KHS Competence 01.2014, english

Transcription

01.2014
The trend interview
The experts visit KHS
PET round table (II)
» 06
» 22
Innovation
Innopack Kisters TSP:
the packaging genius
Service
» 54
KHS workshops worldwide:
added value for the customer
KHS USA
Striving for success
Georg Zuzok, head of Market Zone Americas at KHS GmbH,
on 40 years of good customer relations
and the potentials on a market full of change
Editorial
Dear Readers:
In America – or, to be more precise, in the United States – making a professional career or simply
being successful is not that easy. But it’s by no means impossible. We’re indeed familiar with the
many stories of people who’ve gone from rags to riches in the days gone by. KHS, too, has its own
fine tale to tell of success in the USA. Founded as a sales office over 40 years ago with its two pro
duction sites, KHS USA is now a major player for the beverage industry when it comes to filling and
packaging technology, holding a market share of approximately 35%.
Reason enough for us to focus this issue of our magazine on the land of unlimited oppor
tunity – or rather to take a look behind the scenes, where our customers are pursuing exemplary
ideas and using cutting-edge machine technology to do so. And with great success. Take the me
teoric development of America’s craft breweries on the market, for instance. Many of them are al
ready relying on our systems to bottle their beverages. One of these systems is our new microfiller,
which fully translates all the beneficial options of high-performance technology to the medium
capacity range. From page 60 onwards you can find out what’s happening on the markets in the
U.S. and how traditional family businesses, such as Yuengling & Son and Lakefront, and the young,
self-made men at Oskar Blues, for example, are asserting themselves in the brewing industry – of
ten with great success.
“interpack is the largest packaging trade show in the world.
And of course we’ll be there!”
There’s a lot happening on the other side of The Pond, which we’d like to draw your attention to.
First and foremost, this again includes a good number of innovations, which KHS will be presenting
at this year’s interpack from May 8–14 in Düsseldorf, Germany (beginning on page 16). The spec
trum ranges from our new tray shrink packer (page 22), which can do practically anything, through
the revolutionary Nature MultiPack™ packaging system, which forms simple multipacks with dots
of special adhesive, thus considerably saving on both costs and materials (page 28), to the horizon
tal conveyor, which conveys lightweight preforms even more quickly, gently, and reliably.
The team here at KHS is already looking forward to being able to demonstrate these and many
other ideas to you at the trade show. And as always, our systems are intended to specifically give
your company the best possible added value – and, in an ideal scenario, the definite edge on your
competitors. As at last year’s drinktec, we’d like to continue our dialog with you at interpack 2014.
We’d like you to rest assured that, according to our uppermost principle, KHS is First Choice in Tech
nology and Service.
We look forward to meeting you at our trade show booth in Düsseldorf in May!
Warm regards,
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Niemeyer
competence
02/03
01.2014
CEO/CTO, KHS GmbH
“We’d like both our present and
prospective customers to rest
assured that KHS is First Choice in
Technology and Service.”
Contents
I N FO C US
06
The trend interview
06
PET round table (II)
The experts air their very
different views on PET.
Innovation
16
interpack 2014 – KHS awaits you!
KHS at interpack 2014.
Focus on the USA:
40 years of KHS –
of people and systems
Systems for sectors
20
Innovative strength
Quality and customer orientation
Topic overview: innovations
Page 60–97
22
The packaging genius
Premiere of a real allrounder:
the Innopack Kisters TSP.
26
To start with, we’d like to say a big thank-you to all our
customers. Without your ongoing trust it wouldn’t have
been possible for KHS to have now acted as a reliable
partner to a great number of companies on the North
American filling and packaging markets for 40 years.
The current successful advance of the States’ innovative
craft breweries is proving absolutely fascinating – and
is packed with emotion!
The new Primus
Innopack Kisters Primus SP:
now fully optimized.
28
Full points for glue
Nature MultiPack™: adhesive
is revolutionizing packaging technology.
30
Simple. Powerful. Fast.
Innopal PB1NF: the highspeed palletizing
system – even with a lowlevel pack feed.
competence
04/05
01.2014
54
36
High-speed Feedflow
New horizontal conveyor: 84,000
preforms per hour, even with lightweights
weighing less than ten grams.
74
Systems for sectors
60
USA
Topic overview.
40
62
Building bridges to the future
KHS USA
Industry 4.0: the Bitburger Brewery Group
and KHS move towards the smart factory of
the future.
Interview with Georg Zuzok, head of Market
Zone Americas for KHS GmbH.
46
Pouches in vogue
The Innopouch K series perfects
pouch packaging like no other.
68
108
90
World’s No. 1
Beam, the largest spirits manufacturer in the
USA, swears by KHS packaging systems.
94
drinktec 2013
A perfect performance.
Special
Bound by tradition
98
D.G. Yuengling & Son again opts for the
latest keg technology from KHS.
The aesthetics of functionality
74
When art meets technology, the result
is much more than functional production
plant or soulless factory.
A good time
Market report
50
Oskar Blues is one of the
most unconventional breweries
in the USA. KHS is in on the act.
Lao Brewery / Bowen & Bowen /
78
Brandenburger Urstromquelle
Lakefront in Milwaukee invests in the
KHS Innofill Glass Micro filling system.
Pivara Trebjesa / CCA, Guatemala /
Service
54
Service = partnership
KHS Service workshops all over the world.
The book of life
82
In-house news
104
News from KHS
KHS PET event in Hamburg / VDM mineral
water summit / Third FOX GOLD AWARD /
VLB South America Symposium / Logistics
outsourcing
Family harmony
106
Crossroads was founded in 2011 and is
already pushing the limits of its capacity
with three KHS turnkey lines.
“That’s my job”
86
Direct line to the customer.
108
Click by click
The joys of technology
KHS web news.
Leaving the converters behind:
Coca-Cola bottler CCNNE now produces
PET bottles with KHS technology.
109
KHS competence
The trend interview
4
3
2
1
Part 2
P·E·T
ROUND
TABLE
5
competence
06/07
01.2014
6
7
8
9
10
The experts and their hosts
1 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Otto Appel
4 Bernd Kempa
8 Claudia Schulte
Managing director,
Managing director, KHS Plasmax
Packaging designer
professor at OTH Regensburg,
5 Frank Haesendonckx
9 Hermann Neugebauer
Germany
Head of Sales and Technology,
Project manager for Europe,
KHS Corpoplast
Resilux PET Packaging
6 Matthias Damm
10 Matthias Gernhuber
Head of Corporate
Sales East/Product Support,
Communication, KHS
KHS Corpoplast
PETnology/tecPET, and
2 Friederike Arndt
Arndt Press Agency
3 Jörg Schönwald
Managing director,
Schönwald Consulting
7 Reinhold Jülg
Head of development,
Brandenburger Urstromquelle
The trend interview
Part 2
P·E·T
ROUND
TABLE
The experts air their very different views on PET /
PET is increasingly becoming an issue for the beverage
industry, with topics such as lightweighting, reduced packaging costs, sustainability, recycling, flexibility, and
bottlers versus converters as major concerns. Eight experts
discuss the above at the PET round table held at the KHS
site in Hamburg, Germany, reveal a number of new
perspectives and visions for the future.
Part 2 in this issue of KHS competence.
competence
08/09
01.2014
“There will be an increased focus on
the control of the recycling flow in
the future. This gives large PET
processing and filling plants potential
for further cost reductions.”
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Otto Appel
Managing director, PETnology/tecPET, and
professor at OTH Regensburg, Germany
During our first session we talked in detail about re-
Jülg: Above all, I think that the biggest advantage of in
cycling (see KHS competence 2.2013). Let’s now turn
house preform production is that preforms can be manu
to the various business models. More and more bot-
factured to an individual company’s exact specifications.
tlers are making their own preforms. What do you think
A converter who supplies a great number of companies
the future looks like for converters? Do you think we
has to be much broader in its range of products and often
could even see bottlers competing with converters for
can’t provide this kind of individuality.
business?
Neugebauer: Another thing is that as converters we sup
Jülg: No, I can’t see bottlers vying with converters. We’re
ply bottlers who utilize completely different generations
not competitors. What we do at the Brandenburger Ur
and models of machinery. There’s a whole spectrum of
stromquelle mineral water bottling plant is make our own
stretch blow molders dating from 1990 to 2013. We have
preforms in order to keep the entire bottle production
to design preforms to suit them all.
chain under one roof and to optimize processes. We thus
have complete control over the quality of the materials we
Gernhuber: New machines are in a completely different
use for our preforms, can be specific in our lightweight
league when it comes to setting options and repeated ac
ing and optimize the addition of substances such as AA
curacies compared to machines from 1990. On the latter
blockers* according to our requirements. The use of as few
heavier preforms have to be used, which in turn is detri
additives as possible in particular also enables us to ensure
mental to cost. I think that the subject of converters has
that we have the recyclate quality we want, for instance.
many sides to it. Are we talking about an existing bottle,
for example, which could become lighter through the im
Neugebauer: I also don’t feel that there’s any competition
proved repeatability of a new machine? Or are we deal
between converters and bottlers. I see the situation as fol
ing with a new bottle development, where factors govern
lows. With a turnover of around 500 to 800 million PET
ing its further processing on fillers, labelers, packers, etc.,
bottles a year – depending on the product mix – costwise
have to be taken into account and therefore also deter
it’s not worthwhile for beverage companies to incorpo
mined? Or is only the preform supplied? I’ve noticed that
rate a preform production line into their operations. For
the beverage companies in Japan are increasingly invest
companies who sell more than 800 million PET bottles a
ing in their own developments and not accepting the pre
year, however, making their own preforms could indeed
fabricated results supplied by converters. This is to gener
prove profitable.
ate savings potentials on the one hand and because they
*Acetaldehyde blocker (eds.)
The trend interview
“In my view, ways must
be found to ensure a defined
recyclate quality for all beverage
and food bottling plants.”
Neugebauer: If companies can’t really exploit the cost re
duction factor, then I’m convinced that the converter is
here to stay, both for returnable and non-returnable PET.
As a rule, high volumes in the returnable segment are no
longer common. After all, there aren’t only beverage com
panies who supply discounters and retailers in large quan
tities. Incidentally, there’s a very different model, which
Frank Haesendonckx
could prove interesting for converters, namely in-house
Head of Sales and Technology, KHS Corpoplast
operations. We’re currently having excellent experience
with in-house support along these lines.
Haesendonckx: I also think in-house blow molding will
be a great opportunity for converters in the future. I be
lieve all kinds of interesting synergy effects could be re
alized here.
Let’s now move to future visions for PET. Where do you
personally think PET will be in the next 10 to 20 years?
Where are we going here? Are there possibly any other
often feel that they’re not being kept up to date by con
types of plastic material, which could replace PET? Mr.
verters on the other.
Schönwald, to set the mood for this topic I’d like to ask
you for your assessment of how the PET beverage bottle
Dr. Appel: Especially with beverage companies who have
could develop further in the future in the various regions
very high outputs, such as those who supply discounters
of the world.
and retailers, all steps in the process are very quality and
cost oriented. It’s therefore perfectly understandable that
Schönwald: Let’s begin with Asia, more specifically with
with a growing cost squeeze along the entire PET value
Japan, a country that very clearly has a special status within
chain – from the preform to the delivery of the finished
Asia as a whole. Japan is a highly developed country. I
bottle – companies want to govern their own processes.
don’t know anywhere else that makes such high demands
However, I also ask myself how things will progress with
of PET beverage packaging as Japan. The market will con
the returnable PET bottle. Could this possibly be an area
tinue to develop here, although I only forecast low growth
where converters could grow stronger?
rates.
competence
10/11
01.2014
“All in all, I believe the premium
PET bottle will be the new glass bottle.
Claudia Schulte
Packaging designer
In the other countries of Asia, on the other hand, we
must reckon on a high growth in PET beverage bottles,
which could very well amount to between 6% and 8%.
It’s estimated that in the next ten years there’ll be about
2.5 billion new consumers who will go from being poor
to becoming middle class. The majority of them come
from Asia and will then be able to afford beverages
in plastic bottles for the first time in their lives. This of
course will vastly enhance the aforementioned growth
rates.
I think Africa is the continent, which is most neglected
and I don’t dare to venture a specific prognosis here.
In Latin America, however, I expect to see a further
economic upswing and thus also a plus in PET bottles. All
told, the growth rate here could easily be over 5% per year.
In Western Europe and North America we can as
sume that the annual increase will be roughly 4% maxi
“I think that people in developed countries in particular will watch out for even
greater quality and sustainability in any form.”
mum. The biggest issue in North America in my view is the
Bernd Kempa
low recycling rate. Here, almost 70% of PET bottles are still
Managing director, KHS Plasmax
used as landfill*. The Americans are also used to cans and
will probably continue to consider them the best for fill
ing volumes of up to 0.5 liters versus other container types
materials frequently used here which affect the taste
in the future, too.
of the beverage considerably after just a short time. All
In Western Europe PET has become a reputable
packing material, even if not for all types of beverage.
in all, I see a yearly plus of about 5% in PET bottles for
Eastern Europe.
Beer and wine are still the exception, for example, and
still popular in the glass bottle. Things could change
Haesendonckx: I’m also convinced that PET has a future
here.
career on the world’s markets. This material will certainly
In Eastern Europe, on the other hand, beer in PET
continue to be used for plastic beverage bottles. In the
is an established concept and will undoubtedly con
past few years, people have tried to launch alternative ma
tinue to play a big role. However, consumer enjoyment
terials for beverage bottle stretch blow molding to mar
of beer may be slightly spoiled by the barrier-free bottle
ket, such as PP, HDPE, and PLA. Yet unlike PET they don’t
*At waste disposal sites (eds.)
The trend interview
“Experience has taught us that we
have to treat the reduction in bottle
material very carefully and attach
great importance to retaining
bottle stability.”
Reinhold Jülg
Head of development, Brandenburger Urstromquelle
as we’re in for a generation change. Many young peo
ple have grown up with plastic bottles and see them as
perfectly normal containers. They’ve cast off of their par
ents’ negative associations. New ways of life call for con
venience and lifestyle, both of which plastic bottles have.
On the other hand, I think that topics like sustainabil
ity and recycling definitely have to be communicated to
a new generation hungry for information. All in all, I be
have the higher stability needed in the stretch blow mold
lieve the premium PET bottle will be the new glass bottle.
ing process. Also, compared to PET they’re less transparent
and thus less suitable here right from the start.
Gernhuber: I agree. In the premium segment especially,
where the margins are even greater, I’d also see the big
Dr. Appel: I also see no danger of PET being substituted
gest future incentive in promoting communication with
in the future. I think that PET manufactured using con
the consumer, persuading them that lightweighting not
ventional processes will still be available to us over the
only means cutting costs but is also a feat of premium en
next few generations. It’s good that the new biopolyester
gineering, which protects our environment. After all, pre
made of renewable raw materials can also be processed
mium suppliers can establish a far more intensive contact
on the same machinery.
with the consumer through marketing than discounters
can.
Haesendonckx: In the meantime, I also see biopolyes
For me, this is a vision, which will surely take time to
ter primarily as a communication and marketing vehicle,
realize. Nonetheless, in my view consumers can only be
which helps to sell a beverage or a company’s image bet
convinced that lightweight bottles are good, safe, and
ter. Whether bottles made of renewable raw materials
sustainable in this manner. I also believe that the specifi
really do provide added value remains to be seen.
cations for PET applicable worldwide should be a thing of
the past. We need country-specific specifications, which
Schulte: I think that the plastic bottle’s image will be
have been adjusted to suit the technical conditions and
come more positive in the future than it has been to date
distribution chains available in that particular country.
competence
12/13
01.2014
“Where the move from glass
to plastic was once
a vision, it’s now reality.
Hermann Neugebauer
Project manager for Europe, Resilux PET Packaging
“As long as there’s PET
packaging, there’ll
be attempts to optimize
it further.”
Matthias Gernhuber
Sales East/Product Support, KHS Corpoplast
Dr. Appel: I think lightweight bottles represent technolog
Neugebauer: I’d like to add that in the future I also see a
ical quality. Communicating – what is quality? – is a sepa
growing potential for beverages, which to date are very
rate issue. As to my vision of PET for the future, I primarily
rarely bottled in PET. In Western Europe this includes
see the entire value chain and the never-ending pressures
beer, wine and, as previously mentioned, milk. I think that
of cost. For me, it’s just a question of time until the first
there’s plenty of opportunity here, especially in view of
big bottler also becomes a manufacturer of PET material
the dawn of the next generation.
after going through all stages in the process from glass
to PET, from bottle buyer to bottle blower and from bot
Kempa: We’ve realized that people in developed coun
tle blower to preform producer. With technologies like Di
tries in particular will watch out for even greater quality
rect To Preform the bottler would have control over the
and sustainability in any form. Information patterns will
entire value chain.
change and people will question both the product and
The trend interview
“The added value of the PET
bottle can basically only be
assessed on a product-toproduct, region-to-region,
and country-to-country basis.”
