Beverages manufacturers in the industrialized countries are bringing out new creations in quick succession. In emerging economies rising living standards are generating a boom in demand for high-quality, hygienically perfect beverages. In China and Africa consumption of packaged beverages is rising especially fast. Market researchers are expecting global consumption to rise by 3.4% by 2013. And, as consumption rises, so, too, do the demands on filling systems. Visitors to drinktec 2013, the World´s Leading Trade Fair for the Beverage and Liquid Food Industry, will be able to find out just how the manufacturers of corresponding machinery and systems are meeting the challenges in terms of flexibility, product safety, sustainability and easy operation.

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One trend in beverage filling that has been visible for some time is the increase in filling speeds for large batch sizes, plus the installation of turnkey systems. New high-performance integrated systems, operating on the latest technology, are needed to cater to these trends. Small and medium-sized filling businesses in turn want to benefit from the technological innovations on individual machines. At drinktec 2013 all the new ideas and innovations will be presented – for SMEs and for global players alike.

System availability is a key demand

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Niemeyer, Chairman of KHS GmbH, sums up the trends in filling technology: "At drinktec 2013 we will again see a clear orientation towards meeting customer wishes and, allied to this, a maximization of benefit. In this context the aspect of sustainability plays a key role. At the same time modular-designed filling technology will also be a central theme. This involves increased filling quality, better system availability and lower costs for maintenance, energy water and cleaning agents – advantages that are generated also by consistent application of hygienic design."

Increased hygiene requirements

According to estimates by the VDMA time spent on cleaning in the food industry is around 20 to 30 percent – in other words it is a considerable factor. The aim therefore continues to be to constantly optimize the cleaning of machinery, systems and components, as well as processes, with the aim of reducing cleaning times while maintaining high product quality and safety. The answer lies in hygienic design, i.e. taking hygiene requirements into account in all phases of the design and manufacture of production systems. On show at drinktec 2013 will be contemporary, sustainable solutions targeted at reducing cost in terms of cleaning time, energy, water and chemicals. In cleaning returnable bottles, for example, the emphasis is on optimizing energy and water consumption. For small- and medium-sized beverage manufacturers, the exhibitors at drinktec will be showcasing cleaning machines that can do everything that the high-performance machines can – for example inclined cleaning baths, one or two pre-treatment stages or post-lye spraying.

Exciting developments are also emerging in the area of continuous inspection of empty and filled bottles. As well as full visual inspection, some new empty-bottle inspectors also have X-ray imaging, at infeed and discharge points. Also interesting are newly developed technologies with high-performance cameras to identify damage on the inside of the necks of empty containers. Fill-level inspectors, used to identify containers with too much or too little content, can be fitted with acoustic bottle-burst detectors.

Modular design is changing filling processes

The rise and rise of PET bottles has had a key influence on developments in filling technology and on the flow technology used to control volumes. At drinktec 2013 visitors can take a look at the latest advances in modular-designed systems that can be combined from the start (or retrofitted) with cappers, blowing machines or labeling machines. This brings new flexibility and enhanced energy-efficiency and availability to filling operations. New, flexible fillers are suited both to hot-filling in PET and glass bottles, as well as cold-filling of non-carbonated drinks. With a large product range, rapid adjustment of filling levels, without having to change filling tubes, is an important factor in profitability. These days, fruit juices and milk-based drinks containing whole pieces of fruit, for example, can be manufactured and filled in a very gentle way. Particularly interesting for PET containers is the theme of "lightweighting" to save costs and preserve resources – with corresponding effects on filling technology, for example in filling with nitrogen injection.

Modern filling systems with the highest flexibility

For global manufacturer of filling and packaging systems such as KHS, drinktec "is the most important trade fair". Prof. Niemeyer: "Its strong international orientation is tailored exactly to our needs. As the leading trade fair drinktec is the ideal platform for presenting new and exciting developments, and at the same time it is the perfect place to forge and strengthen international contacts." Petra Westphal, Exhibition Director of drinktec, puts it like this: "drinktec is like a net that keeps the sector together. It´s like a home from home."

A visit to the world fair for the beverage and liquid food industry, between 16 and 20 September 2013, is a chance for all beverage fillers, technical experts, engineering offices and system manufacturers to gather first-class input. Here they will be able to inspect modern filling systems that provide ultimate flexibility, combined with the best microbiological product safety and easy operation, and deliver energy savings and optimum machine and system availability. What does the future look like in machinery and systems for filling? drinktec 2013 maps it out.

Further information: www.drinktec.com

About drinktec

drinktec is the "World’s Leading Trade Fair for the Beverage and Liquid Food Industry". It is the most important trade fair for the sector. Manufacturers and suppliers from all over the world – global companies and SMEs alike – meet up here with all sizes of producers and retailers of beverages and liquid food products. Within the sector drinktec is regarded as the number one platform for launching new products on the world market. At this event manufacturers present the latest technology for processing, filling, packaging and marketing all kinds of beverages and liquid food – raw materials and logistics solutions included. The themes of beverages marketing and packaging design round off the portfolio.

drinktec 2013, which takes place at the Messe München exhibition center in Munich, from September 16 to 20, 2013, is expected to attract around 1,500 exhibitors from over 70 countries and approximately 60,000 visitors from more than 170 countries.

Messe München GmbH

drinktec Press Office

Johannes Manger and Benjamin Büttner

Tel. (+49 89) 949-21482, Fax (+49 89) 949-9721482

Johannes.Manger@messe-muenchen.de/ Benjamin Büttner@messe-muenchen.de