Environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic: new KHS machine processes can toppers made of cardboard

The packaging is user friendly, the material kind to the environment, the machine powerful: the KHS Group’s Innopack Kisters CNP (Carton Nature Packer) processes can toppers made of cardboard at a rate of up to 108,000 cans per hour. With the help of its recently developed CNP machine, the turnkey supplier is now establishing a further sustainable form of secondary packaging on the market.

The Innopack Kisters CNP has been designed as a modular system that can be individually added to as and when required. This means that operators can switch to different cardboard materials or alter the pack size, among other options. With it KHS offers its customers smart, flexible plant technology that enables them to perfectly react to rapidly changing consumer demands. Sören Storbeck, global packaging product account manager at KHS, knows just how important this flexibility is in secondary packaging. “On the market we’re noticing that packaging variants are being established as alternatives to single-use plastic, especially in the beer and carbonated soft drink segments.” Over the past few years KHS has thus built up an extensive portfolio of environmentally-friendly, recyclable systems and solutions.

Environmentally-friendly packaging without plastic
The new Innopack Kisters CNP also contributes to this strategic alignment. KHS has found a strong partner for its sustainable packaging system: the cardboard can toppers, available in both a closed (TopClip) and open (GreenClip) version, are by Smurfit Kappa, one of the biggest manufacturers of cardboard in the world. “Thanks to Smurfit Kappa’s many years of expertise, coupled with our complex specialist knowledge in mechanical engineering, we can offer our customers a future-proof packaging system that’s sustainable, consumer friendly and gentle on resources,” Storbeck explains.

In relation to the open topper solution, whilst still working very closely with Smurfit Kappa, KHS found it important to also find a solution that is independent of the blank manufacturer in order to offer its customers maximum flexibility and freedom when choosing their packaging materials suppliers. A range of freely selectable options is also available when it comes to processing. Accordingly, the new cardboard packer can be used for both standard and sleek can formats holding between 250 and 580 milliliters. The alternative to classic plastic film or plastic rings also manages various sizes of multipack containing four, six or eight containers.

Benefits at the point of sale
Adhesive is not used during processing; the pack is kept stable by the punched and folded cardboard topper. “This means that the cardboard satisfies the highest demands for sustainability. It’s made of renewable raw materials and is fully recyclable and biodegradable,” smiles Storbeck. With this the KHS Group is once again pursuing its goal to close the materials loop in the interest of a circular economy. The packer is also convincing with its extremely low energy consumption.

As an option, the CNP machine can be equipped with a camera-controlled orientation module. The great advantage here is that with the help of the module cans can be individually and precisely positioned within the pack. This gives beverage producers and retailers a number of clear benefits, especially in product marketing. The option of individual can alignment makes the brand more visible to consumers, heightening the product’s presence at the point of sale. The cardboard topper also provides extra space for advertising messages.

Based on proven technology
Although the Innopack Kisters CNP is a new development from KHS, it is based on proven technology. The first six meters of the machine, for example, are identical to the Innopack Nature MultiPack now established on the market. Moreover, the modular Carton Nature Packer can be integrated into existing lines without any problem. In order to ideally tailor the machine to individual requirements, KHS offers its customers and all other interested parties a comprehensive consultancy service – from planning through configuration to implementation of the system.

With its new development the systems supplier is consistently complying with its philosophy of offering its clients flexible machinery that can process an extremely broad spectrum of secondary packaging – in full accordance with the wishes and requirements of the bottler or canner. “Optimizing our systems and saving on materials and energy as a result have long been among our core activities,” emphasizes Storbeck. “In the Carton Nature Packer we offer the beverage industry yet another system that’s fit for the future.”