Jörg Schönwald
Managing director, Schönwald Consulting
packaging in great detail. For me, this also means that brands will con
molding, filling, and aseptics there’s still a lot for the ma
tinue to gain in importance in the future, especially when discussing
chine industry to do and that structures within the distri
issues such as these, for a brand stands for a promise of quality and is
bution system will change.
naturally bound to keep this promise so as not to disappoint the con
For instance, I’ve heard of an interesting new idea in
sumer. I’m sure that the issues are very different in newly industrial
the Czech Republic recently, where a non-alcoholic alterna
izing countries, where it’s not a question of water being nicely pack
tive to mulled wine is to be sold in PET bottles from vend
aged, for instance, but whether there’s actually enough water of a
ing machines in the winter. What’s special here is that the
suitable quality to go round.
beverage is first heated to 37°C. I also still see huge areas
of application for PET in the food industry. Pureed toma
Haesendonckx: Another point for the future I consider relevant is the
toes, soups, sauces, etc. – in my opinion there’s still a vast
development of a new distribution culture. Walmart, for example, is
potential especially in the food industry.
already putting up billboards in the subways of South Korea for prod
This field will then make new demands of convert
ucts, which are printed with barcodes. With the help of my iPhone, I
ers and the manufacturers of stretch blow molders. They
can then simply order the beverages shown, for instance, and have
should also supply machines with fewer cavities to food
them delivered to my home. This could be a topic for the future, as
companies wanting to start production with PET bottles.
could ordering beverages on the Internet.
Pack designs then have to be adapted to suit these new channels
Thanks to you all for this fascinating discussion, your
of distribution. For PET bottles this means technically optimizing the
many new thoughts and ideas, interesting visions for
weight to ensure maximum product quality within the relevant distri
the future and finally for something Mr. Schönwald said,
bution chain.
which you’ve all confirmed and, which also seems relevant to the future:
Neugebauer: I think that where the move from glass to plastic was
“PET – what else?"
once a vision, it’s now reality. Customer information is of course im
portant. However, I consider that the work involved in helping PET be
come an accepted material is over, since PET for beverages is now nor
mal. However, I also think that in the fields of injection molding, blow
The round table was chaired by Friederike Arndt,
Frank Haesendonckx and Matthias Damm.
competence
14/15
01.2014
This second part now concludes the PET
round table. Look forward to a new trend
interview in the next issue of KHS competence!
The trend interview
Talks with qualified experts are designed to provide an insight into
future developments on our global markets and in the beverage, food,
and non-food industries in particular. To date KHS competence
has conducted interviews ...
... with Professor Peter Wippermann, one of the guiding lights in
trend-related market research, on the general tendencies in the beverage
and food industries;
... with Fred Piercy, business director for wines and spirits at the largest global packaging company listed on the stock exchange, Amcor Rigid
Plastics, on the trend towards wine in PET bottles;
... with Thomas Haensch, vice-president of Sales, Marketing & Innovation
at Ball Packaging Europe, on the future of the can;
... and with Petra Westphal, project manager of the drinktec trade show,
on global trends in the beverage and liquid food industries.
Trade show special
1
competence
16/17
01.2014
2
1Reaching
for the skies: the
television tower in
Düsseldorf.
2
Düsseldorf’s trea
sures: the Lamber
tuskirche with its
crooked spire (cen
ter) and
the palace tower or
Schlossturm on the
banks of the River
Rhine (right).
KHS presents holistic packaging systems
with added value for the customer
interpack 2014
KHS AWAITS YOU!
Whenever the packaging industry meets for the world’s trade shows, interest
is focused on KHS / At this year’s interpack from May 8–14 in Düsseldorf,
Germany, KHS will not only have several practical improvements on show but –
once again – also a number of pioneering innovations.
Trade show special
1
2
3
interpack
2014
Hall 13
Booth A31
in Düsseldorf
May 8–14
1Breathtaking:
the Flehe Bridge
over the Rhine.
A
2
Stylish: stuccoed fa
cades on the Rhine
promenade.
3City with a view:
looking out over the
River Rhine.
s always, partners, customers, and suppliers can look
forward to a warm welcome from KHS at their spa
cious trade show booth, with lots of exciting exhibits to in
regarding containers, processing cans or bottles, contain
vestigate first hand. There’s of course also plenty of time
ers made of glass, metal or plastic (PET or PP), cylindrical
for constructive discussion in pleasant surroundings, with
or rectangular, tall or flat receptacles. Everything can be
versatile culinary offerings to enhance the comfortable at
quickly and simply changed over with just a few manual
mosphere. Exciting packaging and palletizing options are
adjustments.
just some of the delights in store. We’d like to take this
The machine is also extremely cost effective as it saves
opportunity to introduce you to one of our trade show
materials, time, and personnel. What’s important for prac
highlights in more detail in advance: the Innopack Kisters
tical operation is that it can produce what are known as
TSP. This high-performance packaging genius is extremely
FullyEnclosed FilmPacks – even with PET – creating shrink
flexible in its application and noticeably saves on resources
packs without bull’s eyes. You can read about this and all
and especially costs. The ultramodern tray shrink packer
other details in our major innovation section beginning
(TSP) accurately processes up to 7,200 packs per hour and
on page 20.
permits operation on up to four parallel lanes for a variety
To make your stay even more interesting, on the
of packs, such as tray and film, tray only, pad and film or
next page we’ve put together a few tips for your time
film only. Impressive packaging sizes of up to 80 x 41 cm
away from the show. We wish you a pleasant stay in
are possible. The machine also knows almost no bounds
Düsseldorf!
“KHS recognized the
benefits of environmentally-friendly and
sustainable packaging
systems for its customers
well in advance.
At interpack 2014
we will again delight trade
visitors from all over
the world with our
resource-saving machines,
which consume
as few materials
as possible.”
competence
18/19
01.2014
Welcome to
DÜSSELDORF
Capital of the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia Düsseldorf frequently rates as one of the most desirable cities in the world to live in. Even visitors to the
trade show with limited free time can easily discover the
many charms of the metropolis on the Rhine.
Here, a few suggestions as to what to see and do.
Shopping and exploring in the old town and on the Kö
4
4Prof. E. h.
Dr.-Ing. Johann
Grabenweger
CSO, KHS GmbH
It’s just 15 minutes from the showground to Old Düsseldorf with
its world-famous Königsallee (Kö) shopping boulevard and elegant brand-name boutiques. Even if you don’t want to spend a lot
of money, this historic quarter is a great place to wander and wonder. You’ll also not go thirsty: the more than 300 pubs squeezed
into half a square kilometer of space have earned Düsseldorf’s old
town the nickname of ’the world’s longest bar’. And how can you
come to Düsseldorf without trying a glass or two of its typical dark,
top-fermented Altbier? One special tip is the traditional Im Goldenen Ring inn (Burgplatz 21) near the palace tower (Schlossturm),
the city’s oldest brewery pub.
Excellent Japanese cuisine There are of course plenty of alternatives to traditional German cuisine – and more than one evening to
fill during the week of the trade show. The around 6,500 Japanese
5
5The new Zollhof:
impressive ensem
ble by architect
Frank Gehry in the
Medienhafen.
people who live in Düsseldorf and lend it an atmosphere of Far East
exoticism have left their culinary mark on the city. If you fancy enjoying some authentic dishes from the Land of the Rising Sun, why not
peruse the versatile menu at Kikadu (Klosterstraße 30) in the center
of town, which has a lot more to offer than just sushi and sake?
Sumptuous dining at the Hummer-Stübchen You can dine in
style at the Hummer-Stübchen seafood restaurant (Bonifatiusstraße
35), awarded two Michelin stars, opposite the showground on the
left bank of the Rhine. A well-stocked wine cellar perfectly complements the imaginative lobster creations served at this noble
establishment.
Entertainment included If you feel like some entertainment in the
evening, there’s plenty to choose from in Düsseldorf. On the first
three nights of the trade show, celebrities including Robbie Williams, top German comedian Otto Waalkes, and crowd-puller Mario
Barth will be giving guest performances in Düsseldorf – offering a
truly varied program of events catering to all tastes.
Dr. Thomas J. Kinne, journalist and Düsseldorf expert
Innovation
Innovation
Page 20–49
Innovative strength
Quality and customer orientation
competence
20/21
01.2014
Innovative strength, quality and customer orientation – these are the
values and aptitudes that make KHS one of the world’s leading providers
of filling and packaging systems / In the following section we present you
with a selection of our new and further developments, some of which
you can see live at interpack 2014.
22 Innopack Kisters TSP: the packaging genius
The new tray shrink packer, which can now do almost anything –
even shrink packs without bull’s eyes for PET
26 Compact packaging system: the new Primus
Highly efficient packing systems even in the low-capacity class
28 Nature MultiPack™
Making multipacks the easy way with dots of special adhesive –
saving both costs and materials
30 The Innopal PB1NF palletizer: Simple. Powerful. Fast.
The holistic palletizing concept for great flexibility and economy
36 Innovative preform feed: high-speed Feedflow
The new horizontal conveyor conveys ultralight preforms quickly,
gently, and reliably
40 Line monitoring: building bridges to the future
KHS and the Bitburger Brewery Group on the way
to the smart factory of the future
46 Pouch packaging: pouches in vogue
KHS’ world first for pouching machines
Innovation
High-performance tray shrink packer
THE
PACKAGING GENIUS
competence
22/23
01.2014
Special features: maximum
flexibility and FullyEnclosed FilmPacks,
even for PET.
At the beginning of May, KHS will be introducing the Innopack Kisters TSP
packaging machine to the public at interpack 2014 in Düsseldorf, Germany /
KHS again scores top marks for technical innovation with this all-rounder
in all areas, which are important to the customers of today.
“T
o be First Choice in Technology and Service is KHS’ ul
when required. The innovative Advanced series also in
timate goal – and the one that the company will again
cludes a whole host of further improvements right down
be honoring to the full at interpack 2014. The Innopack
the line, which we’d like to introduce you to in the follow
Kisters TSP packaging system on show at the KHS booth,
ing sections.
for instance, is highperformance technology that is not
only extremely flexible and saves considerably on re
sources but is also particularly cost effective in operation.
Capacity: up to 7,200
packs per hour
The tray shrink packer in the Advanced machine se
At a speed of up to 120 cycles per minute in onelane oper
ries is a real allrounder when it comes to its multitude of
ation, the ultramodern tray shrink packer (TSP) packages
pack and packaging options. The packer is modular in de
up to 7,200 packs per hour reliably, hygienically, and with
sign and can therefore ideally cater to all future indus
the utmost precision. Its width enables operation on up to
try and consumer demands. Additional functional mod
four lanes; troublefree changeovers to all kinds of format
ules can be quickly and easily added to the machine if and
can be made quickly and easily at any time.
Innovation
The five chief
benefits
1. Increased performance
2. Greater flexibility
3. Greater economy
4. Better handling
of resources
5. Optimized ease
of operation
Cost effective:
saves materials, time, and personnel
The conveyor belt located above the folding and setting
station saves time. When the packer is scheduled to pro
duce shrink packs only, the belt is simply lowered at the
press of a button. This takes just half the time required for
the previous changeover process and one person is able to
carry out the semiautomatic conversion alone.
The conveyor belts are automatically adjusted by
pneumatic elements and thus reduce wear and mainte
nance. The machine is also extremely easy to inspect and
as there are few spare parts only a minimum amount of
time and materials are required when changing wear
parts. Its wellengineered design with identical servo mo
tors also simplifies spare part stockkeeping. The packer’s
high standard of quality means that it has an availability
of 98.5%.
Flexible: many more types of pack possible
FullyEnclosed FilmPacks:
also for PET
The tray shrink packer provides a number of packing
A new feature of this machine is what are known as Fully
options:
→ Trays and film
Enclosed FilmPacks – i.e. shrink packs without bull’s eyes –
are possible not only for cans and glass bottles, as in the
→ trays only
→ pads and film or
past, but also for PET containers. This version decreases
→ film only.
trays and pads to stabilize the packs.
the consumption of materials by eliminating the need for
The larger working width of the new design enables pack
At the same time, highprecision film folding, cutting,
sizes of up to 80 x 41 cm to be created. The range of prod
and positioning by a completely new, sensordriven web
ucts to be packed is also practically inexhaustible; whether
edge control unit reduces film widths to a minimum. Very
cans or bottles, containers made of glass, plastic (PET or
thin shrink film can also be used.
HDPP), metal or cardboard, whether cylindrical or rect
These advantages are quickly reflected in a consider
angular, as tall as a bottle or as flat as a can of sardines,
able reduction in operating costs. Precision control of the
whether loose or prepackaged, the new Innopack Kisters
web edge alone through constant scanning and readjust
TSP does them all.
ment of the film position enables less material to be used,
It’s also important to note here that the machine oper
with the result that the user saves over 5% of the amount
ators can change over to the required formats and capacity
of material used to date. Applied to a period of one year
levels within a very short amount of time thanks to the
this can easily yield a sixdigit saving in euros.
centrally mounted guide rails. Electronic displays prompt
the operator through the individual steps in the process,
Environmentally friendly: less energy and CO2
after which the machine reliably continues working with
Economizing on materials (film, trays/pads, and glue) of
the new parameters after the briefest possible downtime.
course not only helps to cut costs during production but is
competence
24/25
01.2014
FullyEnclosed FilmPack:
practical,
attractive and
environmentally friendly.
also of great benefit to the environment. This profits from
the fact that less energy is consumed, for instance, such as
Sustainable!
during the film spreading process. Here, the compressed
Reduced consumption
of materials
thanks to features,
which can be
upgraded at any time,
such as
FullyEnclosed FilmPacks,
microporous film
spreading, and
web edge control
air used to spread the film at the diverter rails is no longer
forced through many tiny holes but through a perforated
basic frame covered with a microporous coating, forming
a homogeneous air cushion on the outside. This reduces
the compressed air consumption by up to 90%.
The use of KHS shrink tunnel technology with po
rous gas burners in place of conventional electric heaters
enables the amount of energy consumed to be reduced
by up to 50% and cuts CO₂ emissions by up to 60%. The
optional energysaving package with controlled tunnel
chain cooling and standby operation offers further sav
ings. These energyreducing features have been certified
by TÜV SÜD, an independent certification authority.
Easy to operate: clear prompting
and greater safety
The Innopack Kisters TSP also boasts the new KHS Clear
Bottom line: the benefits of the innovative
Innopack Kisters TSP are obvious. Pioneering technical in
novations yield substantial cost reductions at all levels and
throughout the entire life cycle of the machinery, mean
ing that your investment quickly pays off:
→ in the short term through an immediate decrease in
material and energy costs
→ in the medium term through low upkeep and main
tenance requirements
→ in the long term through the machine’s
Line design whose definition of line is not only aestheti
futureproof, robust design, which can
cally pleasing but also meets very definite ergonomic spec
cater to changes in demand without having
ifications, which are meant to greatly ease the everyday
to invest in new equipment.
tasks of operating personnel. The machine frame provides
good visibility into the machine and the operating con
trols have been designed to eliminate the need for exten
sive training. Colored graphics, easytoremember icons,
and interactive handling instructions shorten the familiar
ization period and also increase safety.
→ Contact
Karl-Heinz Klumpe | KHS GmbH, Kleve, Germany
Phone: +49 2821 503 212
Email: [email protected]
Innovation
Compact packaging system
THE
NEW
PRIMUS
KHS is once again se�ing the standard by optimizing
the Innopack Kisters Primus SP shrink packer
to meet customer requirements / And in doing so is
providing practical evidence that KHS can also
supply highly efficient packaging systems in the lowest
capacity range of up to 6,300 packs per hour.
W
hen it comes to packaging, SMEs also
sized companies in the beverage, food, and
believe in quality not quantity. For
nonfood industries to survive the stiff com
even if the quantity is relatively small, the
petition. KHS thus focused on these changed
quality of the packaging still has to be perfect.
and additional specifications when it re
To satisfy exactly this demand, KHS designed
vamped its Innopack Kisters Primus SP. The
the packaging machines of the Innopack
innovative features and benefits of the new
Kisters Primus SP series. With its perfected
Primus are summarized in the following.
functions, flexibility, rugged design, and high
quality standards this multitalented system
has proved convincing for about ten years
now. However, the fact that this prime per
Optimized for the future
former is so talented compels it to also live up
Flexibility
to the new challenges presented by its users.
