br />
an experienced specialist such as Franzmann?<br />
What exactly happens, and who benefits?<br />
And finally, what’s behind this partnership,<br />
and on what basis does it all happen at the<br />
Karlsberg brewery?<br />
The answer to the last and possibly crucial<br />
question becomes apparent if we look at<br />
the obvious reasons for the Karlsberg’s success<br />
story. The history of the Karlsberg Group<br />
began with the foundation of Karlsberg Brauerei<br />
in 1878. Today the group is involved in<br />
a diverse range of business areas associated<br />
with beverages and services (including transport<br />
and events) for beer, fruit juice, mineral<br />
water, and soft drinks.<br />
The Karlsberg<br />
motto is<br />
“Be successful together”.<br />
The group motto is “Be successful together.”<br />
And the associated corporate strategy has<br />
been clearly recognized and specified: to convince<br />
customers through performance, quality,<br />
and innovation.<br />
<strong>For</strong> example, with Desperados Tequilaflavored<br />
beer the company was a pioneer<br />
for mixed beer beverages. At the same time
competence 02.2011 48/49<br />
“Our filling and packaging lines have an above-average service life.<br />
we’re talking about a machine operation time of at least 20 years.”<br />
Bernd Franzmann<br />
Manager of machine equipment, servicing, and the environment at Karlsberg<br />
Karlsberg developed the MiXery Bier + Cola +<br />
X brand containing beer, cola, and a secret ingredient,<br />
which according to market surveys<br />
by Nielsen has a 30% share of the market in<br />
Germany and is regarded as the number one<br />
among cola beers. In early 2011 the group<br />
launched another innovation in the form of<br />
an iced version of MiXery Bier + Cola + X. At<br />
the same time important beer brands such<br />
as Karlsberg UrPils are deeply rooted in regional<br />
markets. The high quality standard<br />
of UrPils was recent rewarded with a gold<br />
medal from the German Agricultural Society<br />
(DLG). Dr Hans-Georg Eils, engineering and<br />
logistics manager at the Karlsberg brewery,<br />
says, “The award from the German Agricultural<br />
Society shows that our policy of focusing<br />
on quality and high-quality raw materials<br />
is spot on.”<br />
The basis of all this success is the fact that the<br />
company branches create a powerful competence<br />
network that not only enables optimum<br />
market penetration but also forms the<br />
foundation for genuine added value for customers,<br />
staff, and partners.<br />
Tailored service from <strong>KHS</strong><br />
This is where partner <strong>KHS</strong> comes in. The challenge<br />
is that product ranges and packs that<br />
come in many versions (see Spotlight) require<br />
state-of-the-art filling and packaging equipment<br />
that is flexible and reliable. The starting<br />
point: Karlsberg currently uses two glass<br />
lines, a keg line, and a canning line, which are<br />
all mainly equipped with <strong>KHS</strong> components.<br />
The glass lines (installed in 1991 and 2007)<br />
each have a capacity of 60,000 glass bottles<br />
per hour (holding 0.33 and 0.5 liters). The can<br />
line (installed in 1996) can handle 70,000 cans<br />
per hour (0.33, 0.5, and 0.568 liters). The keg<br />
line manages 360 kegs in the hour, filled with<br />
either 15, 20, 30 or 50 liters of Karlbserg beer.<br />
The solution is a service system that was<br />
precisely tailored to the requirements of the<br />
company. In short, it includes regular consultations,<br />
regular technical overhauls, fast response<br />
in emergencies, speedy implementation<br />
of required modifications, and the<br />
transfer of updates and remote maintenance<br />
via ReDiS (Remote Diagnostic Service).<br />
Contact between Karlsberg and <strong>KHS</strong> occurs<br />
about every two weeks, so that any queries<br />
can quickly be clarified and any measures<br />
that may be required at the machines can be initiated<br />
rapidly, while spare parts orders can be<br />
discussed and triggered at the same time. Turn<br />
to page 51 for some specific practical examples.
Service<br />
Spotlight: Karlsberg at a glance<br />
1878 Karlsberg Brauerei founded<br />
2011 Karlsberg Group with diverse business areas, including:<br />
+ Mineralbrunnen Überkingen-Teinach AG (MinAG) with Staatl. Fachingen,<br />
Hirschquelle, and Teinacher<br />
+ The latter’s subsidiary Tucano Holding, company with Merziger Fruchtsäfte,<br />
Niehoffs Vaihinger Fruchtsäfte, and Klindworth Fruchtsäfte<br />
+ Brasserie Licorne, with production in France<br />
+ Original Karlsberg Brewery with wide range of beer brands, including Karlsberg UrPils,<br />
UrPils light, Feingold, Gründel’s Alkoholfrei, Pils, Export, Bockbier, and currently also<br />
Karlsberg Weizen in four versions
competence 02.2011 50/51<br />
Karlsberg Brauerei: regular overhauls<br />
ensure high plant availability.<br />
1<br />
Service example:<br />
regular overhauls<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> overhauls the lines regularly, including<br />
overall inspection and listing of required<br />
spare parts. Spare parts have helpful labels indicating<br />
how long the individual components<br />
are expected to be fully functional. On this<br />
basis <strong>KHS</strong> makes the brewery an offer, which<br />
both partners then discuss in detail and with<br />
plenty of expertise. This is essential for longterm<br />
cooperation. What follows is the actual<br />
overhaul, with a time frame of around two<br />
weeks. Within this period the experts from<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> and Karlsberg strip all relevant sections<br />
of the affected machines almost down to<br />
their individual parts. In the filler area the key<br />
components which are removed and dismantled<br />
are the filling valves, the product and gas<br />
controllers, and the probe adjustments. It’s<br />
a continuous learning process. Furthermore,<br />
the service team checks the chain tension of<br />
the bottle washers every three months, while<br />
the machine controller continuously monitors<br />
the torques of the individual drives.<br />
2<br />
Service example:<br />
24-hour hotline<br />
Should problems occur despite all preventive<br />
measures, the central <strong>KHS</strong> telephone hotline<br />
is available around the clock.<br />
Service example: ReDiS Remote<br />
Diagnostic Service<br />
3 5<br />
<strong>For</strong> the latest <strong>KHS</strong> glass line, which is equipped<br />
with cutting-edge control components, Karlsberg<br />
uses ReDiS (Remote Diagnostic Service).<br />
This is based on the principle that a connection<br />
to the <strong>KHS</strong> ReDiS Service Center can be<br />
established quickly at any time; this then<br />
triggers a comprehensive remote analysis.<br />
In many cases machine problems can be resolved<br />
through online access to electronic<br />
line components. If the problem involves mechanical<br />
components, the technician at the<br />
machine is notified as to which exact actions<br />
must be taken. Other benefits include reprogramming<br />
or transfer of software updates.<br />
4<br />
Service example:<br />
filler conversion<br />
A recent project as part of a scheduled overhaul<br />
at Karlsberg Brewery involved retrofitting<br />
the filling valves of the <strong>KHS</strong> can filler.<br />
As a result, the filling quantity can be set<br />
even more precisely, and oxygen pickup in<br />
the product is minimized. This is added value<br />
offered by a new, mechanically controlled<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> can filling system. Bernd Franzmann says,<br />
“The investment will pay for itself in less than<br />
two years. No overfilling means we save product,<br />
and we can improve the product quality<br />
thanks to even lower oxygen pick-up. That’s<br />
what I call a true win-win situation.”<br />
∞<br />
Service example:<br />
bottle washing software update<br />
The partners recently implemented a software<br />
update for the bottle washer servo technology<br />
which was installed in 2007, resulting<br />
in functional improvements and enhanced<br />
operator convenience.<br />
As a general rule, Karlsberg is never alone<br />
when it comes to making decisions. <strong>KHS</strong> is always<br />
on hand to discuss pros and cons in order<br />
to reach a sound basis upon which a decision<br />
can be made. Franzmann summarizes,<br />
“Our lines achieve high availability not least<br />
thanks to regular overhauls. The glass and keg<br />
lines are more than 80% efficient, and the can<br />
line even reaches more than 90%.”<br />
These are outstanding values which the<br />
Karlsberg brewery relies upon in view of limited<br />
storage space, a large range of items and<br />
comparatively low stockpiling. The machines<br />
simply have to keep on running, sometimes<br />
in two shifts but usually in three-shift mode.<br />
And that’s exactly what they do.<br />
→ Contact<br />
Jürgen Vandree | <strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>, Dortmund, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (231) 569 -1851<br />
Email: juergen.vandree@khs.com<br />
Jürgen Thielen | <strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>, Dortmund , Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (231) 569 -1543<br />
Email: juergen.thielen@khs.com
On the Spot<br />
hot FIll<br />
efficient, sustainable, successful<br />
Pioneering achievement by PepsiCo and <strong>KHS</strong><br />
for hot filling of thin-wall PET bottles /<br />
Rajendra Gursahaney instigated the HotFill+ project and was<br />
confident of success right from the start. Read on in the following<br />
interview to learn more about how the project unfolded.<br />
Mr. Gursahaney, I could rightfully refer to<br />
you as the father of the HotFill+ process, as it<br />
was you who decided to develop a new PET<br />
bottle for Lipton Tea without vacuum compensation<br />
panels and to fill them with the<br />
help of a new hot filling method. Where did<br />
this idea come from?<br />
Gursahaney: The trigger behind it all was<br />
that Lipton Tea without any preservatives was<br />
to be introduced to the Russian market. Two<br />
options were available to us for filling Lipton<br />
Tea without preservatives: aseptic cold filling<br />
and hot filling. From our perspective, the<br />
high investment and operating costs associated<br />
with an aseptic cold filling line were a<br />
distinct disadvantage. If we invested in a hot<br />
filling system, we would be paying about the<br />
same as for a classic soft drink line. Hot filling<br />
would, however, cost more, largely due to the<br />
higher costs for energy and the PET bottles<br />
which required vacuum compensation panels<br />
for hot filling and would thus be heavier. My<br />
idea was to go down the hot filling route but<br />
eliminate the drawbacks associated with it.<br />
This sounds simple – but did in fact present<br />
quite a challenge. How did you start to<br />
tackle the problem?<br />
We very quickly found a solution to the energy<br />
problem. Working with <strong>KHS</strong>, we developed<br />
an innovative energy recovery process.<br />
Heat, which is transferred to the water in the<br />
bottle cooler, is returned to the beverage<br />
heating process. Regarding a reduction in the<br />
Interview<br />
with Rajendra Gursahaney,<br />
Senior Director of Engineering,<br />
Pepsi Beverages Company<br />
weight of the PET bottles, we had the idea of<br />
flushing the head space of the freshly filled,<br />
classic PET bottles with nitrogen to compensate<br />
for any shrinking of the PET bottles after<br />
hot filling, thus making vacuum compensation<br />
panels superfluous.<br />
Where did this idea come from exactly?<br />
I was at Packexpo in Chicago to find out more<br />
about new technologies and new ideas on the<br />
market. While I was there, I spoke with a company<br />
that markets nitrogen flushing systems<br />
and asked the following question: is it possible<br />
to inject liquid nitrogen into a PET bottle containing<br />
a hot beverage and to do so in such a<br />
way that the nitrogen stays in the head space<br />
and does not get into the beverage?
