Sidel has introduced StarLITE-R STILL, a new bottle base designed for high-speed production of 100 per cent recycled PET (rPET) bottles for water, juices, milk, and edible oils in sizes ranging from 0.25L to 2.5L. The bottle base aims to optimise lightweighting while maintaining durability and sustainability.
According to Mikael Derrien, manager Packaging Innovations at Sidel, manufacturers are looking for lightweight options that are aesthetically pleasing while maintaining high-speed production capabilities. He explained, “They aim to reduce production costs through lightweighting, lower blowing pressures, and reduced energy consumption, while also striving to minimise their carbon footprint in response to regulatory pressures and consumer demand.”
Unlike traditional solutions designed for virgin PET bottles, the StarLITE-R STILL is specifically developed for rPET, ensuring high performance even with recycled materials. The bottle base features precise shaping, efficient material distribution, and smooth material stretching, ensuring durability during production and storage.
The new design allows manufacturers to reduce blowing pressure by up to 20 per cent, saving on energy consumption and production costs. The use of the StarLITE-R STILL can result in a reduction of 2400 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually.
The bottle base is compatible with various bottle shapes and single or multi-serve formats, StarLITE-R STILL supports production speeds of up to 2700 bottles per hour per mould for single-serve and 2400 bottles per hour per mould for multi-serve. It integrates with Sidel’s EvoBLOW, Universal, and Series 2 blow moulders.
Sidel's StarLITE-R STILL adds to the company's existing StarLITE-R range, which includes solutions for carbonated soft drinks, nitrogen-dosed products, and premium bottles.
This new innovation supports both rPET and virgin PET bottles and is qualified for use with Sidel’s EvoBLOW, Universal, and Series 2 blow moulders.