Regardless of what’s scheduled for packag
In addition to high economic efficiency,
ing – bottles, cans or cups, whether plastic,
criteria such as sustainability, flexibility, and
glass or metal, whether standard or individu
operator friendliness are also becoming
ally designed packs – the Innopack Kisters
increasingly important for small and medium
Primus SP is able to process an enormous range
competence
26/27
01.2014
Sustainable!
Cost-effective and
highly efficient entry-level model
of container types and is easily converted
gently and smoothly. The film wrapping sta
to other styles. The system processes print
tion works using a blade system, wrapping
ed and unprinted film in various widths and
the product groups so that the film overlaps
thicknesses. In its optimized form it can now
at the base, giving the shrink pack good stabi
also create longer shrink packs (with 40 mm
lity. Productspecific wrapping curves and an
of extra length), which again expands the ma
electronically controlled curve speed pro
chine’s area of application. An optional en
file produce optimum film wrapping results.
ergysaving package for the shrink process,
Sensors constantly monitor the process for
comprised of an electronically controlled
correct results, pack by individual pack.
standby function, reduces the energy con
The Innopack KistersPrimus SP
is able to create even the smallest
of filmwrapped packs.
sumption during brief production interrup
The result
tions by up to 20%.
Small footprint
Future-proof right down the line
The Innopack Kisters Primus SP has been kept
During the extensive revision of the Innopack
compact; at 9.70 meters long and 1.95 me
Kisters Primus SP, with a permanent focus on
ters wide, the shrink packer takes up very lit
its later utilization in practice, the engineers
tle space and can be easily integrated into ex
at KHS once again erected a milestone for
isting lines with its small footprint.
their customers, giving them a topprecision
Sustainability
shrink packer that is even more flexible, even
easier to operate and even more sustainable.
The Primus is equipped with a standardized
It should be noted that in the future, too, this
control cabinet, which has now been sepa
system is to retain its basic character, namely
rated from the hot shrink tunnel, is better ven
that of a compact, fully automatic, and eco
tilated, and can be cooled using less energy.
nomical packer. Quite simply, the new Primus
The hot air nozzles in the shrink tunnel also
is packaging technology in its prime.
work more intelligently and efficiently. They
can be individually adjusted and configured,
ensuring that energy is used only when and
where hot air is required. The result is opti
mum sustainability and perfect shrink results.
Packaging quality
Extremely careful product handling and
stateoftheart control technology (Siemens
S7) ensure that the containers are conveyed
→ Contact
Karl-Heinz Klumpe | KHS GmbH, Kleve, Germany
Phone: +49 2821 503 212
Manfred van Triel | KHS GmbH, Kleve, Germany
Phone: +49 2821 503 390
Innovation
Sustainable!
85%
fewer materials used
67%
less energy consumed
Considerably
less packaging used
competence
28/29
01.2014
Revolutionary packaging
Full points for glue
With Nature MultiPack™ a unique multipack system is to be launched to
market that considerably reduces the amount of packaging material needed.
Dots of glue applied with perfect precision stick the bottles together to
form packs with handles that can be used for marketing purposes and offer
carrying convenience.
Scan the QR
code now
and watch the
video on
Nature
MultiPack™.
K
HS impressively underlined its claim of being an in
engineering team in Kleve, seat of the Competence Cen
novator of packaging systems for the global mar
ter for Packaging Technology, and NMP Systems will very
ket when it introduced its Nature MultiPack™, powered
soon introduce Nature MultiPack™ to market together
by KHS, at drinktec. The response from the market proved
with a strategic market participant.
incredibly positive and many customers made very clear
their intention to launch Nature MultiPack™ to market
as quickly as possible. NMP Systems GmbH, a fullyowned subsidiary of KHS based in Düsseldorf, Germany,
was recently founded to provide the international mar
ket with trend-setting packaging systems (machines + ma
terials + service). Thanks to continuous and intensive in
→ Contact
Phil Johnson | NMP Systems GmbH
Phone: +49 175 585 9943
vestment over the past three years the KHS/NMP design
“With Nature MultiPack™ KHS has developed a groundbreaking, innovative, and sustainable packaging system,
impressively emphasizing its pioneering role as a
trendsetter in line with the KHS motto: First Choice
in Technology and Service.”
CEO/CTO, KHS GmbH
Innovation
The Innopal PB1NF palletizing system
Simple.
Powerful.
Fast.
With the Innopal PB1NF
KHS presents a palletizing system that
has a processing speed unique to
a low pack feed machine / With its great
flexibility and cost effectiveness this
holistic palletizing concept provides a
number of concrete benefits that
satisfy practically all the demands
made by the food, non-food, and
beverage industries.
competence
30/31
01.2014
High performance
and variable formations:
the Innoket RK 4
fouraxis robot.
TOP 1
New palletizing concept for high performance
With palletizing machines with a low pack feed, the pro
cess to date involved the cross conveyor having to wait at
its highest position until the last layer had been placed
onto the pallet and the finished pallet discharged from
the system. On the Innopal PB1NF this wait period has
been eliminated. The cross conveyor now has a barrier at
T
o date, palletizing machines with a high pack feed
its front end, which automatically opens as soon as a pal
were considered high in their processing capacity
let load is finished and ready for discharge. This allows the
yet technically complex. In contrast, palletizers with a low
cross conveyor to travel down to table level and pick up a
pack feed were said to be more cost effective yet inferior
new layer while the pallet is being changed.
in their performance.
This has now changed; you can now have a low pack
feed AND high palletizing capacities – complete with all of
Customer benefits: This way, the machine can pro
cess up to 500 layers per hour – a leap in performance of
over 30% compared to the classic system.
the other benefits this machinery entails. With its Innopal
PB1NF, KHS has developed a new palletizing system, which
pairs the strengths of both of the aforementioned con
TOP 2
cepts, namely cost efficiency and high performance.
able for use in the beverage industry and in the food and
No layer lift with a
low pack feed
nonfood sectors. In its standard version it processes the
With a low pack feed there’s no need for the packs due for
entire spectrum of oneway packs, with returnable packs
processing to be conveyed up to a given height. Neither an
doable on request. It can stack packs up to a block height
operator platform nor inclined or spiral conveyors are thus
of two meters (including the pallet) and a layer weight
needed. Doing away with this equipment greatly reduces
of up to 200 kg on pallets with a maximum footprint of
system complexity and eases operation.
This singlestation, gantry palletizer is equally suit
1.30 x 1.30 meters. So far, so good. Yet what are the indi
Customer benefits: the positive effects yielded by
vidual concepts behind this new KHS development, which
such an elegant concept include a lower cost of invest
result in tangible benefits for the customer? Read on for
ment, less maintenance effort, and a much smaller system
our top ten!
footprint.
Innovation
TOP 3
Fewer moving parts with a pushover plate system
TOP 6
As opposed to highspeed palletizers with a roller gripper
tinguished by their compact design and high output with
PC control prevents
interface problems
large handling loads. They also have fewer moving parts.
The components in the palletizing system obey identical
Customer benefits: comparatively high savings on
control concepts. A PC placed in a modular system control
head, what are known as pusher plate machines are dis
maintenance and wear.
cabinet acts as a control computer. This PC control system
is compatible with all bus systems worldwide.
Customer benefits: the palletizing technology and
TOP 4
Pusher plate processes all types of pack
peripherals interact without any interface problems. The
system adjusts to new formats and productdependent
travel distances at the press of a button.
The palletizer processes a very wide range of packaging
and products, such as cartons and film and shrink packs
for cans and plastic or glass bottles. A slight amount of
TOP 7
ribbing on the surface of the pusher plate means that no
All kinds of pallet
conveying options
vacuum is formed when packs are pushed over onto the
plate. This prevents film packs from becoming stuck, for
example, and there is no danger of damage.
Customer benefits: extremely gentle processing of
all types of pack. Great flexibility.
The Innopal PB1NF always conveys empty pallets sep
arately below the grouping table, thus saving plenty of
space. An optional inspection system can be installed up
stream to ensure that only clean, undamaged pallets en
ter the machine. Various peripheral options, which include
TOP 5
pallet conveying segments with integrated pallet maga
KHS inline robot groups packs flexibly
and prepares layers perfectly
turntables, help to provide customers with the best pos
zines, pallet shuttle cars, turning segments and corner
sible functions.
On the Innopal PB1NF packs can be grouped using either
Customer benefits: spacesaving conveying of empty
standard systems or robots. The Innopal RK 4 fouraxis ro
pallets. Perfect pallets for smooth operation. The periph
bot is the perfect choice for high outputs and a variety of
ery can be adapted to suit local conditions.
formations. Servo motors automatically adjust its gripper
head to widths of between 120 and 400 mm. The posi
tivefit gripper picks up all shapes and sizes of pack and
places each one in gently and with perfect accuracy in its
prespecified position. The finished formations are then
Sustainable!
Fully automatic format changeovers ensure smooth production processes and
minimize operator
involvement.
automatically centered on all sides to produce a perfect
layer pattern and extremely stable pallet load.
TOP 8
Optional, fully automatic
pallet liner system
Fully automatic pallet liner system is another available op
Customer benefits: pack manipulation elements
tion. To this end, two pallet conveyor systems are arranged
such as turning stations are not required. This cuts costs, is
as a double deck. The pallet liners can then be easily cen
gentle on packs, boosts flexibility, reduces the amount of
tered on all four sides so that they are exactly positioned.
space required, decreases maintenance, and enables fast
changeovers.
Customer benefits: less machine operator depen
dency. Safe, continuous palletizing.
competence
32/33
01.2014
The cross conveyor at the front
end of the palletizer processes 500 layers
per hour despite the low pack feed.
TOP 9
ReDiS for high availability
KHS’ remote diagnostic service (ReDiS) ana
lyzes electronic line components and corrects
any errors through an online link to KHS. The
specialists at KHS even provide remote assis
tance for mechanical faults to help eliminate
them as quickly as possible.
Customer
benefits:
lower
servicing
costs, shorter downtimes. Top line availability.
TOP 10
Line can be planned virtually
The planned line configuration can be viewed
virtually in 3D at KHS. Analysis and planning
tools enable customers to study their pro
spective system in its operating environment.
Virtual planning also allows companies to see
how their palletizing technology links up with
machines before and after it on the line.
Customer benefits: possible (interface)
problems can be detected and corrected prior
to deciding whether to invest or not.
Conclusion: by developing the Innopal PB1NF,
KHS has brought together the best of two
worlds, namely outstanding performance
and attractive cost effectiveness, giving cus
tomers in the beverage, food and nonfood
industries a number of concrete benefits for
simple, powerful, and fast palletizing.
→ Contact
Hans-Werner Holzer | KHS GmbH, Worms, Germany
Phone: +49 6247 973351
Innovation
competence
34/35
01.2014
For top performance
The Innopal RC robot combiner
The greater the packaging and product variety on a production
line, the more complex the demands made of the distribution center in the packaging area. It thus goes without saying that companies want a packaging and palletizing setup that is both efficient
and flexible. And this is it!
Whether film-wrapped packs of four, six, or eight containers are to be packed
Smooth production
even at high capacities:
the Innopal RC robot combiner.
on trays of 24, or if several different formats are to be wrapped in film, or if
products from a number of packaging lines are to be fed to a single palletizing
center, the packs are always received by a distribution system. What happens,
however, when the discharge situation on the first machine doesn’t coincide
with the infeed of the second, as is often the case in practice?
The system: the Innopal RC robot combiner from KHS brings order to the conveying segment efficiently and fully automatically. From its position above the
conveyor segments the combiner directly accesses all of the discharging packs
with its parallel grippers, pushing them individually or in groups into the number of designated lanes on the infeed system at the correct distance to one another.
This is sophisticated engineering.
The benefits: the Innopal RC ensures smooth running production even at high
capacities.
THE FEATURES:
Depending on the applica-
Its gentle mode of opera-
tion this combiner system
tion saves packaging mate-
replaces several conven-
rials and energy.
tional distribution systems
and thus saves space.
to operate.
Fewer parts reduce
maintenance and spare
parts requirements.
Extremely simple
Even for future applications
great flexibility is assured
by fully automatic product
changeovers.
→ Contact
Hans-Werner Holzer |
KHS GmbH, Worms, Germany
Phone: +49 6247 973351
Innovation
Innovative preform feed
High-speed
Feedflow
Feedflow: 84,000 preforms per hour,
even with lightweights weighing
less than ten grams.
competence
36/37
01.2014
The new horizontal conveyor from KHS transports very light
preforms quickly, gently and reliably to the stretch blow molder /
This innovative, operator-friendly and easily integrated
system makes existing high-capacity lines even more efficient –
and also earns its keep on lines with a lower output.
F
eedflow, the new preform feed unit for stretch blow
Feedflow may also be worthwhile for lines with lower ca
molders, is the latest addition in the series of success
pacities. Much lighter preforms can now be used for a
ful innovations from KHS, which aims to meet ever-grow
great number of different products. At an output of 100
ing market demands from customers.
million bottles per year, for example, preforms weighing
Positioned directly upstream of the blow molder, this
horizontal conveyor now complements KHS’ established
Feedmax preform sorter and feed system. It has been de
just one gram less save bottlers around €140,000 in costs
for materials.
84,000 preforms per hour in particular and also for ultra
Standard preform feed
easily convertible
light preforms weighing less than ten grams. It has many
Another advantage of the Feedflow system is that bot
attractive benefits (see: Preform conveyors in comparison
tling plants can convert to the innovative Feedflow system
on page 39):
→→ Gentle, reliable, high-speed conveying of ultralight,
with comparative ease. Those using conventional preform
signed for high-capacity lines with capacities of up to
material-saving preforms
→→ Much lower space requirement
→→ Fast and simple format changeovers
→→ Elevated platform no longer required
→→ Less sensitive to breakdown.
feed units only have to replace the discharge rail and roller
conveyor frame with the Feedflow system and adjust the
inclined conveyor. Installed silos with upstream box tilters
can be integrated into the new conveying system.
There’s also no need for an extra operator panel
when converting to Feedflow. The combined Feedmax/
Innovation
Perfect preform handling
upstream of the stretch
blow molder: Feedflow
integrated into the
Feedmax system.
Feedflow feed system has a controller included in the
They can access varying degrees of viewing detail and
blow molder and all of the relevant parameters can be di
different operating levels through the logical operator
rectly controlled via the blow molder interface. The KHS
prompts as they require.
ClearLine HMI, which has won a number of awards for its
Positive first appraisal: with its new, high-speed pre
form feed KHS is yet again setting sustainable standards
in the beverage industry.
Operation made easy
→ Contact
excellent ergonomics, logical navigation and attractive
design, controls the process centrally, reduces machine
complexity and makes operating the entire setup a much
simpler affair.
Touch panels, colored graphics, easy-to-remember
icons and interactive, self-explanatory handling instruc
tions prompt machine operators through the process.
Frank Haesendonckx | KHS Corpoplast GmbH, Hamburg, Germany
Phone: +49 40 67907 475
Dieter Holler | KHS Corpoplast GmbH, Hamburg, Germany
Phone: +49 40 67907 9522
competence
38/39
01.2014
Standard process versus Feedflow
Preform conveyors in comparison
The standard procedure
The benefits of Feedflow
→→ Preforms for blow molding are taken from
→→ Intelligent speed control
Sustainable!
The reliable conveying of lightweight
preforms assures a
production process,
which makes optimum use of materials.
their packaging to the preform silo by a
The three sections of the conveying segment each have blower
forklift truck with a tilter.
motors, which can be regulated and frequency controlled and
→→ The tilter automatically replenishes the silo
with preforms with the help of monitored
fill levels. An optional silo lid or – in the case
of very sensitive products – the entire housing of the Feedmax system protects the
preforms from soiling.
→→ An inclined conveyor transports the preforms to an interim conveyor, which discharges into the preform sorter. Two parallel rollers traveling in opposite directions
are equipped with prefilters (or optional sterile filters) that
actively convey the preforms along the horizontal feed segment
in a targeted flow of air, ensuring a constant, reliable and gentle
flow of materials. The speed of the roller conveyor is automatically adjusted to match the number of preforms in the feed track.
→→ Lighter preforms
Since conveying is smoother and gentler,
bottling companies can reduced the weight of the preforms
they use and chalk up great savings in material costs.
→→ Less space required
align the preforms correctly without dam-
Actively conveying preforms makes the new Feedmax system
aging them. At the end of the sorting unit,
much more compact in size, both in height and footprint.
the preforms are fed on one lane to the discharge rail or, depending on the application, onto the active, horizontal Feedflow
conveying segment.
→→ Where the traditional system is used, the
force of gravity generates the required accumulation pressure, which keeps the preforms continuously moving towards the
stretch blow molder.
Conclusion: whether production processes
→→ Much easier to operate and service
There is no longer any need for an elevated platform or for
a defined infeed angle of about three meters in height.
This reduces the working height and makes the system more
accessible and easier to operate and maintain.