competence 02.2011 52/53<br />
They told me that they did not have an answer<br />
to the question but that they were willing to<br />
work together with PepsiCo to find out. That<br />
was the first step towards HotFill+. To carry out<br />
the research, we also needed a partner that<br />
specializes in filling systems and another partner<br />
that specializes in PET bottle production.<br />
“Go down the hot filling<br />
route but eliminate<br />
the disadvantages<br />
associated with it.”<br />
As your PET bottle manufacturing partner<br />
you specifically opted for what is now <strong>KHS</strong><br />
Corpoplast, with <strong>KHS</strong> as your preferred<br />
partner for filling technology. What is the<br />
reason for this?<br />
I presented my ideas to both <strong>KHS</strong> Corpoplast<br />
and <strong>KHS</strong>; both companies were enthusiastic<br />
and prepared to bear the risks should my idea<br />
not work. In them I had found just the kind of<br />
pioneering spirit that was needed to develop<br />
something new.<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> took certain risks when it became<br />
involved in the project. What kind of risks<br />
did PepsiCo face?<br />
PepsiCo was taking a significant risk. <strong>For</strong> one<br />
thing, we had to invest in a blow-molding machine<br />
which in the worst-case scenario would<br />
have been of no use to us. On top of that,<br />
production of Lipton Tee without preservatives<br />
would have been delayed by six months<br />
had the experiment failed. According to various<br />
studies, this would have meant that Pepsi<br />
would have lost a large share of the Russian<br />
market for tea. However, like our partners, PepsiCo<br />
was willing to run this very significant risk.<br />
“The weight of a 1.5-liter PeT bottle has been reduced<br />
from 63 to 48 grams.”<br />
Rajendra Gursahaney<br />
Senior Director of Engineering, Pepsi Beverages Company<br />
In order to try out the HotFill+ idea, you<br />
set up a team of six people who carried out<br />
tests in the <strong>KHS</strong> Corpoplast laboratory.<br />
Who was on the team exactly and what was<br />
this test phase like?<br />
The team was made up of specialists from <strong>KHS</strong><br />
Corpoplast, <strong>KHS</strong> filling technology, and the<br />
company that was responsible for nitrogen<br />
flushing. Lipton’s marketing manager was also<br />
on site to assess the newly developed PET bottles<br />
from a marketing point of view.<br />
In addition to this permanent team, many<br />
employees from the companies involved in the<br />
experiment also came into the lab from time<br />
to time to see how we were progressing. I was<br />
also in Hamburg several times.<br />
The new bottle was developed in line with<br />
the well-known <strong>KHS</strong> Corpoplast <strong>Bottles</strong> &<br />
Shapes program. We tested various PET bottles<br />
with differing distributions of material<br />
to see how they behaved during hot filling,<br />
during the ensuing flush with a precisely<br />
stipulated amount of nitrogen, and during<br />
capping.<br />
We even set up a kind of manual filling<br />
line for testing. First, we filled each PET bottle<br />
with hot water. At the next station on the<br />
line, an exact amount of nitrogen was added<br />
to each PET bottle. The PET bottle was then<br />
capped and cooled with ice-cold water. After<br />
cooling, each and every PET bottle was examined<br />
down to the last detail.
On the Spot<br />
HotFill+ for PET bottles from PepsiCo:<br />
nitrogen in the head space<br />
Do you know how many PET bottles went<br />
through this test phase?<br />
Several thousand. All in all, the test phase lasted<br />
half a year. By the end of this period we had<br />
developed a PET bottle that was perfectly suited<br />
for defined nitrogen flush after hot filling.<br />
“The reject rate for<br />
PeT bottles using the<br />
HotFill+ process is<br />
currently less than 0.1%.“<br />
What came next?<br />
The next step was to test everything that we<br />
had learned in practice. <strong>KHS</strong> rented a filling<br />
line in Germany specifically for our project. On<br />
it we tested the new HotFill+ process using the<br />
PET bottles that had been specially designed<br />
for this purpose. We filled roughly 5,000 PET<br />
bottles. It turned out that only about half of<br />
them met the defined criteria. The other half<br />
was either too unstable or too heavily inflated.<br />
My conclusion from the trials was that<br />
the technique worked. All we now had to do<br />
was to ensure that we duplicated the performance<br />
that had produced the perfectly filled<br />
PET bottles. Specifically, this meant that all<br />
three companies had to aim for a repeated<br />
accuracy of their process of almost 100%. All<br />
three partners gave me a clear “yes”. This was<br />
what prompted us to invest in our first <strong>KHS</strong><br />
line in Yekaterinburg which operates on Hot-<br />
Fill+ technology.<br />
What were the filling results like on<br />
the new line installed at Yekaterinburg?<br />
Did everything run satisfactorily?<br />
When we first started operating the machinery,<br />
we initially had a loss of 10%. After further<br />
optimization, about four weeks later we had a<br />
rejection rate of less than 0.1% – which we still<br />
have now. This is the standard in our branch of<br />
industry, and we are very satisfied with it.<br />
When you now look back, did you make<br />
exactly the right decision for the company?<br />
It definitely was the right decision, but there<br />
were a few things that were absolutely crucial.<br />
We had to find the right partners who were<br />
willing to take risks with us. That was essential.<br />
The project resulted in a significant image enhancement<br />
for the partners who invented Hot-<br />
Fill+. HotFill+ has produced very significant cost<br />
savings, which is a major benefit to PepsiCo.<br />
The weight of a 1.5-liter PET bottle, for<br />
example, has been reduced from 63 to 48<br />
grams. This saves us approximately $ 2.5 million<br />
a year in PET bottle costs – just on one filling<br />
line. We now have three filling lines which<br />
use the HotFill+ process at our sites in Yekaterinburg<br />
and Moscow , saving us $ 7.5 million a<br />
year. The reduction in PET consumption is also<br />
good news for the environment.<br />
In the space of two years, we have had absolutely<br />
no problems with the quality of PET<br />
bottles filled using HotFill+ technology. There<br />
have been no complaints whatso ever – either<br />
from retailers or consumers. That is an<br />
outstanding achievement, and it proves once<br />
again just how good the new HotFill+ process<br />
really is.<br />
“we thus save<br />
approximately 2.5<br />
million dollars a year in<br />
costs for PeT bottles –<br />
just for one filling line.”<br />
HotFill+ technology was initially developed<br />
exclusively for PepsiCo. After its development<br />
proved successful, you decided not to patent<br />
it just for yourself but to allow all interested<br />
companies access to it. Why?<br />
We wanted to share the advantages of this<br />
technology with others, if for no other reason<br />
than HotFill+ saves significant amounts of PET<br />
material, and that is good news for the environment.<br />
By making this process freely available<br />
to everyone including our competitors,<br />
we are making a tangible contribution to the<br />
environment and our planet.<br />
Mr. Gursahaney, thank you very much<br />
for this interview.<br />
→ Contact<br />
Frank Haesendonckx | <strong>KHS</strong> Corpoplast <strong>GmbH</strong><br />
Phone: +49 (40) 67907-475<br />
Email: frank.haesendonckx@khs.com
competence 02.2011 54/55<br />
Spotlight<br />
PreFOrM STerIlIzATION<br />
FOr UCF APPlICATIONS<br />
H₂O₂ process now in the heater: sterile preforms<br />
with a precise heating profile<br />
<strong>Filling</strong> fruit juices or spritzers calls for an inexpensive process that ensures<br />
that production is germ free. Sterilizing preforms isn’t that easy, however; not<br />
every process can guarantee first-class PET bottle quality. Applying the decades<br />
of experience amassed by its various PET experts, <strong>KHS</strong> Corpoplast has<br />
now developed an extremely beneficial preform sterilization process. This is<br />
how it works:<br />
→ The preforms are heated in the blow molder heater according to a<br />
specific heating profile.<br />
→ A mixture of hot air and of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is fed in and<br />
sterilizes the preforms.<br />
→ A final heating process applies the precisely defined heating profile to the<br />
preforms just upstream of the blow station.<br />
→ The preforms pass through a tunnel purged with sterile air to the respective<br />
blow station; finished bottles are also discharged through a sterile air<br />
tunnel and arrive at the filler protected from possible contamination.<br />
→ In the filler a constant stream of sterile air ensures that the bottles also<br />
cannot become contaminated here.<br />
The great advantage of this process is that the preforms pass to the blow<br />
mold with the exact heating profile the customer requires. This ensures that<br />
specifications are kept to – and also permits ultra-lightweight bottles to be<br />
manufactured. And we also mustn’t forget the economical use of media here!<br />
EXTRACTION<br />
H₂O₂<br />
+ HOT AIR
Market Report<br />
Market report<br />
Successful customer projects and <strong>KHS</strong> acceptance tests around the globe.
