Sidel is setting new benchmarks for Injection Stretch Blow-Moulded clear Polypropylene (ISBM cPP) and signs collaboration agreement with Milliken

At the K Show, Sidel presented some of its latest Injection Stretch Blow Moulded Clear Polypropylene (ISBM cPP) bottles, demonstrating breakthrough in clarified PP combined with blowing PP on Series 2+ equipment : “crystal clear” bottle walls with excellent material distribution, combined with the possibility of increasing production speeds to outputs reaching 1,500 bph/m.

These breakthroughs make ISBM PP more appealing than ever, offering a competitive packaging alternative in the food and beverage market, combining all the benefits of a plastic package including affordable cost for products such as juices, isotonics, dairy products, and water. Consequently, ISBM PP stands out as a complementary offer to ISBM PET in the Sidel scope of offer.

Sidel benefits from key advantages in ISBM cPP field:

Unique know-how and experience, based on unmatched expertise for bottle and preform design gained through numerous successful trials. Sidel has developed specific knowledge for ISBM PP production, with a special focus on preform design, the reheat process and mould adaptation to address all issues related to the shrinkage (specifically for PP), venting, and bottle cooling.

Strong technical partnerships with key players. Trials have demonstrated how vital it is for an ISBM cPP project to integrate experts from various fields including materials, additives, preform and bottle design, injection equipment and process, blowing equipment and process.

Collaboration with Milliken Chemical has been particularly important: combining their expertise has allowed the two teams to not only improve bottle transparency significantly but also to successfully increase production outputs and broaden the process window. To push R&D efforts further to expand the scope of this technology and, through joint projects, make ISBM cPP available worldwide to package more applications, Sidel and Milliken have signed a collaboration agreement.

Joint efforts by Sidel and Milliken are already paying off in the field, with a first complete ISBM cPP supply chain set up in Brazil. Braskem, the leading thermoplastic resin supplier in Latin America, has joined forces with Sidel and Milliken, to meet the need of Packpet, a local converter: Packpet will provide ISBM cPP bottles to Tampico, a major US based player for the juice drink industry. ISBM cPP allows Tampico to launch a new juice drink, Tampikids, with higher juice content and no preservatives: Tampikids will be available for tasting on Sidel’s and Milliken’s booths at the K-show.

Milliken Chemical is a division of Milliken & Company, one of the world’s largest privately held textile and chemical corporations, with headquarters in Spartanburg, South Carolina - USA. Milliken is a market leader in additives for plastics, including Millad 3988 clarifying agent, Hyperform nucleating agents, Cleartint polymer colorants, and Clearshield UV absorbers.