→→ Faster changeovers
The conveyor’s much lower height has a positive effect on
changeovers between different preform designs.
In conjunction with the automated recipe selection menu
this is much quicker in many cases.
run without a hitch or always have to be readjusted depends on several factors, which can
Summary: with its full range of benefits the innovative
affect line availability. These include the pre-
Feedflow module from KHS is convincing with regard to
form weight and quality, infeed angle, surface
the rapid conveying of exceptionally light preforms, thus
properties of the discharge rail and the opera-
increasing the already excellent efficiency of KHS filling
tive temperature and humidity.
lines even further.
Innovation
Line monitoring
Building bridges
to the future
Moving towards the smart factory of the future: KHS and the
Bitburger Brewery Group implement a new production
management software system / Intelligently combining production
and business processes boosts the efficiency of plant technology
and creates more flexibility in production.
This turbocharged pilot project is a real pioneer.
F
or years the beverage market has been calling for more new prod
ucts in a multitude of variations and packaging for increasingly
smaller groups of consumers. Beverage companies are having to react
with the utmost flexibility and efficiency in order to survive the com
petition. However, flexibility and efficiency are at odds with the rap
idly increasing complexity of beverage production processes. What’s
to be done?
KHS has the answer – the Innoline MES, an integrated, holistic
IT manufacturing execution system. This modular standard software,
specially adapted for application within the beverage industry, brings
transparency to the production process across the board. Efficiency
and flexibility can now reach unprecedented levels, giving beverage
plants a competitive edge.
Concentrated expertise
As a partner to the beverage industry, KHS strives to push forward de
velopments that perfectly suit its market, making cutting-edge tech
nology and maximum practical benefit its top priorities. The Innoline
MES is based on the proven HYDRA product line from MPDV Mikrolab
competence
40/41
01.2014
Convinced by the added
value ofgraphic online display:
Dominik Polster, head of Central Project
and Process Management
at the Bitburger Brewery Group.
Innovation
“What’s important for us is
that the system can learn.
When we come up with
new requirements, we
then continue developing
the system with KHS.”
Rudolf Wahl
Head of the Filling and Filtration Department,
Bitburger Brewery Group
GmbH, one of the leading providers of MES systems*. To
The modular design of the Innoline MES enables mod
help adapt the standard functions of HYDRA to the spe
ules to be installed either individually or in parallel on any
cial requirements of the beverage industry, KHS was able
number of filling lines. The brewery in Bitburg currently
to gain the Bitburger Brewery Group as its partner for a
has nine filling and packaging lines connected to four
joint pilot project.
modules. The project has the following goals:
In short, the project was set up to combat the grow
ing complexity of Bitburger’s processes, the fundamen
tal task being to feed all production data available at all
of the group’s production sites into one system so that
processes would be better and easier to manage than
1. To optimize administrative processes
2.To make specific improvements and cut costs through
detailed process analysis
3.To standardize evaluations and use these as bench
marks within the group.
in the past.
Dominik Polster, head of Central Project and Process
A central database acts as an interface, which networks
Management for the Bitburger Brewery Group, repeats
the modules with one another and with the higher en
the question, which was central to his company prior to
terprise resource planning system or ERP, which at Bit
implementation: “Should we go for a run-of-the-mill prod
burger is SAP. The benefits: Data can be directly accessed
uct, which would be relatively quick to implement but
by all components and are consistent. Personnel have
have shortfalls we’d then have to live with, or should we
quick access to the information they require. Eliminating
invest time and expertise in a system specifically custom
hand-written logs saves time and rules out any errors in
ized to match our specifications?” Bitburger reached a log
transmission right from the start. At Bitburger the Innoline
ical conclusion and took on a pioneering role on the mar
MES is primarily based on the following four elements,
ket, deciding to join KHS for the pilot Innoline MES project.
with two further options also available:
A specially compiled team of experts from Bitburger and
KHS then drew up a detailed concept of functions geared
Module 1: line monitoring for performance indicators
towards the specific demands of the beverage sector.
The line monitoring module forms the basis of the Innoline
The acid test
MES. It acquires production data from the filling and pack
aging lines and uses this to generate performance indica
Once put to the test, Dominik Polster and his colleague Rudolf
tors. Bitburger’s performance indicator model is based on
Wahl, head of the Filling and Filtration Department, soon
the Weihenstephan standard and includes line efficiency,
deduced that the Bitburger Brewery Group had profited
line availability, average line performance, and nominal
from the benefits of the Innoline MES on all fronts.
line capacity.
* Manufacturing Execution System
competence
42/43
01.2014
The line monitoring module
records and evaluates
operating data from filling
and packaging lines.
The benefits in practice: organizational losses, such as
used, for example, the module registers the increase in
setup processes, maintenance measures, and cleaning
consumption. This information is also sent to the SAP sys
processes are immediately recognizable as optimization
tem in real time, enabling order- and product-based cost
potentials. Rudolf Wahl gives us some examples. “If the
accounting.
efficiency of a line is too low, I can very quickly see from
the monitor when which machine caused the problem. Or
Module 3: order scheduling for order planning
if new crown corks cause more stops in the filler/crown
Bitburger used to schedule orders on an SAP planning
er area than was previously the case, this is indicated di
board, manually comparing planned and actual situa
rectly on screen so that the supplier can also track this in
tions in a process that was inevitably prone to error. The
formation.” For this purpose, graphic fault analysis reports
order scheduling module now plans orders based on on
are available at the press of a button. Says Wahl, “With the
line information, registering any delays and automatically
help of this module we can also ascertain whether the per
adapting the schedule accordingly. The new planning sta
formance of our existing lines is able to meet our sales tar
tus is displayed in a clear graphic. The benefits in practice:
gets for the next year, for instance.”
in doing so it takes into account any given specifications,
Module 2: order execution for allocation
such as the availability and speed of the lines, changeover
times and product priorities. This way, the module ensures
This module enables production data, such as efficiency,
optimum capacity utilization and adherence to delivery
energy consumption, and material costs to be allocated
schedules and is programmed to keep line idle times to
to filling orders and filling batches. The benefits in prac-
an absolute minimum. Another advantage is the fast re
tice: if labeling materials are soiled and can no longer be
action to spontaneous customer inquiries.
Innovation
Before a production order is released, the MES system
personnel should any limits be exceeded. It thus ensures
checks with the SAP system to see if the required mate
product quality and avoids production loss.
rials are actually available. Says Polster, “It’s important
our brewery by comparing various scheduling scenarios.”
Win/win situation:
optimization potential the definitive factor
Wahl adds, “Also because the system provides us with the
Thanks to the perfect interplay of all of its relevant mod
relevant performance indicators, such as processing and
ules the Innoline MES can bring about great improvement
setup times, at the push of a button – for all possible sce
within a plant. It considerably increases the efficiency of
narios. It couldn’t be better.”
the line equipment and allows companies to react quickly
for us that we can work out the best weekly schedule for
Sustainable!
The standardized
line monitoring
system supports
the effective utilization of production
resources and
optimizes operating
procedures
in the long term.
The order execution and order scheduling modules
and flexibly to new demands. Dominik Polster sees his
can also directly indicate what effects any scheduling
views confirmed. “All of our ideas have been pooled in the
changes would have on time and cost. Wahl explains. “If
project. Our processes have now been optimized just as
the stock of any one product should sink to a critical low
we wanted them to be.”
due to unforeseen fluctuations in sales, we have to change
The system’s modular design is also a major advan
the schedule by triggering an additional production order
tage; customers who at first opt for the basic version of
for this product. The system now tells us what effect this
the Innoline MES and thus only for the line monitoring
extra order has on our weekly schedule and I can deduce
module can simply upgrade further modules later as re
how high the additional costs will be.”
quired. Rudolf Wahl greatly appreciates this. “What’s im
Module 4:
production analysis for evaluation
portant for us is that the system can learn. When we come
up with new requirements, we then continue developing
the system with KHS. Overall, I consider this pilot project
This module provides web-based evaluations of produc
to be a real win/win situation. And in the near future the
tion data across the individual stages in the process. The
other breweries in the Bitburger Brewery Group are set to
benefits in practice: this gives the management a quick
benefit, too.”
overview of the key performance indicators of all lines for
Conclusion
precise tracking.
In addition to the four modules the Bitburger Brew
Beverage producers can considerably boost their competi
ery Group has decided to use, the MES also has two other
tiveness with the Innoline MES. The system documents the
available modules.
production and other processes with maximum accuracy
Module 5: order material tracking
for resource management
and sends this data to the ERP system for optimized busi
ness process management. It thus takes one step further
towards the smart, networked production process, bring
This module uses barcode scanners to record all raw ma
ing the beverage industry closer to the vision of Industry 4.0
terials, consumables and supplies required for an order.
(see the Smart times info box on the next page). Innoline
The benefits in practice: by reading barcodes, companies
MES is definitely in the running within the industry; KHS
can track which materials are used for a specific order at
has already received orders for fifteen Innoline MES
any time. This is of particular significance when tracing
projects.
production batches, among other things.
Module 6:
recipe management sounds the alarm
The recipe management module of the Innoline MES is
the central database for critical process parameters. The
benefits in practice: this module monitors the given
process parameters and automatically warns operating
→ Contact
Wolfgang Heßelmann | KHS GmbH, Dortmund, Germany.
Phone: +49 231 569 1612
competence
01.2014
Industry 4.0 is revolutionizing production
Smart times
A new form of production is set to revolutionize the factory floor in the next few years,
with workpieces and products controlling their own production processes. Experts
believe this development represents the fourth industrial revolution after the age of
the steam engine, the introduction of the assembly line and the advent of automation.
Prof. Henning Kagermann, member of the Executive Board for the German National
Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) in Munich, stresses,
“This new production technology gives companies the opportunity to
produce more economically, more energy efficiently, and more specifically
towards meeting customer demands.”
44/45
Innovation
Spotlight: the benefits
of the Innopouch K series
→ Innovative machine concept with full servo equipment
→ Very short changeover times
→ High flexibility
→ Hybrid fill/seal and form/fill/seal version
→ Equipment also available for zipper
and slider seal application
→ Several consecutive dosing operations possible
→ Hygienic design
→ Possible separation from the filler area
→ Open machine design for easy cleaning
→ Duplex and simplex operation (Innopouch K400)
competence
46/47
01.2014
Pouch packaging
POUCHES
IN VOGUE
The Innopouch K series perfects pouch packaging
like no other/ With its full servo assistance
this horizontal form/fill/seal machine (HFFS)
gives companies flexibility, shorter setup times
and higher productivity levels.
P
ouches are in vogue. Stand-up film pouches, for in
stance, are causing quite a stir on the packaging
market, with growth rates into two figures. Consumers,
manufacturers, and retailers are well aware of the many
advantages of the pouch and there’s good reason for it’s
popularity. With their minimum amount of packaging ma
terial, low weight, easy handling, and low-cost, pouches
score on both the economical and ecological front.
The US company Bartelt has decisively shaped the
market for pouching machines from the start. Only when
KHS effected a full takeover of Bartelt in 2003, however,
were the foundations laid upon which to further build up
the company’s leading position. The synergy potentials of
this pooling of expertise have now been manifested in the
completely new Innopouch K series, an innovative, shining
light in the KHS Bartelt portfolio (see The series heroes on
page 48).
With its new machine concept, the Innopouch K se
ries is unique to the market. All movements are servo as
sisted, resulting a full range of customer benefits, which
include the shortest possible changeover times, low op
erator involvement, and high line availability. This brings
about a definite drop in costs for warehousing, personnel,
shipping, and administration and with lower processing
Innovation
INNOPOUCH
The series heroes
→ IM series The world’s best-selling HFFS poucher. A cost-efficient,
rugged, and reliable machine. For simple applications.
while retaining all the advantages of the regular K series.
→ RPM series Compact, cycled rotary machine with a
small footprint. For large-format applications.
In duplex operation the machine output increases up to
140 pouches per minute. In practice the actual capacity of
course depends on the product to be filled and the film
→ K series Use of linear drives with full servo assistance
and zipper materials used.
for maximum flexibility. For demanding applications.
Option IV
Dosing and filling as required
The four standard filling stations of the machine cover
about 95% of all applications yet can be expanded if re
times the customer has added flexibility. The Innopouch K
quired. Screw-fed fillers, table feeders, or sliding gate fill
series enables producers to perfectly master rapid changes
ers are used for volumetric filling, depending on the prod
in market demand. The machine is variable and can be
uct. When combined with a belt weigher, information can
perfectly adapted to suit individual customer require
also be fed back to the volumetric dosing system, for in
ments at practically all stages in the process.
stance. This automatically corrects the required pouch fill
weight (trend controller). Accuracy is important when fill
Option I
Ready-made pouches or pouches made from film
ing expensive ingredients or medical recipes. For this pur
pose, multihead weighers calculate the correct weight by
combining the individual control scales.
The Innopouch K series can extract ready-made pouches
from a pouch dispenser, such as stand-up pouches with
Option V
Line concept
zippers, and fill and seal them. In its FFS or form, fill, and
seal version it can also produce pouches from suitable rollfed film materials.
Besides supplying a pouching machine, KHS can of course
also provide the corresponding folded box/side-loading
Option II
Thermal or ultrasound sealing
Ultrasound sealing has the advantage that pouches are
cartoner and the grouping stations and pocket conveyors
(infeed belts) needed between the poucher and cartoner.
The products/pouches are then synchronously fed into
the cartoner and gently pushed into the box from the side.
sealed absolutely tight, regardless of whether there’s any
product in the seam between the sheets of film or not.
Conclusion: whatever the customer needs, the Innopouch
K series tailor makes the relevant pouch according to
Sustainable!
Minimum consumption of materials and
cost-effective use of biologically
degradable plastic packaging (biopolymers).
Option III
Simplex or duplex operation
specifications. KHS also supplies complete packaging
lines, including cartoners and palletizers.
This incredibly time-consuming conversion process on me
chanical machines is performed by the Innopouch K-400,
the Innopouch K flagship, at the push of a button using
magnetic levitation technology (linear servo technology).
This makes it one of the fastest convertible machines on
the market, which can run in simplex or duplex operation
→ Contact
Torsten Bloch | Bartelt Pouch & Cartoning Product Group, KHS Kleve, Germany
Phone: +49 2821 503 130
competence
01.2014
Machine filling stations:
each individual pouch gripper consists
of a single linear servo drive.
48/49
Market report
Market report
Customer projects around the globe
competence
50/51
01.2014
Lao Brewery Company, Laos
Not one but three new lines
K
HS is installing not one but three new
company produced three million liters of beer
filling lines for long-standing customer
and 1.5 million liters of carbonated beverages
the Lao Brewery Company (LBC) at its sites
in Vientiane. The company was nationalized
in Vientiane and Pakse. The new line at the
at the end of 1975 and now makes 210 million
plant in the Lao capital of Vientiane outputs
and 21 million liters respectively per annum.
32,000 cans per hour. At LBC’s ultramodern
In 1993 new investors enabled LBC to ex
second plant in the south of the country KHS
pand its production capacities and market
is setting up two PET lines with energy-saving
ing activities. In 2002, the Asian subsidiary of
stretch blow molders and filling technology
Denmark’s Carlsberg Group joined the com
for 22,000 soda pop and 45,000 water bot
pany, gradually increasing its shareholding to
tles per hour.
51% by 2011. In May 2008 the Lao Brewery
All three lines are equipped with KHS
Company opened a second facility with state-
Kisters packaging machines, which give LBC
of-the-art machinery in Pakse in the province
top quality and the utmost flexibility for future
of Champasak close to the Thai border. This
variants. Another advantage is that the client
plant has a current capacity of 50 million li
can swap spare parts between machines on
ters per year, with the possibility of expand
the various lines.
ing this to 200 million liters. In addition to
With a market share of 98%, LBC is the
beer, LBC also produces carbonated bever
market leader in Laos. The brewery’s flagship
ages and soda pop under license for Pepsi
is the Beerlao brand. Incidentally, with a yearly
Co (Pepsi, Miranda, and 7 Up) and Tigerhead
per capita consumption of 32 liters, Laos’ beer
mineral water. The company employs a total
consumption is roughly on par with that of
of around 1,100 people at its two plants.
France. The Lao Brewery Company started
out in 1973 as the Lao Beer and Ice Factory, a
joint venture run by a number of Lao entrepre
neurs and foreign investors. At that time, the
www.beerlao.la
Laos: a land with tradition
and yet on the move.