competence 02.2011 56/57<br />
Underberg Group, Berlin plant<br />
Small <strong>Bottles</strong> – Big Success<br />
Underberg is a world famous brand. <strong>For</strong> nearly 35 years, the company has been<br />
using <strong>KHS</strong> systems tailored to its exact needs. A new fully automatic glass<br />
depalletizer recently went into operation at Underberg. The company produces<br />
around 300 million miniature bottles a year, and it is totally satisfied<br />
with the great performance of the new bulk depalletizer.<br />
when Hubert Underberg took a trip to<br />
Holland in the middle of the 19th century,<br />
he had no idea that he was destined to<br />
become the founder of a global company.<br />
Briefly, the story is as follows. While he was<br />
there, Underberg drank an herb elixir which<br />
the publicans diluted with Dutch gin as they<br />
saw fit. Underberg liked the herbal drink as a<br />
bitter cordial, but he was irritated by the random<br />
addition of Dutch gin so much that he<br />
decided to create a beverage that combined<br />
the soothing properties of the herbs with<br />
modern methods of production.<br />
So there it was, the 0.02 liter single-portion<br />
bottle (the straw paper wrapping was<br />
added later). Millions of people in more than<br />
100 countries now consume the beverage containing<br />
herbs from 43 countries every day. Underberg<br />
has remained the Group’s core brand<br />
to this day. In the meantime however, other alluring<br />
names such as Asbach, Xuxu, Pitu, Unicum,<br />
and Dettling have been added to the<br />
portfolio. The list also includes Riemerschmid<br />
fruit and bar syrups, Schlumberger sparkling<br />
wines and Blanc Foussy. Today, the Underberg<br />
Group and it approximately 900 employees realize<br />
a turnover of roughly € 500 million.<br />
In the meantime, the company maintains<br />
production sites in Austria, Hungary,<br />
France, and Switzerland and plants in Germany<br />
in Berlin, Erding, and Wilthen. Three hundred<br />
million mini containers of between 0.02<br />
and 0.2 liters come off the line in Berlin yearly,<br />
making it the Group’s center of expertise for<br />
miniature bottles. Until recently, the following<br />
scenario was commonplace on all filling<br />
lines: the operators unloaded pallets containing<br />
new glass bottles (four large trays per layer)<br />
and brought the miniature bottles to the<br />
line where they were needed.<br />
10 downers in<br />
200,000 bottles.<br />
Now, operations have moved into the modern<br />
age. A fully automatic <strong>KHS</strong> new glass bulk<br />
depalletizer has been installed that supplies<br />
bottles to two filling lines one of which handles<br />
six different 0.02 liter bottles and the other<br />
eight different versions of that size bottle.<br />
The list includes Asbach, Averna, Hubertus,<br />
Boonekamp, Würfelspiel, and Libero bottles.<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> was at the customer’s side to provide<br />
advice at an early stage. A joint team<br />
comprised of employees from the Underberg<br />
Group and the glassworks developed the ideal<br />
layer pattern for the pallets loaded with new<br />
glass to be depalletized fully automatically<br />
by the bulk depalletizer. Depalletizing takes<br />
place essentially as follows: a forklift truck places<br />
two new-glass pallets in parallel on designated<br />
segments. Operators remove the film.<br />
With the new system, the pallets are placed<br />
into a staging area where they are picked up<br />
by a shuttle car equipped with two pallet stations.<br />
Depending on the quantity of bottles on<br />
the conveyor, the system automatically detects<br />
which of the two lines has a greater need for<br />
a supply of bottles. Based on that information,<br />
the servo-controlled shuttle car very gently positions<br />
the correct pallet in the depalletizing<br />
zone with tenth-of-a-millimeter accuracy. The<br />
toothed belts are maintenance free and also<br />
noticeably reduce the noise level.<br />
A handling robot with an inverted tray<br />
chute first removes the inverted tray. A pusher<br />
head then travels over the layer to be removed<br />
and pushes the gripped layers of miniature<br />
bottles onto the bottle table. Sensors<br />
detect whether the miniature bottles are<br />
standing upright. If not, the machine automatically<br />
stops. Plant Manager Edgar Bischoff<br />
is extremely satisfied with the <strong>KHS</strong> new-glass<br />
depalletizer. “<strong>KHS</strong> provided a complete system<br />
and we are totally satisfied. Despite the fact<br />
that we’re depalletizing extremely delicate<br />
miniature bottles, we have recorded less than<br />
10 downers per shift – with over 200,000 bottles<br />
processed. Instead of working with three<br />
to four operators as in the past, we now only<br />
have one operator in the new glass bulk depalletizing<br />
area. I would call that a super achievement.”<br />
Excellent concept – excellent results.<br />
www.underberg.com
Market Report<br />
Coca-Cola FEMSA, Ixtacomitán, Mexiko<br />
27% Capacity<br />
Increase<br />
AST Beverage, Bangladesh<br />
150,000<br />
PET <strong>Bottles</strong><br />
per Hour<br />
Coca-Cola FEMSA, the world’s second largest<br />
Coca-Cola bottler and the leading<br />
supplier of Coca-Cola brand products in Latin<br />
America, took delivery of a filler line complete<br />
with a new-generation InnoPET Blomax<br />
AST Beverage in Dhaka (Narayanganj,<br />
Bangladesh) has placed its fourth order<br />
for a complete turn-key PET line for CSD beverages<br />
within the space of only thirty months.<br />
The company, part of the internationally renowned<br />
Globe Group, now has the capacity<br />
to produce 150,000 bottles per hour (280/500<br />
milliliters) on <strong>KHS</strong> lines (Line 1: 28,800 bottles<br />
of CSD water per hour; Line 2: 44,000 bottles<br />
of CSD hot fill per hour; Line 3: 28,800 bottles<br />
of CSD per hour; Line 4, ordered in July 2011:<br />
50,000 bottles of CSD per hour).<br />
After a change of suppliers, a strong bond<br />
based on mutual trust, integrity and excellent<br />
service quickly developed between AST Beverage<br />
and <strong>KHS</strong> Asia Singapore. <strong>KHS</strong> provided<br />
ongoing support to the customer including a<br />
Series IV blow molder at its Ixtacomitán plant<br />
in the state of Tabasco. This is the second Blomax<br />
system with a full set of features within<br />
the space of two years. Both lines have the<br />
flexibility to handle carbonated and non-carbonated<br />
beverages in non-refillable PET bottles<br />
(0.6 – 3 liters, 19,000 – 44,000 bottles per<br />
hour). The heating module of the new system<br />
takes up 50% less space, heats the preforms<br />
with near infra red, and saves up to<br />
40% energy.<br />
Coca-Cola FEMSA is Mexico’s leading<br />
bottler and number one supplier of carbonated<br />
soft drinks and still non-alcoholic beverages.<br />
The company, which has sales of around<br />
14 billion liters, is part of the highly successful<br />
FEMSA group.<br />
www.coca-colafemsa.com<br />
service engineer stationed on site for a period<br />
of twelve months. Harunur Rashid (photo),<br />
Chairman of AST Beverage, is pleased<br />
with the “increased line capacity, high product<br />
quality, lower energy consumption, and<br />
reduced preform weight made possible by<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> technology.” His company, founded in<br />
2001, is a leading national bottler and one of<br />
the country’s largest. It has a 40% share of total<br />
CSD output in Bangladesh. Every month,<br />
AST Beverage also exports more than a million<br />
cartons of its carbonated TIGER Energy<br />
product, making it the country’s leading beverage<br />
exporter.<br />
www.globepharmagroupbd.com
competence 02.2011 58/59<br />
Distell, South Africa<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> for the<br />
Second Time<br />
Cobega, Spain<br />
The<br />
Versatile One<br />
Cobega, Spain’s largest Coca-Cola bottler,<br />
has bought a complete <strong>KHS</strong> PET<br />
line for use at Martorellas in the Valles Oriental<br />
region.<br />
The palletizing system in particular will<br />
enable the bottling plant to work with maximum<br />
performance and flexibility. Cobega<br />
decided to place the complete project with<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> in the light of their excellent cooperation<br />
during the development phase. With<br />
corporate headquarters in Esplugas, Cobega<br />
operates a number of glass, PET and can filling<br />
lines at its plants in Martorellas, Palma de<br />
Mallorca (Balearian Islands), and Tacoronte<br />
(Canary Islands).<br />
The Distell Group of South Africa will be<br />
taking its second delivery of a 60,000 bph<br />
non-refillable glass line to bottle and package<br />
cider and alcopop at its Springs plant<br />
(near Johannesburg). The long-standing <strong>KHS</strong><br />
customer is very satisfied with the cider line<br />
(installed in 2009), the high efficiency of the<br />
machinery and local <strong>KHS</strong> service. The Distell<br />
Group has its headquarters in Stellenbosch<br />
and a number of production sites in the country<br />
(e.g. Springs). It is South Africa’s largest<br />
producer of wine, cider, and spirits. The company,<br />
which exports a significant amount of<br />
what it makes, is highly successful. Turnover<br />
of cider in particular is growing faster than<br />
the market.<br />
The machine on order is a state-of-theart,<br />
high-tech line with electronic Innofill DRF<br />
filler that delivers outstanding filling performance.<br />
Precision control of product pasteurization<br />
using the <strong>KHS</strong> Innopas C tunnel<br />
www.cobega.es<br />
pasteurizer is particularly important for Distell.<br />
A <strong>KHS</strong> Advanced series shrink packer and<br />
a <strong>KHS</strong> Advanced series wrap-around packer<br />
give the company maximum flexibility. The<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> palletizer with robot grouping station<br />
also supports a full range of palletizing options.<br />
Distell is so satisfied with its <strong>KHS</strong> machines<br />
that it has placed another order for<br />
delivery of an Advanced series <strong>KHS</strong> shrink<br />
packer and an Advanced series <strong>KHS</strong> tray<br />
packer to be installed at the same plant. We<br />
should also mention that the glass line delivered<br />
two years ago is configured with virtually<br />
the same machines. So the company and its<br />
employees are already familiar with <strong>KHS</strong> machines.<br />
The advantages for the customer are<br />
reduced training needs and a common spare<br />
parts inventory for both lines.<br />
La Casera, Spain<br />
Three at<br />
One Go<br />
www.distell.co.za<br />
Spanish bottler Casera, part of the global<br />
Orangina Schweppes Group, has ordered<br />
three packaging machines at once for<br />
its Alcalá de Guadaira site near Seville. The<br />
Innopack Kisters SP A-H, PSP 050 B and WP<br />
A-H are capable of processing up to 28,000<br />
1.5-liter bottles per hour. Excellent machine<br />
reliability and efficiency were the factors that<br />
swayed the management team in favor of<br />
<strong>KHS</strong>. The machines, which can easily handle<br />
0.2, 0.31, 0.5, and 1.5-liter PET bottles, offer<br />
great versatility.<br />
www.oranginaschweppes.com
Solutions for Sectors<br />
BrING<br />
ON THe<br />
watEr!