Market report
Bowen & Bowen/Coca-Cola, Belize
Excellent
result
I
n Ladyville, a suburb of the Caribbean port
town of Belize City, KHS is equipping the
bottling plant of Bowen & Bowen with an ul
tramodern bottle washer (including an in
tegrated label remover) that washes up to
28,000 bottles per hour ranging in size be
Guatemala: state in Central America with a population of around 15 million in the south
of the Yucatán Peninsula. Its main exports are textiles and coffee.
tween 237 milliliters (8 fl oz) and 1.0 liter. Not
only can the bottle washer be easily adapted
to different bottle shapes, it also offers the
additional flexibility of being able to process
Cervecería Centro Americana, Guatemala
both soft drink and beer bottles.
Turnkey system for Central
America
Thanks to minimized heat and liquid
carryover and a pump control to reduce the
pressure in standby mode, this future-proof
machine is characterized by particularly low
energy consumption. Triple-i-Drive technol
ogy increases machine availability by con
C
ervecería Centro Americana (CCA) re
drives, both of which make it possible for cus
cently awarded KHS a contract for a turn
tomers to reduce their ongoing production
key project in Guatemala City based on KHS’
costs considerably. The FullyEnclosed Film
and resulting in noticeably less maintenance
impressive recent performance installing
Pack packaging option also saves CCA pack
work.
a similar facility at CCN, an affiliate of CCA
aging material and helps to make products
in Nicaragua. The line is to bottle and pack
more environmentally friendly.
tinuously synchronizing all motors, thereby
preventing faults and machine downtimes
The scheduling is especially critical for this
project. For logistic reasons Coca-Cola Belize
90,000 cans per hour.
Cervecería Centro Americana is a long-
It is comprised of a volumetric can filler,
can only interrupt production for a maximum
established, traditional company in the Cen
of five consecutive days. Careful planning of
a
with
tral American state of Guatemala. It was
on-site installation has ensured that the pop
high-precision PU control, a tray shrink packer,
founded by two brothers in 1886 and has
ular beverages are available throughout the
various inspection units and a bulk depallet
since been owned by the family. Despite
country at all times. KHS has been working
izer and palletizer equipped with two KUKA
tough competition the company has man
with Bowen & Bowen for many years and has
robots. The line can work with three different
aged to assert its market leadership in Gua
always been the company’s first choice for its
can formats and is thus extremely flexible. It
temala and enjoys very close ties to its home
bottling lines. Bowen & Bowen is a market
can also be adjusted to various sizes and types
land. KHS machines have tradition here.
leader in Belize.
of packaging with very short downtimes.
double-deck
tunnel
pasteurizer
The attractive features this pasteurizer of
www.belikin.com
fers customers include exceptionally low wa
ter consumption in addition to energy-saving
*1 barrel of liquid = 1.19 hectoliters; 1 fluid ounce = 29.5 milliliters
www.cerveceriacentroamericana.com
competence
52/53
01.2014
Brandenburger Urstromquelle, Baruth
Pivara Trebjesa, Montenegro
Sign of trust
Great prospects
A
K
ing in a new stretch blow molder, filler, and
cess various bottle formats and sizes ranging
Pivara Trebjesa was founded in 1896 and
shrink packer. The new machines are destined
from a quarter to a half liter at a capacity of
now belongs to the Molson Coors Central Eu
for a line, which mainly fills carbonated soft
up to 40,000 bottles per hour in addition to a
rope brewery group, which is headquartered
drinks such as water and apple spritzer into
pad shrink packer with a nominal capacity of
in Prague in the Czech Republic. Montene
half-liter bottles.
60 packs per hour matching that of the fill
gro’s only brewery is the country’s market
ing line.
leader and holds a 90% share of the mar
s in the past Brandenburger Urstrom
quelle again went for tried-and-tested
technology from KHS when recently invest
Including its most recent InnoPET Blomax
HS is delivering to Trebjesa Brewery lo
system properties of a robust mechanical fill
cated in Nikšić, the second largest city in
ing system with all the benefits of pneumati
Montenegro a bottle filler designed to pro
cally controlled valves.
Series IV, designed for a capacity of 63,000
By replacing its existing machines, which
ket. It produces four styles of beer, which are
PET bottles per hour, the company now has
were over 20 years old, the customer is not
also exported to its neighboring countries:
a total of seven KHS stretch blow molders.
only boosting availability but also consider
Nikšićko pivo, Nik Gold, Nik Cool and Nikšićko
Three are the new Series IV, one of which
ably cutting costs for operation and mainte
tamno. The brewery also bottles several beers
Brandenburger Urstromquelle was one of the
nance. The new machines are easy to operate,
for the Molson Coors Group.
first customers to test as far back as in 2009.
quick to convert, and save on packaging ma
This repeat order is clear proof that the miner
terials. Using the new Innofill Glass DPG-ZMS
al water bottling plant in Baruth in Germany
with 108 filling valves greatly optimizes the
is convinced by the machine’s considerable
filling capacity. The glass bottler combines the
energy savings, reduced consumption of ma
terials and optimum line efficiency.
The company also very specifically opted
for the Innofill DRV PET filler, a computercontrolled, volumetric filler with 192 filling
stations, which can process both still and car
bonated beverages.
Concerning its Innopack Kisters SP
Advanced shrink packer the experts at
Brandenburger Urstromquelle and the team
at KHS drew up a concept which was directly
implemented in the new equipment. The re
source-conserving advantages resulting from
this concept include a reduced use of film and
the consequential lower cost of materials.
www.urstromquelle.com
Pivara Trebjesa: the uncontested
biggest seller on Montenegro’s
beer market with four styles of beer
www.niksickopivo.com
Service
competence
54/55
01.2014
KHS Service workshops all over the world
SERVICE =
PARTNERSHIP
For KHS, acting as a partner to help create added value
for the customer isn’t just an empty phrase in a glossy brochure
but a practiced philosophy / Through its various customer
workshops KHS After Sales & Service provides valuable stimulus
for the future and at the same time hones the concept of service
within its own organization.
Service
“ There was a lot of useful
information but I drew
the greatest benefit from
information on new
developments and upgrades.”
Krunoslav Kolar
Packaging & maintenance manager of the Technical Department, Karlovacka
pivovara (Heineken), Karlovac, Croatia, on the service workshop in Vienna
F
or KHS customer workshops are a fantas
tic way of really strengthening specialist
contacts and building up relations with a com
pany. At the same time, KHS learns first hand
what a company’s expectations and require
ments are. How customers see things is thus
Spotlight
on workshops
Goals and benefits
directly conveyed to the organization, acting
as a direct incentive for us to provide even
better products and services which assure the
customer longterm economic success.
As you can see, things don’t end once
KHS has sold a line or machine but begin –
or rather, our relationship with the custom
er is taken several steps further. For KHS is
a reliable partner who provides advice and
support not just during the installation and
commissioning of a system but throughout
In 2013 the teams at KHS Service not only
had very full schedules, with twelve
workshops to run; they also cultivated
their contacts with customers in
practically all four corners of the globe,
from the Philippines to South America
and from East Africa to China.
its entire life cycle. Besides offering various
services, the KHS After Sales & Service De
partment systematically promotes this part
nership worldwide by holding a number of
workshops for its customers.
The approach here is to focus entirely on
the customer and on what he or she is partic
ularly concerned with. We also naturally have
to immerse ourselves in the customer’s busi
ness and operations – and of course we want
to listen. This is the only way to understand
a customer’s current and future problems
and needs – and to find a solution to them
together. In 2013, the teams at KHS Service
not only had very full schedules, with twelve
The principle aim is to inform customers
about our range of products and
services on a technical level and to
intensify and strengthen customer
relations on a personal level.
competence
56/57
01.2014
Insights: four exemplary workshops
General elements of the workshops in
Brazil + Southeast Europe + Turkey + Mexico
GOALS/TOPICS
BENEFITS/FINDINGS
Get-together
Informal first meeting
Introduce all participants
Assign people to functions
Present KHS Global
Structure and range of services
Introduce KHS Service
+ Local teams (sales, service, service engineers)
+ Contacts: who does what?
+ Services
+ What support is available?
Introduce technical topics
(including discussion):
+ Customer learns about our product spectrum, innova
+ Available upgrades
tions, and service tools
+ Current innovations
+ Conversions/modernizations
+ Line audits
+ Basis for process optimization formed
+ Customerspecific topics
+ Concrete systems and solutions developed
Customer/KHS relations
Strengths and required action
Customer expectations of KHS Service
Customer requirements ascertained
+ KHS Service status quo
+ What’s good, what isn’t so good?
+ Service tops and flops
+ Conclusion: is customer satisfied with service?
Open discussion/exchange
Relationships can develop
Final meeting
Definition of everyone’s position
+ Agree on followup
+ Talks and presentations, concepts and offers
+ Preview of next workshop
+ Sustainability confirmed/manifested
The workshop concept
Knowledge transfer à la KHS
External customer workshops are a com-
The purpose of these in-house meetings
The top experts in the global KHS Group
posite part of the solid service partnerships
is to provide specific expert knowledge on
chair and present this transfer of knowl-
that exist between KHS and the companies
new or optimized machines or processes
edge. In the last year alone, similar knowl-
it supports all over the world. The internal
and to draw the attention of our Service
edge transfer workshops were held in
aspect of regular knowledge transfer
employees to a customer’s potential re-
Brazil, Argentina, China, East Africa, and
between KHS Service personnel is another
quirements.
Turkey, among other places. This year this
major component in this concept for
This includes conversions and upgrades if
concept is to be continued in other coun-
success.
they result in added value and a competi-
tries including the United States, Vietnam,
tive advantage for the relevant company.
and South Africa.
Service
“Of course we’d
like more workshops like this in
the future, as we
know we need
permanently
updating in this
sector.”
constructive feedback on our service work
generally, too, everybody could ask spe
shops. This encourages us to intensify our
cific questions and was given indepth
meetings and discussions with customers in
answers. This is what I call professional
the future.”
support.”
The following select statements by cus
As the four example service workshops from
tomers show that the various teams at KHS
2013 illustrate (see Goals and benefits on
have obviously given participants just what
page 57), the discussion of technical subjects
they want.
→ “I was extremely pleased with the event.
and customer relations varies in its intensity
depending on who’s taking part. The same
The information provided by KHS was
applies to general and customerspecific
very useful and I feel I have great sup
themes. Those who joined the workshop in
port in my work,” states Arturo Mendo-
Southeast Europe, for instance, may have
za, project manager for CocaCola FEM
come from Romania, Macedonia, Croatia, and
SA in Mexico.
the Czech Republic but they all worked for
→ Marcelo Higa, corporative manager of
the Heineken Group. The participants were
maintenance for SOLAR BR COCACOLA,
thus able to deal with the harmonization of
Marcelo Higa
Brazil, was similarly positive. “Of course
work processes between KHS and Heineken
Corporative manager of maintenance
we’d like more workshops like this in the
in detail.
for SOLAR BR COCACOLA, Brazil,
future, as we know we have to be con
on the service workshop in Brazil.
stantly up to date in this sector.” And he
different. In order maintain the confidenti
goes on to name a few specific benefits
ality of customerspecific topics, the KHS Ser
for his company. “We put the ideas from
vice team in Turkey arranged separate work
the workshop into practice at our com
shops for two different CSD customers with
pany and draw up checklists to sound
subsequent plant visits. In Brazil, the work
out the optimization potential of con
shop held during the Fispal Tecnologia trade
versions and upgrades.”
show allowed KHS to present and discuss the
→ “We can now communicate problems
The situation in Turkey was altogether
next generation of lines and machines to and
with a live audience.
workshops to run; they also cultivated their
and solutions better,” is how Adnan
contacts with customers in practically all four
Köprülü, filling & packaging supervisor
All in all, the principle aim of our work
corners of the globe, from the Philippines to
for Efes in Turkey, sums up the benefits
shops worldwide is to inform customers about
South America and from East Africa to China.
What customers expect from our service
of the workshop for his company.
→ And Krunoslav Kolar, packaging &
our range of products and services on a tech
nical level and to intensify and strengthen
workshops can basically be split into three
maintenance manager of the Techni
customer relations on a personal level. In
categories:
→ To gain closer contact and increase com
cal Department at Karlovacka pivo
short, our service workshops are part of our
vara (Heineken) in Karlovac, Croatia, is
practiced policy of customer proximity and
full of praise. “The workshop was very
underline KHS’ chief vision of becoming First
well organized and the individual topics
Choice in Technology and Service.
munication with KHS
→ To receive information on new
developments
were extremely interesting and well bal
→ To discuss concrete topics relevant in
anced. There was a lot of useful infor
practice.
mation but I drew the greatest benefit
Tatia Haupt, head of Sales, Spares and Con
from information on new developments
version Development at KHS GmbH, sums up:
and upgrades. KHS showed us possible
“To date we’ve had extremely positive and
methods of optimization in detail. And
→ Contact
Tatia Haupt | KHS GmbH, Dortmund, Germany
Phone: +49 231 569 1263
58/59
New service on the web:
The KHS upgrade finder
Competitive pressure dictates that manufacturers constantly adapt to meet new market demands
and therefore also modernize their production technology. What is challenging in this case is
that no company wants to shelve production lines which could go on working for several decades.
So what’s the solution?
THE ANSWER IS TO UPGRADE!
With KHS upgrades, existing ma
chinery can be adapted to meet fu
ture production, quality, and sales
targets. The new upgrade finder on
the KHS website at www.khs.com
provides an initial overview of which
upgrades are available for which
lines.
1
When you click on the re
quired section, the system
first shows you which possi
ble product groups KHS pro
vides upgrades for (such as
inspection).
2
Once you’ve selected the
product group, in the sec
ond step you then choose the
THIS IS HOW THE KHS UPGRADE
FINDER WORKS The user is given
his or her individual upgrade quickly
and reliably in four logical steps.
This is how it’s done. First you select
which machines an upgrade is avail
able for from a product group (such
as fillers or inspectors).
type of container (glass, for
example).
3
4
THIS IS WHAT THE KHS UPGRADE
FINDER CAN PROVIDE. True to the
KHS philosophy of working together
to find solutions, which boost a cus
tomer’s competitiveness, the results
include a list from which you can se
lect the KHS Service contact nearest
to you. Specific questions on alterna
tive solutions and systems can thus
be readily discussed – regardless of
where you are in the world, which
area you wish to optimize, and
which line is due for an upgrade.
At the third stage in the pro
cess you then click on your
THE RESULT With the help of KHS’
sector (e.g. beer).
upgrade finder, companies can keep
in step with the rapid changes in
Step four gives you all of the
technology and markets and main
possible optimization mea
tain a perfect balance between the
sures KHS can offer based
resources used and the benefits they
on your selection (such as
wish to gain.
efficiency).
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competence
60/61
01.2014
I N FO C US
Systems for sectors
Georg Zuzok, Head of Market Zone Americas, KHS
GmbH, realizes 12.5% of KHS sales worldwide together
with his team in the USA.
competence
62/63
01.2014
I N FO C US
KHS USA
A success story
lasting
over 40 years
Interview with Georg Zuzok, Head of Market Zone Americas, KHS GmbH
Founded in 1971 as a KHS sales organization in New
Mr. Zuzok, could you tell us more about
Berlin, Wisconsin, KHS USA, Inc. is now one of KHS
the development of KHS USA?
GmbH’s most successful subsidiaries realizing around
KHS USA has been in operation since 1971 and together
12.5% of KHS sales worldwide. KHS USA currently em-
with Brazil was one of the first subsidiaries of KHS. Up un
ploys 375 people in its production, sales and service
til 1973 we just operated a sales office from New Berlin,
units, manufacturing KHS products in Waukesha, Wis-
Wisconsin, after which we also started making machines.
consin, and Sarasota, Florida. In the following interview
By the time we moved from New Berlin to Waukesha, also
Georg Zuzok, Head of Market Zone Americas for KHS
in Wisconsin, in 1978, KHS machine sales on the American
GmbH, relates the story of KHS’ success in the USA, tell-
market had already doubled. In Waukesha we wisely pro
ing us where the American beverage industry believes
cured a plot of land around 53,000 m² in size, where five
KHS’ particular strengths lie, which future visions KHS
buildings now stand with a total area of approximately
has for the American market and which trends should
16,000 m². As in the past the site in Wisconsin still chiefly
be taken into account here – and much more.
produces filling machines and process technology for the
Systems for sectors
“Over last years beverage
producers in the USA have
started to change and the
demand for extensive KHS
expertise in turnkey lines
is growing here, too.”
growing here, too. Especially global players, who’ve al
Georg Zuzok
stomer’s exact requirements and which KHS installs and
Head of Market Zone Americas, KHS GmbH
commissions once it’s been built. As we’re reckoning on
ready had very good experience with KHS turnkey perfor
mance in other parts of the world, are increasingly adopt
ing this approach.
What’s the internal procedure like at KHS exactly when
a beverage producer in the USA wishes to order turnkey
KHS plant technology?
Just like it is anywhere else in the world. Our specialists
give advice directly on site, go through the specifications
of the proposed new line right down to the last detail and
finally produce a line which is precisely tailored to the cu
more and more turnkey lines being ordered in the USA in
the future, we’re also planning to soon start producing
packaging and palletizing technology in Waukesha. As far
as our technical systems go, plus our process and order
control, production and sales strategies and much more,
we have a standardized approach worldwide according to
which we act in the USA with the same strategic principles.
beverage industry. In 2003 we took another important
Is this uniform approach positively received in the USA?
step in buying up pouch machine manufacturer Bartelt
Of course it is. The USA see KHS as a traditional manu
in Sarasota, expanding our portfolio with the focus on
facturer of machines with a wealth of experience which
the North American market. In Sarasota we have a pro
the US beverage industry naturally wants to profit from as
duction area of around 9,300 m² on a site measuring al
much as it can. Here, our company stands for reliable me
most 28,000 m². Looking at KHS USA’s standing within
chanical engineering, focusing strongly on local produc
the beverage industry, at the moment we’re number two
tion. We’re also popular with our customers through our
among the suppliers of filling and packaging technology
particular strong presence in both our factories Waukesha,
and hold a market share of approximately 35%. However,
Wisconsin (process and filling technology) and Sarasota,
last year we got extremely close to becoming number 1.
Florida (pouches), which also includes perfect service.
You just mentioned the production of fillers and process
Which specific services does KHS USA provide here?
technology in Waukesha. Is this plant engineering in par-
We have a very large stock of spare and wear parts, are
ticular demand by the beverage producers of the USA?
there for our customers round the clock seven days a week
Yes, indeed it is. At present we have an installed base of
and also have a 24/7 delivery service. We have 70 service
over 500 for fillers alone, for instance, and 60% of KHS’
engineers permanently on call for KHS USA. Our range of
total sales in the USA is attributable to filling and process
services also of course includes various training measures,
technology.
line optimization, conversions and upgrades, online ser
vices and much more besides.
This also suggests that the USA tends to order
single machines in the main.
To date pouch machines have also been produced in the
The USA is a classic single machine market, this being for
USA besides filling and process technology. This suggests
traditional reasons. However, over the last years bever
that there’s a lot of expertise on these machines
age producers in the USA have started to change and the
available here. But how much knowledge is there of
demand for extensive KHS expertise in turnkey lines is
other machines in the KHS portfolio at KHS USA?
competence
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01.2014
I N FO C US
It goes without saying that of course our service engineers
clearly convinced by the benefits of KHS turnkey projects.
are jacks of all trades! Permanent coaching and training
In the past few years especially our technical systems have
units, some of which take place at the KHS factories in Ger
also been in increasingly strong demand from the wine
many, keep them up to date. Our sales team is just as per
trade. Looking at the last four years alone, our market
fectly schooled. Each salesperson at KHS USA not only has
share of new investments in the wine industry was 80%.
a general knowledge of machines and lines but also spe
The KHS customer base here includes wine cellars such as
cialist knowhow in a fixed segment, such as filling, clea
Gallo and Sutter Home.
ning, packaging or labeling technology. Whatever a beve
rage producer wishes to order, he or she can rest assured
You just talked about KHS having also discovered the
that they’ll be advised and supported by KHS experts.
craft brewing segment in the USA. What kind of plant
technology does it provide here and how do you think
Does this specialist knowledge apply to breweries as well
the craft brewery scene will develop in the future?
as to the non-alcoholic beverage sector and the wine,
I think that no one can stop the rapid development of
sparkling wine and spirits industry?
craft breweries in the USA. These breweries successfully
Of course. We’re fit in all sectors of the beverage industry
base their activities on slogans like ’Beer needs a home’,
and have very close ties to all of them. The brewing indus
supplying their consumers with a whole range of new and
try is still the mainstay of KHS USA’ business, however. Our
established beer ideas and an explosion of taste experien
customer base has long included brewery groups like AB
ces which are really popular. Craft breweries in the USA
InBev and SABMiller and also a number of craft breweries,
currently account for 7% of all beer sold and about 10%
such as New Belgium. We have a market share of 60% in
of the total beer revenue. In my view these percentages
the brewery sector for filling and process technology. Our
will also rise in the future, not least because the craft brew
market share for CSDs is 35%. We’re also well represen
eries have managed to again convince Americans that
ted in the water segment, with bottlers like Silver Springs
beer is a purely natural product. At KHS USA we began
not only definitely committed to KHS technology but also
thinking well in advance of how we could support craft
“We have 70 service engineers
permanently on call for KHS USA.
This means that all customers
are assured of very fast local
assistance when and if service
is required.”
Georg Zuzok
Systems for sectors
breweries on the one hand and profit from their growth
on the other. We thus developed the concept and machin
ery for a microfiller for small and mediumsized brewing
companies – in cooperation with the KHS Filling Techno
logy Competence Center in Germany, of course. Our new
Innofill Glass Micro filling system now has all the technolo
gical advantages of the highperformance filler and this is
“I think that no one can
stop the rapid development
of cra� breweries in the
USA. These breweries
successfully base their
activities on slogans like
‘Beer needs a home’,
supplying their consumers
with a whole range of new
and established beer
ideas and an explosion
of taste experiences.”
proving a big hit with America’s craft brewers, partly also
because we manufacture this product in the USA for the
American market. We’ve already sold eight of them there.
Apart from the trend towards craft breweries, what
other movements can you see on the US beverage market at the moment and which developments do you
think will characterize the beverage industry here in the
future?
What’s clearly evident is that there’s an increasing health
awareness among consumers. This also means that car
bonated soft drinks are seeing a downward trend due to
their high sugar content. At the same time the consump
tion of water and nonalcoholic beverages which commu
nicate a health benefit is on the increase. These include iso
tonic beverages, teas and milkbased beverages. It’s also
interesting that wine is becoming more and more popular
among young adults. As regards containers, I’m seeing a
growing trend towards smaller bottles in the alcoholfree
beverage segment especially, which is dominated by the
PET bottle. Here, people want singleserve plastic bottles
instead of the familyserve size. PET lightweighting is an
other topic that’s becoming more important. I think the
can will also remain popular, both in the CSD and beer seg
Georg Zuzok
ments. Glass will also continue to loom large in the beer
and of course wine, sparkling wine and spirits segments.
competence
66/67
01.2014
I N FO C US
“ This year’s widespread trade
show presence for KHS USA
ranges from the recent and
very successful Cra� Brewers
Conference in Denver (April
8–11) to PACK EXPO in Chicago.
Our innovative microfiller and
also our keg and packaging
technology attracted great
interest from the cra� brewing
community.”
Growing customer interest in the consumption of highprice craft beers and beverages with health benefits reveals that consumers in the USA are finding beverage
quality more and more important. Does this also mean
that beverage producers are showing a growing interest
Gary J. Maus
in top-quality equipment?
Vice President
Yes, they are – but with a certain delay. It sometimes takes
Sales & Marketing,
a little time for companies to realize that if you want to al
KHS USA, Inc.,
ways provide the best beverage quality, you have to utilize
Waukesha, Wisconsin
highquality equipment. Suppliers of topquality plant en
gineering which is particularly sustainable – and that’s an
other important point – definitely have time on their side.
And therefore, so does KHS.
KHS USA’s main area of business is the beverage industry.
Are there any efforts being made to expand this
target group? What other goals does KHS USA have
KHS USA: strong player
KHS is also one of the leading players in the filling and
packaging industry in the USA. This is demonstrated by ...
for the future?
→ D.G. Yuengling & Son
→ Oskar Blues
Bound by tradition (page 68)
in the beverage industry by providing absolutely topqual
ity plant equipment. We’re also planning on penetrating
→ Lakefront
The book of life (page 77)
new branches of industry, step by step. For instance, we
→ Crossroads
Family harmony (page 82)
also serve the detergents market where special packaging
→ CCNNE
The joys of technology (page 86)
solutions are required. In some areas the good reputation
→ Beam
World’s No. 1 (page 90)
Our chief aim is to continue to build up our great presence
A good time (page 74)
earned by our pouch machines is sure to stand us in good
stead. However, we don’t want to get bogged down in
technology and service in each and every segment.
KHS will be presenting its innovations, proven technology
and great expertise at the following major US trade shows
still to take place in 2014:
Mr. Zuzok, thank you very much for this interview.
→ June 5–7
→ November 1–5
too many different areas and will always ensure that we
perfectly meet our own exacting demands for quality
MBAA Conference (Chicago)
PACK EXPO International (Chicago)
Systems for sectors
Jim Helmke,
COO of the Yuengling Brewery in
Tampa, on the excellent partnership
between Yuengling and KHS:
“As was to be
expected, we’re
very satisfied
with our new line.”
competence
68/69
01.2014
Bound by
TRADITION
Innovation is good, but hanging on to tradition can
also be worthwhile – as D.G. Yuengling & Son shows /
The oldest still active family brewery in the USA is
therefore also the largest, is Number Four in the American
brewery hit list – and is once again opting for the
latest keg equipment from KHS.
T
he year is 1829: David Gottlieb Jüngling,
recently emigrated to America from the
German town of Aldingen, establishes his
small Eagle Brewery in Pottsville, Pennsylva
nia where there is a river with good spring
water and a flourishing coal industry – and
therefore many thirsty miners as customers.
Brief portrait: D.G. Yuengling & Son
Oldest existing brewery in the USA, managed by the fifth generation of the family, with
traditional, craft brewing methods, and yet still Number Four in the sector in the USA.
He brews his first brand of beer, Traditional
Lager, the way he was taught by his father at
Founded
1918: 100,000 barrels
Markets
home. Jüngling anglicizes his name by chang
1829; Pottsville,
1970s:
Pennsylvania (30%),
ing it to Yuengling and quickly finds success,
Pennsylvania
250,000 barrels
New York and
2000: 750,000 barrels
New Jersey and
2013: 3 million barrels
nine other US states
supplying as many as 27 restaurants just three
years later.
Some 180 years later – since the second
Locations
Pottsville, Pennsylvania,
generation, the brewery has been renamed
Tampa, Florida;
Main brands
Container types
D.G. Yuengling & Son – Traditional Lager still
total of 200 employees
Traditional Lager (60%),
50% glass bottles,
Premium Beer (20%),
30% kegs (half barrels/
sells extremely well and accounts for around
60% of the output, which in 2013 totaled 3
Sales history
Light Lager (15%),
quarter barrels),
million barrels. This puts Yuengling in fourth
1873: 23,000 barrels
six other beers (5%)
20% cans
place in the USA – behind AnheuserBusch,
Systems for sectors
Richard (Dick)
Yuengling,
Owner of D.G. Yuengling & Son
on the philosophy and principles
for his brewery’s extraordinary
success:
ABOVE — Innokeg AK 5 cleans keg exteriors perfectly.
RIGHT — KHS Innopal RK 5-300 PA robot for full containers removes previously positioned full kegs
from the loading table and centers them accurately on the pallet.
Each of our beers has a completely
unique character and, at the same time,
has a balanced flavor which is specific
to the type.
As far as the quality of our beer is
concerned, we see ourselves as superpremium, but at a premium price.
Our customers see us more as a larger
craft brewery than as a classic big
SABMiller, and Pabst. However, in the almost
more recently by a further keg system for
two centuries of its history, the company has
the Tampa site with a capacity of up to 420
had to weather some very turbulent times.
kegs per hour. “Customers value our traditio
For example, during the Prohibition pe
nal, craft method of brewing,” says local COO
brewery. We are bound by this tradition.
riod, Yuengling switched to small beer, the
Jim Helmke, justifying the investment. “There
We do not want growth at any price,
ice cream from a hurriedly procured dairy,
fore, at 30%, our output of keg beer is extre
and it remains to be seen whether we
and the management of dance halls in Phila
mely high considering our size.”
will develop further US states or build
delphia and New York City. Relieved by the
In any event, the high expectations as
new production facilities –
lifting of the alcohol ban, in 1933, Yuengling
sociated with the new line, and which were
fully in accordance with the motto,
sent Theodore Roosevelt a truck load of beer,
no doubt fueled by previous experience with
“All in good time!”
free of charge. Whether the president drank
outstanding technology and services from
it has not been passed on; but what is cer
KHS, have been fulfilled: “We are very happy
tain is that Yuengling’s business again took a
with our new keg line,” says Helmke, ending
sharp upswing.
on a positive note. “Yuengling can continue
In 1999, the family business reached
the limit of its capacity with 750,000 barrels.
to grow.” The sixth generation is ready and
waiting.
Richard (Dick) Yuengling, fifth-generation
owner, therefore purchased a former brew
ery in Tampa, Florida and one year later built
a new brewery at the company’s headquar
ters in Pottsville. “This was what we needed
for further success,” sums up Yuengling, “and
that is the way it has been ever since.”
In 2005, Yuengling invested in a KHS
keg line in Pottsville. This has been followed
→ Contact
Georg Zuzok | KHS GmbH, Bad Kreuznach
Phone: +49 671 852-2202
Tony Parham | KHS USA, Inc.
Phone: +1 817 296-2582
competence
70/71
01.2014
New KHS keg line for Yuengling:
Main features and plus points
1
Maintenance-friendly design …
3
Flexible exterior cleaning …
5
Low-oxygen filling process …
… makes the line consistently easy to
… is carried out by the modular
… based on the DFC filling system with volu
oversee and to access, and reduces the
Innokeg AK 5/2 for different keg types
metric flow control. Here, pressurization is
required number of machine operators
without interrupting production.
slightly higher than the degree of CO₂ satura
to a maximum of three.
2
State-of-the-art articulated arm robots …
tion. This reduces the consumption of carbon
4
dioxide in comparison with traditional filling
Efficient interior cleaning …
… is carried out by three parallel Innokeg
systems by up to 40 percent.
6
Perfect palletizing …
… depalletize/palletize the empty/full kegs
Transomat 5/1 Duo machines, each with
and flexibly adapt to the respective
two processing segments with five washing
production speed – smoothly, exactly, and
and sterilizing stations and one racking
… with the articulated arm robot. This robot
gently. They enable movement sequences to
station.
palletizes kegs on the three layers – with
be easily adapted for new keg sizes.
eight quarterbarrel kegs or four halfbarrel
kegs per layer. A downstream film wrapper
secures the layers.
Systems for sectors
Now scan the
QR code
and contact
Rainer Deutschmann
via LinkedIn.
→ Contact
Rainer Deutschmann | KHS GmbH, Bad Kreuznach
Phone: +49 671 852-2977
ABOVE — drinktec 2013 – talking
to customers: At KHS’ trade
show booth, Rainer Deutsch
mann, Global Product Account
Manager for Keg
Technology at KHS GmbH,
explains the benefits of using
disposable PETAINER® kegs.
RIGHT — the KHS PETAINER®
keg family: Available with
volumes of 15, 20, and 30 liters
– 20-liter PETAINER® kegs are
shown here.
competence
72/73
01.2014
The USA formula: Keg = KHS ...
... whether classic steel kegs or innovative PETAINER® Keg
Those who talk about kegs in the United States also talk about KHS. For there are dozens and dozens of small,
semi-automatic and big, fully automatic keg systems from KHS (up to 1,000 kegs per hour) that have been operating
successfully in both large and small breweries in the U.S. for more than 30 years.
Similar to the Yuengling craft brewery – who
seasons when steel kegs may be in short
changeover work. Should the need arise, the
relied on globally recognized keg technology
supply. On the other hand, the decision for
keg service specialists from KHS are ready and
for the first time in 2005 and has now made
or against PETAINER® Kegs depends on di-
willingly to provide fast support.
the next move by installing another keg line
stances the kegs of the respective company
(420 kegs/hour) – the American brewing in-
have to cover. The rule of thumb: the further
vides the right system for each individual
dustry has placed its trust in the know-how,
the distance, the greater the feasibility of
brewery, since, as we all know, every situa-
experience, and expertise of the experts from
Petainers (nationwide distribution, export).
tion is different. However, all keg systems
Now the best news: KHS additionally pro-
from KHS have these three basic advantages
KHS that has grown over many decades.
DECISIVE FACTOR: WHAT ARE THE
KEG SYSTEMS ABLE TO HANDLE?
in common:
→ gentle product filling with Direct Flow
keg: the PETAINER® Keg. And as might be ex-
The good news first: the keg machines from
Control (DFC)
→ and energy-saving filling with hot water
pected, KHS also offers the right system for
KHS are so flexible that they operate equally
cascades, which means that the system
processing modern, disposable PETAINER®
as well with disposable containers as they do
Kegs – configured according to the needs and
with conventional refillable steel kegs. Lines
reuses water several times.