competence 02.2011 60/61<br />
World premiere: The first 72,000-capacity InnoPET BloFill is up and running<br />
at Silver Springs Bottled Water Company<br />
/<br />
The next-generation monoblocked stretch blow molder / filler line<br />
will have a part to play in the ongoing success story of America’s leading<br />
family-owned supplier of bottled water. A high-performance version.<br />
“It was the right decision …<br />
... to play the pioneering role in the latest <strong>KHS</strong><br />
pilot project”, enthuses Kane Richmond, President<br />
and CEO of Silver Springs Bottled Water<br />
Company. In this context, it is important<br />
to know that back in 2008, Silver Springs was<br />
the first beverage company in the world to<br />
use the new InnoPET BloFill monoblock on a<br />
monoblocked <strong>KHS</strong> stretch blow molder / filler<br />
line. The Florida-based company was able<br />
to exploit the technological advantage which<br />
it gained at the time.<br />
But first, let us take a brief look back. Native<br />
Americans in the sixteenth century fully<br />
appreciated the excellent quality of Silver<br />
Springs water. Primarily because of the<br />
breath-taking scenery which has featured in<br />
so many movies. Kane Richmond, CEO of Silver<br />
Springs Bottled Water Company, readily<br />
admits that this is definitely an asset to the<br />
company which was founded in 1985. “Silver<br />
Springs is a tourist attraction which projects an<br />
image of the exceptional quality which we offer<br />
with the Silver Springs water bottled here.<br />
Focus on the customer.<br />
We also set an example with our pricing,<br />
our service and our diverse packaging options.<br />
We provide real added value to our<br />
customers.”<br />
The company is fully focused on customer<br />
needs. The success story only shifted into<br />
high gear when Karl and Margaret Richmond<br />
took over the company in 1991. At the time,<br />
the company had six employees and the bottled<br />
water business in the US was struggling<br />
to make headway. However, the Richmonds<br />
were looking well out into the future. The<br />
company currently has 150 employees. Sales<br />
have grown by an average 20% over the past<br />
10 years. The product is supplied in large containers<br />
as well as in a variety of PET bottles<br />
ranging from 0.24 liters (8 oz.) to 1.5 liters.<br />
According to son Kane Richmond, “We<br />
are totally focused on customer needs, because<br />
the customer is the boss.”
Solutions for Sectors<br />
Richmond is highly impressed with the innovative<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> technology: “The pilot project<br />
has enabled us to further reduce energy consumption<br />
in production and achieve additional<br />
lightweighting in our PET bottles.” This<br />
is the advantage which the company gained<br />
by being the first customer worldwide to install<br />
the <strong>KHS</strong> InnoPET BloFill block including<br />
the next-generation InnoPET Blomax Series IV<br />
stretch blow molder on the production floor.<br />
The line is the high-end version with an output<br />
capacity of 72,000 0.5-liter PET bottles per<br />
hour (the maximum bottle size is 2.0 liters).<br />
The underlying concept and <strong>KHS</strong> technology<br />
give the Silver Springs company a whole<br />
range of impressive advantages backed up by<br />
in-depth expertise. The main ones are listed<br />
below.<br />
<strong>Bottles</strong> & Shapes: optimized bottles.<br />
The first consideration was bottle optimization<br />
undertaken with the long term in mind.<br />
Richmond explained: “The <strong>KHS</strong> <strong>Bottles</strong> &<br />
Shapes program provided valuable assistance.<br />
Since 2008, we have succeeded in reducing<br />
the weight of our 0.5-liter bottle, which<br />
makes up 70% of our PET sales, by nearly a<br />
third, from 13.2 grams to 9.1 grams.<br />
Sights set on 8 grams.<br />
The next step is to go below 9 grams, and we<br />
are actually aiming for 8 grams.” To refresh<br />
your memory, <strong>Bottles</strong> & Shapes is the service<br />
and consultancy portfolio offered by <strong>KHS</strong> Corpoplast<br />
for plastic bottle development and<br />
design, and there is nothing like it anywhere<br />
in the world.<br />
Monoblock concept: less material (I).<br />
The line’s monoblock design reduces material<br />
consumption during production of the plastic<br />
bottles. Because the PET bottles which have<br />
just been produced are handled very gently,<br />
lighter weight PET bottles can be used than<br />
would be the case with air conveyors. In addition,<br />
monoblocking the blow molder and<br />
The successful duo Karl (Right) and Kane Richmond<br />
(President and CEO of Silver Springs).<br />
filler is now even easier on the new InnoPET<br />
BloFill block than in the past. After exiting the<br />
airlock, the PET bottles move directly to the<br />
filler infeed star.<br />
Servo motors: less material (II).<br />
The stretching process takes place under servo<br />
control at constant speed. As a result, preforms<br />
can be used which optimize material<br />
consumption down to the last tenth of a<br />
gram. That was not possible in the past, because<br />
the stretching process was cam controlled<br />
which resulted in speed reductions.<br />
Heating module:<br />
energy consumption reduced by 30%.<br />
A new heating module in the InnoPET Blomax<br />
Series IV cuts the time it takes to heat<br />
the preforms roughly in half compared to<br />
the Series III. Short-wavelength infrared radiation<br />
(near infrared) heats the preforms.<br />
Richmond explained: “We now use 30 % less<br />
energy, despite the fact that the new line delivers<br />
significantly higher performance than<br />
the 43,000 bph line which was installed in<br />
2008.” Another plus is the fact that the high<br />
energy density and small mandrel pitch significantly<br />
speed up the preform heating process,<br />
cutting the startup time to a mere 15<br />
seconds. The new design also significantly reduces<br />
compressed air consumption.<br />
<strong>Filling</strong> system: lower product<br />
consumption.<br />
The blocked Innofill NV operates at normal<br />
pressure under electronic control. Non-contact<br />
filling using a free-flowing filling valve<br />
ensures excellent microbiological and hygienic<br />
safety. Volumetric filling, which eliminates<br />
the need for overfilling, is designed specifically<br />
to reduce product consumption. Silver<br />
Springs also has a simple way of filling noncarbonated<br />
water which has little or no electrical<br />
conductivity, because the system uses<br />
non-contact impeller flow metering rather<br />
than electromagnetic flow metering.<br />
Optimal advice and perfection<br />
in on-site service.<br />
The filling system is also suitable for other<br />
non-carbonated beverages in the future such<br />
as fruit juice and flavored water.<br />
Kane Richmond sums it all up: “You can’t<br />
improve on the customer focus that we have<br />
seen from <strong>KHS</strong>. We are extremely satisfied<br />
with the new technology. <strong>KHS</strong> also provides<br />
excellent advice, and the on-site service we<br />
receive from the US subsidiary is second to<br />
none. As a result, we can fully concentrate on<br />
customer needs in our markets. Compared<br />
to what the competition has to offer, it is my<br />
view that <strong>KHS</strong> technology has given us a clear<br />
advantage in terms of engineering, availability<br />
and total cost of ownership.” You might say<br />
that the boss is always right.<br />
→ Contact<br />
Michael Brancato | <strong>KHS</strong> USA, Inc., Waukesha, USA<br />
Phone: +1 (262) 787-1664<br />
Email: mike.brancato@khs.com
competence 02.2011 62/63<br />
Showcase project:<br />
the new <strong>KHS</strong> InnoPET BloFill block
Solutions for Sectors<br />
Focus<br />
ON<br />
Quality<br />
100%<br />
80%<br />
60%<br />
Poland’s No. 1 brewery Kompania Piwowarska invests<br />
in its third <strong>KHS</strong> 100,000 cph can line / The SABMiller<br />
subsidiary continues its unparalleled market<br />
conquest. The company maintains its uncompromising<br />
commitment to top-quality and total customer focus.<br />
Tomasz Miazek, Manufacturing Development<br />
Manager at Kompania Piwowarska,<br />
gets straight to the point as he outlines<br />
his expectations for the huge new filling line<br />
which has a throughput capacity of 100,000<br />
0.5-liter cans per hour. “<strong>For</strong> us, high system<br />
availability and total control of the production<br />
process are crucial.” He then immediately<br />
adds a compliment for his preferred supplier<br />
<strong>KHS</strong>: “Even the acceptance test data for<br />
the new line was exceptional, with an efficiency<br />
level of 96%. To date, the average efficiency<br />
is well over 90%. That is outstanding<br />
performance. ”<br />
… 96% efficiency …<br />
He is also full of praise for the way in which<br />
the project was managed: “We made the<br />
space for the line available to <strong>KHS</strong> as agreed.<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> took charge of everything after that including<br />
furnishing the offices, documentation<br />
management, and installation of the<br />
complete line. This was a turnkey project<br />
in the truest sense of the word. The end result<br />