→ reusing water several times step by step for
requirements of its customers. To get directly
currently in operation are able to optionally
internal and external cleaning saves both
to the point: the innovative PETAINER® Keg
process one-way kegs without any extensive
energy and fresh water
Professionals from both craft breweries
and brewery groups are currently discussing
the alternative to the classic, proven steel
system from KHS (incorporating large, all-encompassing converters) is revolutionizing cost
management in the filling industry:
1
as these disposable kegs eliminate
the expense of returning, storing, and
washing kegs as well as managing
deposit money and thus
2
decrease logistics costs by 20% to 30%
versus steel kegs.
In addition, these practical non-returnable
“For us, all options are open in the future
with the new keg line from KHS.
We will continue to remain competitive
even when meeting new customer
and consumer requirements.”
containers enable breweries to respond flexi-
Richard (Dick) Yuengling
bly to increased sales particularly during peak
Owner of D.G. Yuengling & Son
A
GOOD
TIME
Oskar Blues is certainly one
of the most unconventional of the
already highly individual craft
breweries in the United States
The company, with its extraordinary
growth, is constantly treading new paths,
but relies on well tried and tested
products when it comes to filling technology –
two Innofill DMD can fillers from KHS.
competence
74/75
01.2014
Dream team at the brewery in Longmont, Colorado:
Sean Kottenatette, Packaging Manager
Jeremy Connelly, Packaging Maintenance Manager
Matt Ploof, Filler Technician
Jim Weatherwax, Technical Director
(from left to right)
Dale Katechis,
Founder and owner of the Oskar Blues Brewery on:
FUN AT WORK
“This is my main objective as an entrepreneur. This also applies
to the staff: we offer them very good working conditions and
all kinds of sporting opportunities.”
PRACTICED SUSTAINABILITY
C
an an entrepreneur with a philosophy
that disconcerts many consultants really
“In 2010, we revitalized a former farm where we grow hops for
be successful? Yes, he can! And in a manner
our local beer specialties in the Brew Pub as well as vegetables,
to take your breath away. Dale Katechis illus
and raise cattle and pigs in their natural environment for our
trates this with his Oskar Blues Brewery day in
restaurants.”
and day out.
And this is how it began. The enthusia
KHS AS A PARTNER
stic mountain biker finished college in 1997
and founded his first restaurant, Oskar Blues
Brew Pub and Grill, near Longmont, Colorado.
“For us, KHS technology has long been the epitome of top
A short time later, he started brewing his own
quality. Our two can fillers confirm this in practice, and impress
beer on the recommendation of friends. As
us time and time again every day. And KHS service couldn’t
the brew was well accepted near and far, Dale
be better.”
really let rip with his unconventional style.
The wittily creative beers produced by
the Oskar Blues Brewery soon started to at
HIS LOVE OF CANS
tract attention throughout the USA – ex
amples include, The Reverend Sandi’s Sinful
“For me as a sporting person and enthusiastic mountain biker,
Stout, Dale’s Pale Ale, and Mama’s Little Yella
the can is simply ideal. It is light, recyclable, easy to carry, and
Pils. The unusual working conditions at Oskar
protects the beer against light and oxygen.”
Blues – such as music in the bottling shop and
cozy employee lounges with beer tasting –
also aroused great interest. And, of course,
the decision in favor of cans in 2002 – as a pio
neer among the craft breweries.
In 2008, Dale Katechis took a major step to
This has evidently not damaged the com
wards growth for Oskar Blues – he moved
pany one iota – on the contrary: Oskar Blues’
the brewing activities from the Brew Pub to
sales are increasing annually by about 50%.
a proper brewery. This was followed in 2011
From 600 barrels in 2002 to about 125,000
and 2012 by further decisive steps: Katechis
barrels last year. Cans chalk up 75% of this
invested in two Innofill DMD can fillers from
total and the remaining 25% are kegs pro
KHS – initially at the traditional Longmont
duced on a KHS Innokeg Transomat line. Oskar
site, and in the following year at the new site
Blues thus continues to hold top position in
in Bevard, North Carolina. Each of the two
can sales among American craft breweries,
lines has a capacity of 16,800 cans per hour.
although there have been many imitators in
the sector since then.
“The speed with which we moved from
the concept phase to implementation is due
Systems for sectors
Innofill
DMD
Success without stress: Jim Weatherwax, Technical
Director, out and about on the brewery site
The five main advantages
for Oskar Blues
Brief portrait:
Oskar Blues
1
Easy operation …
Can changing without elaborate changeover and without
→ 1999: started as a brewery restaurant
changing the return gas tubes.
→ Two breweries: Longmont, Colorado and
Brevard, North Carolina
→ 2002: First can filler to be installed in a craft
2
… with high availability
Accurate filling level by adjusting the height of the ring
brewery in the USA
→ 2013: 125,000 barrels; thus in second place
bowl; can be adjusted during filling. This ensures high
availability and additionally saves product.
among Colorado’s craft breweries and
number 27 in the USA (2011: 50th)
→ Main brands: Dale’s Pale Ale (60%),
3
Optimum filling process …
Features of the filling process include calm filling, low CO₂
Mama’s Little Yella Pils and Old Chub
discharge, and minimum oxygen pickup.
Scotch Ale (each 10%), mainly in 12-oz cans
→ Markets: Colorado (main market) and
4
31 other US states; exports to Sweden,
… for maximum filling quality
Foamless filling process, accurate filling levels
Canada, and the United Kingdom
→ Product awards: Numerous regional and
5
Maximum hygiene
national awards ranging from the Great
Optimum hygiene thanks to regular testing of entire filler
American Beer Festival and the World Beer
rounds in the company’s own laboratory. Connections
Cup to the United States Open Beer Cham-
between individual filling valves and tested cans easily
pionship (2013: tenth-best brewery in the
traceable. Any measures necessary for achieving maximum
midst of 2,500 beers submitted worldwide
microbiological hygiene can therefore be introduced in
in 68 categories)
good time.
competence
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01.2014
LEFT — Innofill DMD:
The filler is character
ized by reliable filling,
low CO₂ consumption,
and minimum oxygen
pickup.
RIGHT — Easy to
operate: Changing can
types involves neither
timeconsuming
changeover nor return
gas tube change.
“Every one of our employees deserves to have
a good time with us, and is highly valued here
as an individual.”
Dale Katechis
Founder and owner of the Oskar Blues Brewery
among others to KHS,” praises Jim Weather
2012 and well accepted by a target group ac
wax, Technical Director at Oskar Blues in
tive in sports, Oskar Blues, as the top filler in
Longmont. “They not only set up the can filler
the USA, is once again confirming its pioneer
in record time, but also got it up and run
status.
ning very quickly. You couldn’t have asked for
In the meantime, and this has long since
more commitment.” Weatherwax (known as
ceased to surprise staff and competitors alike,
the minister of kickin’ down doors in Oskar
Dale Katechis has already taken the next step:
Blues’ speak) adds, “The team in Bevard will
At the end of 2013, he opened ’CYCLHOPS
also very quickly realize that the Innofill DMD
CANtinas’ which are special bike shops with
is an extremely reliable filling system – easy
taco and beer bars and integral bicycle busi
to operate and to maintain. And one which,
nesses. “We intend to continue thinking cre
above all, just keeps on running – if necessary,
atively and laterally in the future,” says Kate
around the clock.”
chis, “and in doing so surprise our customers
The two systems fill 12, 16, and 19.2oz
cans. With the big can, launched in September
with more and more original ideas.” This way,
everyone has a great time.
→ Contact
Phone: +49 671 852-2202
Bob Pease | KHS USA, Inc.
Phone: +1 262 787-5108
Systems for sectors
competence
78/79
01.2014
ABOVE — Russ Klisch, owner of the
Lakefront Brewery, has made his
hobby his profession and still has a
lot of fun brewing.
BOTTOM — Lakefront Brewery took
up residence in a former power
plant, and in 2013 sold a remarkable
40,000 barrels.
THE BOOK
OF LIFE
Lakefront in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is one of the most
successful craft breweries in the USA / The owner-managed
company is investing in the KHS Innofill Glass Micro
filling system – and is thus creating a basis for planned
further growth. It all started with a book on brewing beer.
Brief portrait:
Lakefront
→ Established: 1987 managed as a
part-time sales business until 1995
→ Annual sales 2013: around
40,000 barrels
→ Product range: more than 20 styles
of beer, some in new styles yearly;
key brand: New Grist (first gluten-free
US beer)
→ Markets: Wisconsin (60 percent), 34
other US states and Canada; also exports
to Australia, Japan, and South Korea
→ Product awards: more than 100 regional, national and international awards,
including the Great American Beer Festi-
I
s there anything better than making your
of the brewery to a former power plant in
val, Los Angeles International Commer-
hobby your profession – and in doing so
1998 with sales at that time of 3,000 barrels.
cial Beer Competition, Chicago Beer Soci-
starting an extraordinary success story? Such
By 2006, the sales of Lakefront – as the
was the case with the brothers Russ and Jim
company was called – had doubled, and since
Klisch more than three decades ago with the
then have continued to increase unabated –
present of a book on home brewing – the tra
to 33,000 barrels in 2012 and an estimated
ditional and widespread art of brewing beer
40,000 last year.
at home in AngloSaxon countries – and the
Lakefront’s recipe for success is both typi
ety Tasting, European Beer Star Award,
Australian International Beer Awards,
World Beer Cup
→ Award: In 2007, the company was the
state’s first brewery and the first company in Milwaukee to be presented with
cal of and exemplary for the round 2,500 craft
the ’Travel Green Wisconsin’ award by
Further milestones were the founding of
breweries in the US: a large variety of very in
the Wisconsin Tourism Center for ecolo-
a parttime sales business in a former bakery
dividual, highquality beers, often with regional
gical sustainability
in Milwaukee in 1987, the shift to brewing as
affiliations, and the courage to introduce
the main business in 1995, and the relocation
new brands. “Our most important innovation
first successful attempts at brewing.
Systems for sectors
LEFT — Innovative Innofill Glass
Micro filling system monoblocked
with rinsing and capping system.
RIGHT — Powerful: Lakefront fills
up to 17,000 bottles per hour
with the Innofill Glass Micro.
was New Grist in 2006, the first officially re
but in principle is able to fill bottles rang-
cognized gluten-free beer based on rice and
ing in size from 0.1 to 3.0 liters as well as
millet,” recalls Russ Klisch, in the meantime
carbonated non-alcoholic beverages in glass
the brewery’s sole owner. He had already in
and aluminum bottles. This creates flexibility
troduced the first certified US organic beer
for the future.
(Organic ESB) to the market in 1996.
“In our opinion, KHS has taken the right
Today, Lakefront produces more than 20
step in developing this micro filler,” says Russ
different styles of beer each year; there are
Klisch on a positive note. “We are pleased to
no limits to the ideas, and members of staff
be the second microbrewery in the world to
chosen according to years of service with the
be able to benefit from this innovation.”
company can even create and produce a beer
of their choice in line with the motto ’your
turn’, which – according to Klisch – is ’an en
ormous motivation’ for these key employees.
In order to satisfy the continuously increa
sing demand and to provide a basis for further
growth, Lakefront has recently invested in an
Innofill Glass Micro from KHS. This machine
fills up to 17,000 bottles per hour in 12 and
22-oz long-neck bottles (0.355/0.65 liters),
→ Contact
Phone: +49 671 852-2202
Bob Pease | KHS USA, Inc.
Phone: +1 262 787-5108
competence
The new Innofill Glass
Micro filling system
Lakefront benefits above all from ...
1
80/81
01.2014
… LOW-OXYGEN FILLING
KHS’ micro filler operates with a double purging system, the proven
“We can continue
to grow with
the KHS filler!”
Russ Klisch, owner of the Lakefront craft Brewery,
discusses the partnership with KHS, his recipe for success
and plans for growth.
computer-controlled DPG-ZMS single-chamber filling system, and
aseptic seals, membranes, and expansion joints in the product, gas,
How did you get into brewing beer?
and CIP media feeds.
Through my brother – that was in 1981. He was given a book on
The machine uses an extremely low-oxygen filling process and, at
brewing for his birthday by our parents and then brewed his first
230 to 250 grams per hectoliter, also consumes very little CO₂.
Amber Lager at home, which did not taste bad at all. Wanting to
outdo him, I produced a Pilsner – and from then on we brewed
The benefit: The character of Lakefront’s high-quality beers is
together, initially for ourselves and for our friends.
perfectly retained in the bottle.
Obviously with great success …
… as a matter of fact, yes. In December 1987, we delivered our
2
first barrel of beer to the local pub. At that time, we both still had
… SIMPLE CHANGEOVER
The filling parameters for each product can be easily selected from
full-time jobs, brewed on weekends, and made our deliveries
during the week after work. In 1995, I quit my job and have been
brewing full-time since then.
the product-type memory at the operator panel. The filler can
therefore be set quickly and is tailor-made for each product.
What is your recipe for success?
It’s probably a combination of many factors: the high quality
The benefit: during production, Lakefront can switch between its
of our beer and our courage to follow innovative paths, brands,
range of around 20 beers quickly and easily.
and niche products and also the great demand from our
customers in general.
3
You have recently invested in the KHS Innofill Glass Micro.
… HYGIENIC DESIGN
What were the main reasons for this?
We knew that KHS was one of the technology leaders for fillers in
The Innofill Glass Micro features servo technology, a glass housing,
the high-performance range and also that it uses this expertise very
a sloped stainless steel front table, and a hygienically designed
successfully in the lower capacity range. Many craft breweries such
conveyor for bottle infeed and discharge.
as Lakefront need a reliable filling system that makes low-oxygen
filling and thus high-quality bottled beers possible. The system also
Benefits:
→ External control ring with gear, spindles, and joint shafts
provides long-term stability and has a long life span.
are no longer required.
→ Improved transparency and more space for cleaning and
What is your experience?
maintenance.
→ Faster discharge of product residue, foam, water, and broken
We are very satisfied with our decision. The filler has been
running exceptionally well since it was installed and our laboratory
repeatedly confirms outstanding filling results.
glass from the filler.
→ Quick and easy manual cleaning of the conveyor.
Where is Lakefront going in future?
→ Safe, hygienic cleaning of product and process gas passages
Our objective is to supply all 50 US states with Lakefront beers
and the hygienically critical interior of the centering bells in
in the future. At the same time, we would like to intensify
addition to high energy efficiency
our export activities.
Systems for sectors
Family
HARMONY
The Richmond Family Companies of Silver Springs Bottled water and Crossroads
Beverage Group make up one of the five largest bottlers of water in the USA /
Crossroads Beverage, which was only established in 2011, has invested specifically in three
KHS turnkey lines – and is now already pushing the limits of its capacity.
C
ompanies in family ownership have some
right location and wanted to start bottling
invaluable advantages: they can make
without delay,” says Kirk Richmond. “Experi
and implement decisions quickly and with
ence at Silver Springs had shown that our KHS
little red tape, share their expertise and ex
systems there are running at full capacity, are
perience within the family and pass it on to
highly efficient, and operate economically.
coming generations. And, at the same time,
We wanted the same kind of advantages for
they can cultivate certain idiosyncrasies – such
Crossroads.”
The choice of a former packing factory, in
as their first names.
As in the case of the Richmonds in the
cluding conversion, on 30,000 square meters
USA. Father Karl purchased the Silver Springs
of land in Reading, equal in size to the area of
Bottled Water Company in Florida in 1991.
approximately five soccer fields, has proved to
Kirk (COO) and Keith (CIO) are also involved in
be correct. But on the other hand, the order
the companies. Later, son Kane took over the
for two turnkey lines – a multifunction line
boss’s chair. Kirk’s son Kiel represents the next
for 36,000 bottles per hour and a second for
generation working for Crossroads Beverage
Group – the family bottling business established three years ago in Reading, Pennsylvania.
“We realized that the retailers in the northeastern United States were being undersup
plied with bottled water and we also had
many inquiries in Florida,” recalls Kirk Rich
mond, COO of Crossroads. “So we decided
to establish a second company in the north
east.” The brothers started their search for a
suitable location in the middle of 2011 – and
“Our KHS
turnkey lines
are a success factor
which is
not to be
underestimated.”
72,000 bottles – was rather shortsighted. “Just
six months after starting operations, we were
almost running at full capacity,” reports the
COO. Consequently, the company ordered
another 72,000-bottle KHS turnkey line for
filling 0.5-liter bottles in 2012.