was nothing less than outstanding.”<br />
That is hardly surprising, given that Kompania<br />
Piwowarska and <strong>KHS</strong> have been working<br />
well together for the last three decades.<br />
Roughly 80% of all technical systems at the<br />
company were supplied by <strong>KHS</strong> including a<br />
whole range of glass lines and three gigantic<br />
100,000 can-per-hour lines.<br />
So what is the secret behind the stratospheric<br />
rise of Kompania Piwowarska? It all began<br />
when SABMiller, one of the world’s largest<br />
brewery groups with operations in 60 countries<br />
and a product portfolio which includes<br />
200 beer brands, acquired a share in the Lech<br />
brewery in Posen in 1995. Two other breweries,<br />
Tyskie in Tychy and Dojlidy in Bialystok,<br />
were added later on. The decision was made<br />
in 1999 to consolidate all of the breweries under<br />
the Kompania Piwowarska umbrella. The<br />
breweries in the group have a total capacity<br />
of 18 million hectoliters.<br />
Excellent product quality has always<br />
been a priority for the management team,<br />
and the company only uses top-class line<br />
equipment at its breweries. Market share increased<br />
from 22% in 1999 to just under 42%<br />
in 2011, and that is no coincidence. The people<br />
in charge recognized early on that there<br />
were thirsty customers in Poland just waiting<br />
for beer. Per capita consumption was a mere<br />
37 liters in 1995. The figure increased to 63<br />
liters by 2001 and peaked in 2007 at 93 liters,<br />
falling back to 90 liters in 2010.<br />
The Kompania Piwowarska brewery<br />
group continues to generate the largest<br />
turnover for the SABMiller Group in Europe.<br />
The leading brands are Tyskie (more than<br />
50% of total turnover) and Zubr. The mainstream<br />
brands include the premium brands<br />
Lech Premium, Wojak, and Debowe Mocne<br />
malt liquor. Kompania Piwowarska also<br />
markets a number of international premium<br />
beers including Pilsner Urquell, Peroni
competence 02.2011 64/65<br />
Nastro Azzurro, Grolsch, and Miller Genuine<br />
Draft.<br />
Nor should we forget Redd’s and Gingers<br />
mixed beer beverages. Major emphasis<br />
is always placed on the brand strategy. Each<br />
brand has an exact target group definition.<br />
The target group for Lech, for instance, is active,<br />
educated 25 to 35-year-olds who play<br />
sports and are chiefly city-dwellers. Tyskie on<br />
the other hand is the brand for tradition-conscious<br />
beer lovers in the over 30s age group.<br />
Beer produced by Kompania Piwowarska<br />
is delivered to consumers primarily in<br />
returnable 0.5-liter glass bottles. Products<br />
supplied in glass bottles generate around<br />
The can line: special features by the dozen<br />
1. Pressureless discharge to the conveyor belt<br />
for gentle handling of the cans.<br />
2. Two vacuum bridges, two rinsing stations and<br />
two filling and seaming systems.<br />
3. Electromagnetic inductive flow metering for<br />
maximum filling accuracy.<br />
4. Deviations in tolerances on cans supplied by<br />
different manufactures are no longer an issue.<br />
5. Mechanical parts no longer come into direct<br />
contact with the product being filled.<br />
6. Membrane sealing technology on the electropneumatically<br />
controlled filling values ensures<br />
microbiological safety.<br />
50% of total sales. Just under 10% is supplied<br />
in kegs and the remaining 40% in<br />
cans. Tomasz Miazek explained that people<br />
in Poland like the convenience of cans. He<br />
continued: “With our new <strong>KHS</strong> canning line,<br />
we are prepared for further growth. The<br />
line gives us the versatility to cater to a full<br />
range of customer preferences in terms of<br />
can sizes and packaging options.” The new<br />
line is dedicated exclusively to filling different<br />
brand products into 0.5-liter cans. It<br />
could also handle 0.568 and 0.33-liter cans.<br />
Besides 24 and 12-can tray and pad shrink<br />
packs, smaller packaging units can also be<br />
put together.<br />
7. Stainless steel can guide parts for long<br />
service life.<br />
8. Rapid changeover at the press<br />
of a button.<br />
9. At two-hour intervals, a nozzle system performs<br />
a cleaning cycle with chlorine dioxide water<br />
when the filler is stopped.<br />
10. Prior to seaming, the system checks that the<br />
cans have been filled properly.<br />
11. X-ray checking of fill level and lids.<br />
12. Second fill level check enhances measurement<br />
precision and identifies inaccurately seamed<br />
beer cans.<br />
The advanced production data acquisition<br />
system (AIS) keeps a watchful eye on the production<br />
flow. With the system which is based<br />
on the Weihenstephan standard, Kompania<br />
Piwowarska now has an excellent tool for<br />
managing batch tracking, product liability,<br />
documentation requirements, quality monitoring,<br />
system availability enhancement,<br />
benchmarking, and cost control.<br />
→ Contact<br />
Jaroslaw Gajda | <strong>KHS</strong> Poland<br />
Phone: +48 (22) 646 8490<br />
Email: jaroslaw.gajda@khs.com
Solutions for Sectors<br />
Fifth Can Filler for CCE in the UK<br />
Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) Great Britain will be taking delivery of its fifth<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> Innofill DVD high-performance can filler within the space of two years,<br />
and there are undoubtedly good reasons why.<br />
Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd (CCE) in<br />
the UK produces and markets many<br />
different soft drinks on the island. The<br />
company is the world’s third largest<br />
independent Coca-Cola bottler, and<br />
each year it sells more than four billion<br />
bottles and cans. CCE recently placed<br />
an order with <strong>KHS</strong> for delivery and<br />
installation of an additional can filler<br />
for its high-performance production<br />
operations. The CCE site in Sidcup is the<br />
destination for one of the world’s largest<br />
can fillers.<br />
In the last two years, <strong>KHS</strong> has already<br />
delivered four of these lines to the CCE<br />
Group. All of the lines deliver enormous<br />
performance, ranging between 90,000<br />
and 120,000 cans per hour. Four followup<br />
orders clearly indicate that the customer<br />
is totally satisfied with the lines,<br />
which offer great technical features<br />
along with excellent reliability and costefficiency.<br />
The CCE Group has very<br />
high confidence in our our exceptional<br />
can technology expertise and values<br />
the ease of doing business with <strong>KHS</strong>.<br />
The new line for Sidcup meets the<br />
same high customer expectations. The<br />
brief summary below outlines the main<br />
features of the filler.<br />
1. MILLIMETER-PRECISION FILLING ACCURACy<br />
Volumetric filling on the DVD delivers<br />
leading-edge can filling precision, even at<br />
the high-end of the performance range.<br />
The product filled into the cans meets the<br />
most demanding technological standards.<br />
Can tolerances are irrelevant. If the filling<br />
volume is set to 0.33 liters, exactly 0.33 liters<br />
2. KEy MICROBIOLOGICAL SAFETy FEATURES<br />
Non-contact technology is deployed for volumetric<br />
flow metering. No mechanical parts come<br />
in contact with the product being filled.<br />
Membrane sealing technology which has a<br />
proven track record on bottle fillers is used on<br />
3. PUSH-BUTTON CHANGEOVER<br />
Changeover times are reduced to a minimum<br />
when the filler is used in combination<br />
with the <strong>KHS</strong> Innopro Paramix C blender.<br />
Using the program select function, a simple<br />
click switches the system on the computer-controlled<br />
can filler from product 1 to<br />
4. 120,000 CANS PER HOUR ON REQUEST<br />
Like the four previously installed lines,<br />
the new can filler at CCA’s Sidcup site produces<br />
90,000 to 120,000 cans per hour.<br />
will be in the can. The volume is measured<br />
by means of an electromagnetic inductive<br />
flowmeter. This not only guarantees consistently<br />
uniform filling results in all capacity<br />
and operating phases, but also that the filling<br />
process can be carried out independently<br />
of the respective machine speed.<br />
the electro-pneumatically controlled filling valves<br />
for added safety. Additional features such as<br />
CIP caps with automatic control, automatic valve<br />
manifolds, foam cleaning, and hygienic enclosure<br />
ensure maximum microbiological safety.<br />
product 2, for example. While the twocomponent<br />
Innopro Paramix C starts mixing<br />
the new beverage, the filler is still finishing<br />
the last cans. The changeover takes no<br />
more than ten minutes. A new benchmark<br />
in can filling.<br />
Such a capacity is among the world’s<br />
highest outputs in can filling technology.
competence 02.2011 66/67<br />
C A N<br />
PowEr<br />
France’s largest family-owned brewery consistently relies<br />
on the trendy 5-liter can<br />
/<br />
Triple the performance with the same number of filling heads.<br />
Nearly 100% efficiency. Flexibility to handle all can types.<br />
Maximum hygiene, minimal O₂ pickup, minimized CO₂ loss,<br />
fewer operators. That is the power of the new <strong>KHS</strong> large-can line at<br />
the Meteor brewery in Alsace.
Solutions for Sectors<br />
“we are expecting continued growth. we are ideally equipped<br />
now that we have the new <strong>KHS</strong> line.”<br />
Bernard Oster<br />
Engineering Manager at the Meteor brewery<br />
Just imagine how far back this business<br />
can trace its roots. In 1640 while the Thirty<br />
Years War was still raging across Europe,<br />
what is now the Meteor brewery brewed its<br />
first beer. And for three centuries, France’s<br />
No. 1 among family-run breweries has held<br />
fast on three unshakable central guide lines:<br />
quality, flexibility, and creativity. The company<br />
intends to considerably increase the sale<br />
of 5-liter large-size cans that are currently the<br />
trend while relying on cutting-edge filling<br />
technology from <strong>KHS</strong> with all of the related<br />
advantages (see: Highlights).<br />
Back at the beginning of the 1980s, Meteor<br />
demonstrated its innovative creativity by<br />
being the first brewery in France to introduce<br />
the 5-liter container. This was an astute and<br />
visionary decision. Initially, sales amounted to<br />
only a few hundred hectoliters a year. However,<br />
consumer demand for small-size kegs continued<br />
to rise. By 2009, sales had increased to<br />
30,000 hectoliters. “We are expecting continued<br />
growth, ” says Bernard Oster, Engineering<br />
Manager at the brewery. “We are ideally positioned<br />
now that we have the new <strong>KHS</strong> line,”<br />
he continues. This brief assessment is based<br />
on a forward-looking three-pronged strategy.<br />
To start with, an additional filling station<br />
can easily be added to the line. Secondly, the<br />
brewery is adding a second production shift.<br />
Thirdly, Meteor is investing in this production<br />
capacity in order to take on contract filling<br />
work from other breweries.<br />
The seventh generation<br />
is now at the helm of the<br />
family-owned company.<br />
It is worth taking a look at the success story<br />
and the structure of the brewery, neither of<br />
which was the result of chance. Instead, they<br />
reflect a business strategy that was well conceived<br />
and continually developed. Since the<br />
Haag family acquired it in 1844, the company<br />
has been 100% family owned. The seventh<br />
generation is now in charge.<br />
Meteor handles a wide variety of container<br />
types. The biggest seller in the glass<br />
segment is the 0.25-liter non-refillable bottle.<br />
Meteor also fills 0.33-liter and 0.65-liter oneway<br />
bottles along with the 0.75-liter refillable<br />
bottles which are commonly used in Alsace.<br />
The conventional keg range includes 20,<br />
30 and 50-liter kegs as well as non-refillable<br />
KeyKegs. The only cans filled are those that<br />
hold 5 liters.<br />
The company decided in favor of the new<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> can line because, in the words of Oster,<br />
“the overall concept fits our needs.” In addition,<br />
the management team has great confidence<br />
in <strong>KHS</strong> technology. Both glass lines at<br />
the brewery plus a keg line were supplied by<br />
<strong>KHS</strong>. Oster expressed unreserved praise: “All<br />
of the machines are very reliable. When we<br />
have needed service (and for us that is another<br />
crucial consideration), we have always<br />
been very satisfied with the <strong>KHS</strong> response.”<br />
The business relationship brings together several<br />
hundred years of expertise and tradition.<br />
→ Contact<br />
Rainer Deutschmann | <strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>, Kriftel<br />
Phone: +49 (6192) 491-130<br />
Email: rainer.deutschmann@khs.com
competence 02.2011 68/69<br />
The right overall concept: the Meteor Brewery decided<br />
on a 5-liter canning line from <strong>KHS</strong>.<br />
Highlights of the 5-liter can line from<br />
the customer perspective<br />
The major features and advantages<br />
— Great versatility. In addition to conventional 5-liter cans, the line easily handles cans<br />
with CO₂ cartridges that extend the beer shelf life.<br />
— Three times the output. Previously, maximum output was 170 5-liter cans per hour.<br />
With the same number of filling heads, maximum output has now increased<br />
to 600 cans per hour in spite of fewer operators being required.<br />
— High efficiency. Line efficiency during acceptance testing was 98%, and performance<br />
during ongoing operation has been outstanding as well.
Special: Hidden Champions<br />
Assault on conventional models<br />
HIDDEN<br />
CHAMPIONS
competence 01.2011 70/71<br />
How smaller players conquer world markets<br />
/<br />
In Germany alone, more than 1,000 world market leaders<br />
are medium-sized businesses. With their sights set on<br />
ambitious goals, many of them give their global competitors<br />
a real run for the money as they rise to the top in international<br />
markets. <strong>KHS</strong> competence looks at the strategies<br />
behind the success of these world champions.<br />
The crisis has passed. It has been a long<br />
time since Germany’s economy was in<br />
such good shape. Once again, the impetus is<br />
coming largely from the medium-sized business<br />
sector, led largely by companies that<br />
have been front runners for many years and<br />
are now the world market leaders in their areas<br />
of specialization. Despite their impressive<br />
achievements, very few people know anything<br />
about them.<br />
Who are these world-class companies?<br />
Kern-Liebers, to take one example, produces<br />
80% of the springs that are used in seatbelts.<br />
The memory chips on four out of five of the<br />
world’s smart cards are mounted using a special<br />
adhesive made by Delo. The market share<br />
held by these mid-tier world market leaders<br />
often exceeds 50% and in many cases, their<br />
slice of the market is twice as large as that of<br />
their next-largest competitor. Nevertheless,<br />
the companies remain largely invisible to the<br />
general public.<br />
<strong>For</strong> around 25 years Hermann Simon,<br />
Professor of Economics and management<br />
consultant based in Bonn, Germany, has<br />
been analyzing mid-tier companies which<br />
are world market leaders in their segments.<br />
In the German speaking region alone, he has<br />
identified 1,316 medium-size market leaders.<br />
Klais organ at Overture Hall<br />
in Madison, WI, USA<br />
Simon coined the term “hidden champions”<br />
to describe this group. That may sound like<br />
downplay, and that is just what it is. To start<br />
with, many products remain inconspicuous<br />
in our everyday lives. German companies are<br />
the world leaders in the button (Union Knopf<br />
in Bielefeld), book cloth (Kaliko in Bamberg),<br />
and fly trap (Aeroxon in Waiblingen) markets.<br />
Another reason for the low profile of these little<br />
giants lies in the fact that they prefer to focus<br />
their time and energy on business activities<br />
rather than on PR.<br />
Staying away from<br />
talk shows.<br />
PR (if any) zeroes in on the essentials. Conventional<br />
mass-media advertising and CEOs<br />
making the rounds on the talk show circuit<br />
are not something you see much from medium-sized<br />
market leaders. The reason is that<br />
demonstrating the company’s strengths and<br />
capabilities to customers, competitors, and<br />
employees tends to be more important than<br />
public posturing. Beacon projects are a good<br />
example. Otto Bock HealthCare supplies hightech<br />
artificial limbs that restore mobility for<br />
the disabled. What could be better for getting<br />
the message across than the countless
Special: Hidden Champions<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
1<br />
medals which disabled athletes have won<br />
with the company’s support? Klais, who designs,<br />
produces and restores organs, is yet another<br />
champion. The virtuosity and perfection<br />
of the company’s craftsmanship is truly<br />
admirable. The portfolio ranges from restoration<br />
of a bamboo organ in the Philippines<br />
(originally built in 1824) to one of the world’s<br />
biggest organs at the new National Theater in<br />
Beijing. Or take Groz-Beckert, the world market<br />
leader in precision tools for textile production.<br />
The company constructed the world’s<br />
longest textile-reinforced concrete bridge in<br />
Albstadt, Germany. The innovative textilebased<br />
design significantly extends useful life<br />
compared to conventional steel-reinforced<br />
concrete bridges.<br />
Beacon projects only<br />
come from the best.<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
Beacon projects reflect achievements which<br />
only the best can deliver. The ultimate goal of<br />
the world’s best is market leadership. Based<br />
on the strategy “attack is the best form of defense”,<br />
these companies proactively shape<br />
their business environments rather than<br />
The world’s longest textile-reinforced concrete bridge in<br />
Albstadt, Germany, produced by Groz Beckert, the world<br />
market leader in precision tools for the textile industry.<br />
The technology extends the useful life compared to<br />
standard concrete.<br />
Johannes Klais Orgelbau in Bonn, Germany is one of the<br />
world’s leading organ makers. Philipp C. A. Klais is the<br />
third-generation CEO of the company which was founded<br />
in 1882. 60 employees, turnover € 6 million.<br />
Professor Hans Georg Näder is the CEO of Otto Bock<br />
Health-Care in Duderstadt, the world market leader in artificial<br />
limbs. Latest technology: a mind-controlled prosthetic<br />
arm. 4,300 employees, turnover € 529 million.<br />
Dr. Thomas Lindner, Executive Board Chairman at Groz<br />
Beckert in Albstadt-Ebingen, Germany, world leader in<br />
precision tools for textile production. 7,000 employees,<br />
turnover € 531 million.<br />
merely reacting to events. “Is there a better<br />
way?” They seem to mull over this question<br />
always and everywhere, starting within their<br />
own four walls.<br />
Developing in-house capability. No<br />
company is immune to the ups and downs of<br />
the business cycle. Everyone does well when<br />
times are good. Many are satisfied with that,<br />
which is a problem. In contrast, the success of<br />
world-class players is based on continual improvement.<br />
They never stop looking for ways<br />
to improve and often find opportunities in<br />
many of the small things. The search extends<br />
beyond production and engineering to include<br />
the entire value-added chain.<br />
They prepare themselves for business<br />
downturns as well as for the good times. At a<br />
time when others are running all of their vital<br />
systems in standby mode as the recession sets<br />
in, the really successful companies increase<br />
their emphasis on improvement and innovation.<br />
This gives them the strength to achieve<br />
a quantum increase in market share when<br />
the markets recover. “In our experience, market<br />
share realignment takes place when times<br />
are tough rather than in phases when business<br />
is booming,” Hermann Simon confirms.<br />
Developing the market and sharpening<br />
competitiveness. Do you have to accept the<br />
current definition of the market? The best of
competence 01.2011 72/73<br />
At a glance:<br />
leSSONS FrOM THe<br />
h i D D E n<br />
ChaMPions<br />
In his analysis of hidden champions, Professor Hermann Simon has identified seven factors that<br />
apparently make these companies particularly strong.<br />
1. Leadership and goals<br />
Hidden champions not only know what they want, but they also<br />
have the willpower and energy – and sometimes the obsession –<br />
to achieve what they set out to do. Leadership means that they instill<br />
this burning desire in people with different national and<br />
cultural backgrounds.<br />
2. Strong team<br />
Hidden champions manage to create conditions which keep staff<br />
turnover extremely low, and they reap the benefits. You only get<br />
the very best from your people if they are highly motivated and<br />
identify very strongly with the company. To achieve that, you have<br />
to recruit the right employees.<br />
3. Decentralization<br />
Many hidden champions operating in narrow markets where they<br />
have a large market share are left with limited growth opportunities.<br />
They then decide to diversify. In order to avoid putting their traditional<br />
strengths at risk, they opt for full decentralization, normally<br />
in the form of legally independent companies.<br />
4. Focus<br />
Focus normally provides the only route to world-class performance.<br />
Hidden champions are better able to concentrate their limited resources<br />
than others, and they continue to do so until they have<br />
reached the top. The definition of the playing field is itself part of<br />
the company’s focus.<br />
5. Globalization<br />
Nothing will change the world over the decades ahead more than<br />
globalization. Companies that take advantage of the changes will<br />
have enormous growth opportunities.<br />
However, setting up worldwide production and sales networks<br />
often takes generations. Sales is the first area where internationalization<br />
takes place followed by the workforce and finally<br />
management.<br />
Strategies and practical implementation at most hidden champions<br />
are still very much work in progress. Simon observes: “To exploit the<br />
opportunities, you have to get rid of national limitations and be in it<br />
for the long haul.”<br />
6. Innovation<br />
Most hidden champions have plans for massive innovation activities.<br />
The market and the technology have priority in driving innovation.<br />
Few large corporations are able to achieve this balance. Innovation<br />
stems primarily from creativity and quality and is by no<br />
means only dependent on money.<br />
7. Customer proximity<br />
Proximity to the customer is more important for hidden champions<br />
than a focus on competitive strategies. Customer relationships over<br />
many years are their real strength. Delivering top value to the customer<br />
automatically creates a competitive advantage. Simon recommends,<br />
“Using top customers as well as top competitors as performance<br />
stimulators”.
Special: Hidden Champions<br />
Search game<br />
Quitting time. Just under two hours to go until the<br />
theater performance starts. Mr. Jones takes his<br />
cell phone off the charger and heads for the office building<br />
door which opens automatically. On the way<br />
home, he stops by the supermarket. He hurriedly<br />
places eggs, hot chocolate, beer, fish fillet, and a great<br />
wine from Chile into his shopping basket. Done.<br />
wHere THe<br />
ChaMPions<br />
Are HIDING<br />
On the way home, the road is closed for construction<br />
(he didn’t need that). <strong>For</strong>tunately, his intelligent navigation<br />
system routes him through a detour. When he gets home,<br />
he has just enough time to take the dog out for a walk.<br />
Not long thereafter, Mr. Jones reaches his seat at the theater<br />
in time. The curtain rises, and he hasn’t missed a thing.<br />
Or has he? On this brief journey, he came across a dozen<br />
hidden champions.<br />
wHere THeY were HIDING.
competence 01.2011 74/75<br />
SOLUTIONS<br />
Charger: Friwo Gerätebau is synonymous<br />
with power supplies and chargers<br />
worldwide.<br />
Automatic door: Dorma Holding is the<br />
world leader in door closing systems.<br />
Dairy eggs: Deutsche Frühstücksei in<br />
Neuen kirchen-Vörden is one of Europe’s<br />
largest egg producers.<br />
Cacao: Bühler Barth in Freiberg is the<br />
world market leader in cacao processing<br />
systems.<br />
Beer: The Nuremberg-based Barth Haas<br />
Group is the world’s largest supplier of<br />
hops and hop products.<br />
Fish fillets: Lübeck’s Nordischer<br />
Maschinenbau has an 80% share of the<br />
worldwide fish processing machinery<br />
market.<br />
Wine: The JF Hillebrand Group in Mainz<br />
is the world’s leading logistics supplier for<br />
the wine and spirits industry.<br />
Shopping carts: Wanzl Metallwarenfabrik<br />
in Leipheim is the world market leader in<br />
shopping carts.<br />
Road paving: Wirtgen Windhagen has a<br />
70% share of the world market for road<br />
stripping machines.<br />
Traffic management system: Ahrensburg-based<br />
Basler is the world’s leading<br />
producer of digital cameras used in applications<br />
such as intelligent traffic management<br />
systems.<br />
Dog leashes: flexi - Bogdahn International<br />
in Bargteheide is the world market leader<br />
in retractable dog leashes.<br />
Stage curtains: Gerriets of Umkirch is the<br />
only company in the world that makes<br />
large theater curtains.<br />
Professor Hermann<br />
Simon has been re-<br />
searching mid-tier<br />
world market lead-<br />
ers for 25 years. He<br />
coined the term<br />
“hidden champions”<br />
to describe these<br />
companies.<br />
the best do not think so. They redefine their<br />
markets and narrow down the playing field.<br />
In other words, these companies look<br />
specifically for niche markets where they can<br />
make a success of what they are really good<br />
at. This allows them to concentrate their resources<br />
and focus expertise in their particular<br />
area of specialization to gain a clear competitive<br />
advantage. An example of that is<br />
Winterhalter Gastronom which makes dishwashing<br />
systems exclusively for the commercial<br />
market. Brita is yet another example.<br />
The company has created its own market for<br />
household drinking water filtration systems.<br />
By cleverly staking out markets for themselves,<br />
the companies support their strategies<br />
for achieving market dominance as they<br />
gain ground on competitors.<br />
Success spiral.<br />
Developing customer benefits. In his bestseller<br />
Hidden Champions of the Twenty-First<br />
Century, Professor Simon describes seven<br />
very useful lessons for prospective champions<br />
(see Lessons learned from the hidden<br />
champions, page 73). It is interesting to note<br />
that these factors complement and reinforce<br />
each other. This results in a kind of success<br />
spiral. Companies deliver real customer<br />
benefit, build long-term customer relationships,<br />
constantly innovate, conscientiously<br />
work on the task at hand and make sure<br />
that they are better than the competition<br />
where it really counts, enabling them to deliver<br />
even more customer real benefits.<br />
However, Simon warns against interpreting<br />
these lessons as a panacea which will<br />
automatically turn every mid-tier company<br />
more or less automatically into a world market<br />
leader. Instead, companies should carefully<br />
examine their own expertise and goals.<br />
The next step is to analyze the market and the<br />
competition. The third phase is implementation,<br />
starting with generation of an action<br />
plan and continuing right through to results<br />
analysis.<br />
“The hidden champions prove that management<br />
will continue to be based primarily<br />
on good common sense as we move into the<br />
twenty-first century. If you do a lot of small<br />
things better, you can even become a world<br />
market leader.” This view was expressed by<br />
Reinhold Würth who was at the helm while<br />
a small medium-sized company transformed<br />
itself into the world’s leading wholesaler of<br />
fastening and assembly products. It should be<br />
interpreted by the CEO of every mid-tier company<br />
as an exhortation to act. Now is time to<br />
go into the offensive!<br />
Horst Kern, Munich / Jürgen Jacobs, Cologne
In-house News<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> at<br />
Brau Beviale<br />
2011<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
Technology. Performance. Reliability.<br />
At Brau Beviale 2011 in Nuremberg, Germany, from November 9–11<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> will be presenting a whole host of innovative ideas and exhibits.<br />
One of the main focuses will be on the area of service. Presentations<br />
in this area include countless upgrades for older <strong>KHS</strong> machines<br />
which boost the performance of older-generation <strong>KHS</strong> technology.<br />
<strong>For</strong> all beverage operations<br />
INNOFILL GLASS: NEW FILLER PLATFORM<br />
The Innofill <strong>Glass</strong> bottling concept heralds the arrival of a new generation of fillers for glass bottles. <strong>KHS</strong> provides a<br />
base machine to which various electronic <strong>KHS</strong> filling systems can be added. The benefits: higher line availability and<br />
reduced operating costs.<br />
<strong>For</strong> all medium-sized companies<br />
THE INNOKEG TILL COMBIKEG: NEW KEG LINE<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> has developed an extremely compact, space and budget-saving keg washing and racking machine with an<br />
output of up to 90 kegs an hour, especially designed for medium-sized businesses. This system has a very high efficiency<br />
(approx. 95%) and a number of very interesting options.<br />
Especially for breweries<br />
THE INNOPRO ECOSTAB: NEW PVPP FILTER<br />
Another outstanding innovation is the newly developed Innopro ECOStab. This system is a regenerative beer stabilizing<br />
system which uses PVPP. The advantages of this as opposed to classic filters are reduced investment costs and a low PVPP<br />
volume. PVPP from various manufacturers can also be used with a high degree of automation.<br />
<strong>For</strong> beverage, food and non-food companies<br />
INNOPACK SP: NEW CONCEPT<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> has taken a quantum leap with the Innopack Kisters SP shrink packer. No less than four modules have been further<br />
improved. A new shrink tunnel concept ensures sustainable energy and cost savings. Shrink packs without shrinkage<br />
holes are now also no problem in practice. Film printing inside the pack and nested packs are also possible.<br />
<strong>For</strong> all beverage operations<br />
THE INNOKET 360 S: NEW COMPACT LABELER<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> has now extended the proven Innoket 360 roll-fed labeler series to include the compact Innoket 360 S. As a modular<br />
system the Innoket 360 S permits a number of possible variations and options. The new compact labeler saves space,<br />
produces up to 50,000 labeled bottles an hour with the shortest glue heating times and permanently precision-cut labels,<br />
and also offers plenty of practical options. Can be seen on the Nordson stand in Hall 7, Stand 320.
competence 02.2011 76/77<br />
Khs<br />
IN-HOUSe<br />
PrACTICe<br />
We look forward to seeing you!<br />
Visit <strong>KHS</strong> at Brau Beviale 2011<br />
in Hall 5, Booth 127<br />
Contact: manfred.rueckstein@khs.com<br />
3<br />
2<br />
1<br />
4
In-house News<br />
Sustainable budgeting<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> CUTS<br />
ENERGy COSTS<br />
WITH ECOPROFIT<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> Corpoplast has been able to save well<br />
over € 700,000 in costs for electricity, gas,<br />
water/wastewater, and refuse disposal over<br />
the past few years due to the Hamburg company’s<br />
involvement in the plant environment<br />
management program ECOPROFIT. The project,<br />
which is a cooperation between the local<br />
authorities and local businesses, aims to<br />
systematically introduce environmental costcutting<br />
measures in the participating companies.<br />
The project has a number of interlinked<br />
Lights out at the end of the shift<br />
components, with the relevant topics being<br />
tackled by delegated employees at various<br />
workshops held throughout the year. At the<br />
end of these they take stock of the situation at<br />
their company, analyze the relevant data, define<br />
targets, and implement suitable measures.<br />
The costs for such measures are also reasonable.<br />
These could include automatically switching<br />
off lights in rooms not constantly in use,<br />
reusing packaging, and regulating heating systems<br />
to sensible levels. In other cases, such as<br />
waterless urinals, investments pay off within a<br />
very short period of time. ECOPROFIT has certified<br />
and awarded <strong>KHS</strong> Corpoplast several times<br />
for its exemplary behavior in this field.<br />
New offices<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> ASIA<br />
MOVES<br />
TO THE TOP<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> Asia in Singapore is going up in the<br />
world. The team recently moved from the<br />
third floor of the German Center to the twentyfifth<br />
floor of the Keypoint Building. The opening,<br />
complete with a two-day program that<br />
dealt with several specialized topics, was well<br />
received by the guests, many of whom were<br />
long-standing customers of <strong>KHS</strong>. Seventy beverage<br />
industry representatives from all over<br />
Southeast Asia were present at the event. The<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> Moving to the Top slogan stands not only<br />
for the elevated location of the new offices<br />
Well rewarded<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> COMPETENCE<br />
WINS THE<br />
FOX AWARD 2011<br />
A question of honor: the FOX AWARD 2011<br />
but also for quick action and ambitious performance.<br />
Werner Gessner, vice president of <strong>KHS</strong>’<br />
Asia-Pacific Market Zone, says, “This move not<br />
only indicates that <strong>KHS</strong> is one of the top suppliers<br />
of filling and packaging technology for<br />
the Asian beverage industry, but also that <strong>KHS</strong><br />
intends to consolidate its leading position on<br />
this market.”<br />
Singapore: over 70 guests attended<br />
the opening ceremony<br />
The jury was impressed – and awarded<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> competence a gold FOX AWARD<br />
2011 in the Mechanical Engineering Customer<br />
Magazine category. The “cross-medial supplements<br />
and the readers’ ability to get into<br />
direct contact with the authors” were what<br />
made the most impact. The FOX AWARD is<br />
the first efficiency award in corporate publishing,<br />
where a jury of science and media<br />
professionals assesses in-house and external<br />
communication media with regard to their<br />
development, range of distribution, proof of<br />
performance, sales impulse, quality of distribution,<br />
and market conformity. The overall<br />
impression – the pleasure and curiosity generated<br />
in using such media – also affects the<br />
total number of points. In 2011, 87 companies<br />
and agencies submitted work. “This is a<br />
great start if you consider that companies are<br />
giving us an insight into their sacred efficiency<br />
analyses,” concludes initiator Pia Dahlem, editor-in-chief<br />
of the CPWISSEN corporate publishing<br />
forum.
competence 02.2011 78/79<br />
Company run<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> EMPLOyEES<br />
RUN FOR CHARITy<br />
This was a fine growth indeed: as opposed to 40 in<br />
2010, no less than 80 <strong>KHS</strong> employees lined up for<br />
the 6 pm start of the second Bad Kreuznach company<br />
run on June 9, 2011. At the event organized by local<br />
radio station Antenne Bad Kreuznach part of the<br />
proceeds go to charity. Around 2,400 runners from<br />
local companies of all sizes braved the five-kilometer<br />
(three-mile) course. Incidentally, <strong>KHS</strong> was the fifth<br />
fastest single team out of over 600 groups, had the<br />
twelfth fastest female runner, and notched up place<br />
24 in the men’s category.<br />
The enthusiastic team of <strong>KHS</strong> runners<br />
Modern times<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> WEBSITE FOR<br />
SMARTPHONES<br />
Service at its best: On the <strong>KHS</strong> website customers<br />
and other interested individuals can find all<br />
the information they might need on the company,<br />
browse through detailed descriptions of its products<br />
and services, gain interactive, 24/7 access to the service<br />
center, and order spare parts quickly and easily<br />
from the Innoshop. And what about users who are<br />
out on the road without an online laptop connection?<br />
In November <strong>KHS</strong> is launching a technology<br />
which will make their entire Internet presence available<br />
to iPads and smartphones. We live in modern<br />
times indeed …<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> competence<br />
PUBLISHER<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong>, Dortmund<br />
EDITORS<br />
<strong>KHS</strong>: Matthias Damm, Manfred Rückstein;<br />
jj-media, Cologne; Friederike Arndt, Bonn<br />
GRAPHICS<br />
Trawny/Quass von Deyen, Konzeption+Design, Cologne<br />
CONTRIBUTIONS<br />
Alfons Abels-Rümping, Werner Ageling, Michael Beisel, Ludwig Clüsserath,<br />
Rainer Deutschmann, Jaroslaw Gajda, Frank Haesendonckx,<br />
Matthias Hahn, Jörg Hoffmann, Rudolf Kahlen, Horst Kern, Oliver Kress, Thomas Niehr,<br />
Werner Oster, Manfred Pschichholz, Olaf Reinecke, Achim Schlicher, Jürgen Thielen,<br />
Günter Unkrig, Jürgen Vandree, Paul-Uwe Winterhoff<br />
TRANSLATIONS<br />
Fachübersetzungen CP MacKusick<br />
PHOTOS / ILLUSTRATIONS<br />
AST Beverage, Friederike Arndt, Timo Beylemanns, Groz Beckert,<br />
Johannes Klais Orgelbau, König-Brauerei, Otto Bock HealthCare, PepsiCo, Frank Reinhold,<br />
Jakob Schneider, Joerg Schwalfenberg Photography, shutterstock (Valentin Agopov, nuttakit)<br />
Simon-Kucher & Partners, Anne Vogt<br />
This information is non-binding. Only the technical specifications of our quotes are determinative<br />
with regard to design and scope of delivery. Subject to design modifications.<br />
INFORMATION FOR ORDERING<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> Competence is published in English, German, French, Spanish, and Russian.<br />
Those interested can order further copies of the magazine at www.khs.com.<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> <strong>GmbH</strong><br />
Juchostrasse 20<br />
44143 Dortmund, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (231) 569-0<br />
Fax: +49 (231) 569-1541<br />
Planiger Strasse 139–147<br />
55543 Bad Kreuznach, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (671) 852-0<br />
Fax: +49 (671) 852-2411<br />
Enzingerstrasse 139<br />
67551 Worms, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (6247) 97-0<br />
Fax: +49 (6247) 97-3300<br />
Ruwoldtweg 14<br />
22309 Hamburg, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (40) 63703-37100<br />
Fax: +49 (40) 63703-37150<br />
Boschstrasse 1–3<br />
47533 Kleve, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (2821) 503-0<br />
Fax: +49 (2821) 26110<br />
Kapellenstrasse 47–49<br />
65830 Kriftel, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (6192) 491-0<br />
Fax: +49 (6192) 491-144<br />
Email: info@khs.com<br />
Addresses<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> Corpoplast<br />
<strong>GmbH</strong> & Co. KG<br />
Meiendorfer Strasse 203<br />
22145 Hamburg, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (40) 67907-0<br />
Fax: +49 (40) 67907-100<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> Plasmax <strong>GmbH</strong><br />
Meiendorfer Strasse 203<br />
22145 Hamburg, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (40) 67907-364<br />
Fax: +49 (40) 67907-353<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> UK Ltd.<br />
Unit 6, Monkspath Business Park,<br />
Highlands Road, Shirley, Solihull<br />
West Midlands B90 4NY,<br />
Great Britain<br />
Phone: +44 (121) 713-6900<br />
Fax: +44 (121) 713-6935<br />
Email: info@khs.com<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> USA, Inc.<br />
880 Bahcall Court<br />
Waukesha, WI 53186, USA<br />
Phone: +1 (262) 797-7200<br />
Fax: +1 (262) 797-0025<br />
Email: mike.brancato@khs.com<br />
5501 N. Washington Blvd.<br />
Sarasota, FL 34243, USA<br />
Phone: +1 (941) 359-4000<br />
Fax: +1 (941) 359-4043<br />
Email: john.turner@khs.com<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> PACIFIC Pty. Ltd.<br />
P.O. Box 378<br />
1–3 Freight Road<br />
Tullamarine, Vic. 3043, Australia<br />
Phone: +61 (393) 35-1211<br />
Fax: +61 (393) 35-1331<br />
Email: info@khspacific.com.au<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> ASIA Pte. Ltd.<br />
25 International Business Park<br />
# 3–15/19 German Centre<br />
Singapore 609916<br />
Phone: +65 (6560) 9313<br />
Fax: +65 (6560) 9910<br />
Email: info@khsasia.com<br />
<strong>KHS</strong> MACHINERy Pvt. Ltd.<br />
15, Madhuban, Nr. Madalpur<br />
Underbridge, Ellisbridge,<br />
Ahmedabad - 380 006, India<br />
Phone: +91 (79) 2644-0331<br />
Fax: +91 (79) 2644-5146<br />
Email: khs@khsindia.com
30 1992-01-995/2 1011 DR