When designing the line in Reading, the
Richmonds once again decided upon particu
larly lightweight PET bottles – optimized in
cooperation with KHS – with a focus on the
0.5-liter bottle weighing a mere 9.1 grams. In
ordered two KHS turnkey lines at once. “We
Kirk Richmond
cidentally, before optimizing the lightweight
were certain that we would quickly find the
COO, Crossroads
with the Bottles & Shapes experts from KHS
competence
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01.2014
WA T E R
Brief portrait:
Crossroads Beverage
Group
→ Founded: 2011 in Reading, Pennsylvania
→ Sales: around 500 million bottles of water in 2013,
90% of which in 0.5-liter bottles
→ Main area of distribution: approximately 300
miles around Reading and the major cities of New
York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Boston
→ Customer base: approximately 30 retail chains
and casinos
→ Production facilities: three KHS turnkey PET
systems, of which one multifunction line with 36,000
bottles/hr and two lines with 72,000 bottles/hr
exclusively for 0.5-liter bottles (weighing 9.1 grams)
Systems for sectors
Kirk Richmond,
COO of Crossroads in Reading, Pennsylvania, on:
The focus is on
the customer!”
THE COMPANY PHILOSOPHY
“Reliable delivery was formerly a crunch point in the northeastern United
States. When we arrived on the scene, we committed to deliver on time to
every single customer every time. And this is what we do. In addition, with
the KHS multifunction line, we can respond flexibly to all individual require
ments regarding format and design – and we assist with the creation of
bottle design, labels and the configuration of shrink packs.”
THE FAMILY TRADITION IN WATER
Corpoplast, the bottle weighed 45% more at
13.2 grams. The brothers’ long-term objective
is to achieve 7.5 grams. And – with the latest
“My parents, Karl and Margaret, believed in the great potential of bottled
developments of individual components –
water. When they established the Silver Springs Bottled Water Company in
they have duplicated the high-efficiency lines
Florida in 1991 this business was still in its infancy in the US. My brothers,
in Florida in most areas. The following sum
Kane and Keith, now manage the business there as CEO and CIO, while at
marizes the main facts.
Crossroads my son Kiel, represents the next generation.”
1
THE KHS TURNKEY LINES
InnoPET BloFill monoblock:
saves weight and energy
“The flexibility of the multifunction line with 36,000 bottles per hour includ
ing shrink packing to our particular requirements is exemplary. With this line,
we produce, bottle, and pack 8, 10, 20 and 24-oz formats as well as 0.5, 1.0,
In 2008, Silver Springs was the first beverage
and 1.5-liter variants. On the other hand, with the higher capacity lines, we
company in the world to invest in the – at the
concentrate exclusively on the 0.5-liter bottle which covers 90% of our to
time – new monoblock with the InnoPET Blomax
tal sales.”
Series III and the Innofill NV – and later also in
the first InnoPET BloFill monoblock with the
“KHS’ Bottles & Shapes program helps us to respond flexibly to the widely
InnoPET Blomax Series IV. Their main advan
differing requirements of the customers – from the initial bottle concept and
tages are:
→→ The space-saving heating module uses
its development and design to industrial production. This is a decisive com
petitive advantage for us. ”
near infrared to cut the preform heatup time by fifty percent and the num
“Our lightweights impress with top quality, material cost savings, and opti
ber of rejected preforms in the event of
mum handling in production and logistics. Nevertheless, we want to make
an emergency stop. The closed heating
them even lighter. Our goal in the long term, for example, is to achieve a
chamber with all-round reflection en
weight of 7.5 grams for the 0.5-liter bottle.”
sures particularly efficient heat penetra
tion of the preform. Kirk Richmond says,
“This enables us to save 40% energy in
FURTHER GROWTH
direct comparison with the Series III.”
→→ The servo-controlled stretching pro
“Together with Silver Springs, we are already one of the five largest bottling
cess with flexible stretching movement
businesses for water in the USA. In the medium to long term, we see our
provides exceptionally high process
selves with a nation-wide presence. With regard to space, we have laid the
stability.
foundations for further expansion with options to buy buildings and land
which to date have been rented.”
competence
84/85
01.2014
WA T E R
LEFT — The focus of the three KHS turnkey lines is the InnoPET
BloFill monoblock with stretch blow molder and filling system ...
BOTTOM — ... along with the PB 1 HS palletizer with upstream
inline robot grouping.
→ Monoblocking with only one modu
At a glance: They are very easy to maintain,
ensure high availability and minimum main
lar transfer wheel for removing bottles
easy to handle, robust and lownoise in ad
tenance effort. An upstream, spacesaving in
from the blow molding station enables
dition to having little wiring and smaller con
line robot group gently aligns the packs and
PET bottles to be transferred smoothly
trol cabinets. They are also able to process
operates with maximum accuracy.
to the filler with the required spacing.
significantly thinner film with their special
Summing up this experience, Kirk Rich
→ The air lock reliably separates the dry
film cutting and conveying system. “We are
mond says, “For our newly established com
section of the blow molder from the fill
very happy with our shrink packers,” says Kirk
pany, the KHS turnkey lines form the basis for
ing area where the filler is located.
Richmond. “They operate extremely reliably,
product safety, ontime deliveries, and thus
“We can use preforms which are optimized
are particularly userfriendly and produce
a strong market position. I can only recom
to onetenth of a gram and particularly light
optimal packaging quality and stability with
mend anyone to use highquality technical
weight bottles,” praises Kirk Richmond.
the lowest possible use of materials.”
solutions right from the start. It is worth it in
the end.”
2
3
Innopack Kisters SP Advanced:
precise and reliable
Innopal PB 1 HS:
maximum performance
with no holds barred
Crossroads has now invested in this innovative
range three times. Commenting on this, Kirk
The singlestation palletizing robot with pal
Richmond says, “However, this is something
let lift, elevated pack infeed, and twopiece
we did not do with one of our lines at Silver
pusher plate is outstandingly suitable for the
Springs. We now know that the Innopack
highperformance palletizing of sensitive
Kisters machines have many advantages over
shrink packs. Servo technology and toothed
other machines.”
belt drives on the lift unit and loading station
→ Contact
Phone: +49 671 852-2202
Jon Elward | KHS USA, Inc.
Phone: +1 404 2815552
competence
86/87
01.2014
SOF T DR I N K S
“Our confidence in KHS technology
has once again paid off,” sums up
Rick Neal, Manager of the CCNNE
production plant in Londonderry.
THE
JOY OF
TECHNOLOGY
For decades, Coca-Cola bottler CCNNE in the northeastern
United States obtained PET bottles from a supplier /
The company has made the quantum leap in combination
with new KHS technology by investing in the
InnoPET Blomax Series IV stretch blow molder.
I
CCNNE distribution: Nine centers
deliver to New England and New York
State.
Now scan the QR code
and experience
the fascination
of stretch blow
molding technology.
nvest in quality from the very beginning.
in the future for the machine, to KHS Corpoplast
John Palermo, former Vice President Oper
in Hamburg, the center for PET expertise, for
ations at the CocaCola Bottling Company of
preliminary training. “Back in Londonderry,
Northern New England – CCNNE for short – is
they could hardly wait for their machine to ar
once again able to confirm this. As Vice Pres
rive,“ reports Palermo. “And once it was there,
ident Operations he was jointly responsible
they helped the KHS technicians with installa
for the company’s investment in the InnoPET
tion and commissioning in a highly motivated
Blomax Series IV. Palermo and Rick Neal,
manner. You could really sense the pleasure in
manager of the CCNNE production plant in
the new technology.“
Londonderry, New Hampshire, knew one
The decisionmakers at CCNNE must surely
thing from many years of experience with
take just as much pleasure in the performance
KHS bottling lines: the outstanding technical
of the machine. Very quickly after commission
systems work particularly efficiently and over
ing, it impressed with its clear advantages in
many years. Regular qualification measures
everyday bottling practice. And, in doing so, it
for the operators in production also contrib
fulfills all the expectations which resulted in ad
ute to this fact.
vance of the investment from CCNNE’s visits to
Neal and Palermo thus dispatched a team
of seven employees, who would be responsible
companies who were already producing suc
cessfully with this innovative KHS technology.
Systems for sectors
InnoPET Blomax Series IV at CCNNE:
28 blow molding stations each of which
produce 2,250 bottles per hour.
“ The quality aspect is
more important than
any other!”
John Palermo, former Vice President of Operations at
CCNNE, is today Chairman of the Supervisory Board of
Southeastern Container. As a converter, founded by
Coca-Cola bottlers, this company supplies bottling
companies with PET bottles.
Does CCNNE’s investment in the InnoPET Blomax Series IV
mean just a new machine?
No, it represents a process of rethinking in the entire sector. In the past, the
beverage industry in the USA obtained most of its PET bottles from converters. However, the future lies in PET bottle production on site – and the procurement of preforms from converters such as Southeastern Container.
The InnoPET Blomax Series IV
at CCNNE …
… is highly flexible.
Key features: 28 blow molding stations; up to
Is KHS technology driving the pace of change in the sector?
2,250 PET bottles per hour; bottle sizes from
I would go so far as to say that more and more beverage companies in the
0.2 to 2.0 liters. At CCNNE, it produces 12, 16,
USA are going over to producing PET bottles inline because of the InnoPET
20oz and 0.5liter bottles (covers 60% of PET
Blomax Series IV. A better return on investment is hard to imagine. The new
bottles). The bottler obtains the remaining
machine saves materials, energy and costs, is easy to handle, and extreme-
formats from the converter; all options are
ly flexible.
open.
How do you assess the bottle quality?
... saves space, energy and compressed air:
The motto ’The quality aspect is more important than any other’ applies to
Near infrared cuts the heatup time and
all companies in Kirin Holdings. Naturally, this also applies to the bottle qual-
space requirements by up to 50 percent. Russ
ity – and this is made possible by the modern servo technology used in the
Brunner, Plant Engineer at CCNNE says, “Com
InnoPET Blomax Series IV. CCNNE has already won the Coca-Cola President’s
pared with traditional heating technology,
Award eight times. We are thus at the top of the list of the 60 bottlers in the
we save up to 40% energy – and up to 15%
United States.
compressed air consumption depending on
the bottle size.“
The investments were then worthwhile!
I can only advise any company to invest in the best technology and thorough
… increases production:
training. Along with the blending equipment, the two KHS filling systems
Instead of 1,800 previously (InnoPET Blomax
have been working perfectly in three-shift operation and to our utmost satis-
Series III), one station can now produce up to
faction from 1989 to the present day. As have the KHS Promix systems CCNNE
2,250 PET bottles per hour; a maximum total
ordered nearly 10 years ago. And anyone visiting the plant today and seeing
of 63,000 bottles.
the modern KHS stretch blow molder will sense the pride of the operators in
this gem of a machine. That really is the joy of technology!
… optimizes bottle quality:
The use of the latest servo technology en
ables, among others, excellent bottle quality.
competence
88/89
01.2014
SOF T DR I N K S
... enables fast changeover:
Brief portrait: CCNNE
When changing over to new bottle types,
using servo technology ensures precision
CCNNE – the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England – is a fully-
stretching and there is no need to replace or
owned subsidiary of the Japanese company Kirin Holdings where it is part of the
mechanically adjust the stretch bar; new set
Overseas Beverages Division which contributes 26.5% to the Group’s turnover.
tings are communicated to the system ex
clusively from a monitor; timesaving thanks
→ Founded: 1977 in New Hampshire, USA as part of an acquisition
to SpeedLoc quickchange system; the time
necessary from machine restart to release of
by Kirin Holdings with other subsequent acquisitions
→ Location: Londonderry, New Hampshire
the preform, which was previously two min
→ Market position: fifth largest Coca-Cola bottler in the USA
utes, is now just 15 seconds. “Short change
→ Sales: 28 million crates or around 266 million liters of non-alcoholic beverages
over times are extremely important to us,“
→ Main products: Coca-Cola Classic (22%), Diet Coke (18%),
praises Neal.
Dasani (water) (9%)
→ Formats: 60% cans, 40% in a very wide range of PET bottles
CCNNE’s pleasure in the InnoPET Blomax
Series IV is therefore unbroken – even after
the machine was commissioned. “This gener
ation of stretch blow molders has completely
convinced us in every respect and made the
advantages of inline bottle manufacture
clear,“ is Rick Neal’s thoroughly positive final
evaluation. “If we expand our activities in the
future, I can certainly see us investing in an
other InnoPET Blomax Series IV. We have re
Londonderry plant per year has been elimi
alized a return on investment with this ma
nated. However, there is one fly in the oint
chine in only three years – an outstanding
ment for CCNNE with the otherwise allround
result.“
harmonious investment: “There is just one
Considering that both our financial
point of criticism,“ adds Plant Manager Neal
statement as well as the environment have
in conclusion, “and that was our own fault.
benefited. The necessity of transporting
We should have decided on the InnoPET
around 1,800 truckloads of PET bottles to the
Blomax Series IV much earlier!“
→ Contact
Phone: +49 671 852-2202
Jon Elward | KHS USA, Inc.
Phone: +1 404 2815552
Systems for sectors
1
WORLD’S NO.
Beam, largest spirits manufacturer in the USA, swears by KHS packaging systems /
Since 2010, the company, managed by the seventh generation of the family, has already invested four times in Innopack Kisters solutions at its headquarters in Frankfort, Kentucky.
T
hose who think of bourbon, also think of Kentucky.
and glass bottles in approximately 1,600 different sales
And rightly so. For 98% of all US distilleries which
units – in two and three-shift operation on a total of nine
produce this particular whiskey are located in this feder
lines. And all this with an output which has doubled in the
al state. This has been the tradition since settlers distilled
last five years.
corn-based whiskey there for the first time in 1770 and al
lowed it to mature in charred oak casks.
It goes without saying that investment in new equip
ment has to fulfill several criteria. It should be highly effi
They were joined in 1788 by farmer and miller
cient, extremely reliable and as flexible as possible in or
Johannes Jakob Böhm of German descent, who, in search
der to process the enormous diversity of products and
of a better life, had packed all his worldly goods, traveled
enable further growth. Where the packaging equipment
west with his family and finally settled in Bourbon County.
is concerned, in recent years, Byron DuBois, Manager of
In 1795, in the meantime having changed his name to
Old Grand Dad, has opted for a total of four wrap-around
Jacob Beam, he sold the first barrel of Old Jake Beam
Sour Mash.
packers from KHS.
The first investments were in two Innopack Kisters WP
His new blend launched the unique success story of
A-H from the Advanced range for high-capacity lines. At
a family company, which has continued to the present
the present time, they process exclusively bottles in 6 and
day over seven generations. Beam has become one of the
12-packs – and in doing so display all their advantages.
largest manufacturers of spirits in the USA. The Jim Beam
brand family alone accounts for half of the bourbon pro
duced in Kentucky each year, and the Jim Beam brand is
the world’s No. One among bourbon whiskeys. Added to
1
High ease of operation
this is a wide range of other brands and high-percentage
liquors which ranges from Cognac and gin to rum, Scotch,
As a feature of the operator-prompted format change
tequila and vodka.
over, the machine operator panel indicates which param
The group’s main production plant is the Old Grand
eters have to be reset and where; there is no longer a need
Dad factory in Frankfort, Kentucky, founded in 1901
for long paper lists. Instead, an electronic display provides
where 350 employees produce and ship 12 million cases
information on the new settings required. Other plus
a year – with around 100 different brands of spirits in PET
points are outstanding accessibility and hygienic design.
competence
90/91
01.2014
SPI R I TS
Brief portrait: Beam
→ Founded: 1795 in Kentucky, USA
→ Market position: largest spirits company in
the USA and the world’s fourth largest supplier
of premium spirits
→ Sales: 38 million cases in 2012 with an average of
9 liters of spirits; of these 7 million Jim Beam spirits
→ Produkts: 20% Jim Beam brand family, other
bourbons/whiskeys, vodka, tequila, Cognac, rum,
gin, cocktails, liqueurs
→ Markets: 58% North America, 22% Europe/Middle
East/Africa, 20% Asia/Pacific/South America
→ Turnover: 2.5 billion US dollars in 2012
→ Employees: 3,400 worldwide
→ Main production facility: Old Grand Dad plant
in Frankfort, Kentucky with around 12 million cases
per year
Jim Beam is traditionally stored in wooden casks.
Systems for sectors
2
5
Improved machine efficiency
High flexibility coupled with top-quality service
Identical servo motors, each with integral servo control
Beam currently uses only corrugated cardboard cases, but
lers, simplify troubleshooting in the event of a malfunc
is keeping its options open for the future. This is because
tions and part replacement when maintenance is re
the system is also prepared for kraft cardboard cases and,
quired. As the servo controllers are no longer located in
if required, every Innopack Kisters WP A-H can also form
the control cabinet, less space is required and the wiring
tray packs – as long as the edge of the tray is at least 60 mm
in the packaging machine itself is reduced.
high. KHS also provides advice regarding particularly suit
able cardboard materials. This includes the type and thick
3
Less machine operator dependency
ness of the cardboard, the shape of the case, perforations
to be incorporated, and any conceivable partitions.
Two Innopack WP 030 machines were thus first
choice when it came to subsequent investments. John
Beam decided to install a blanks feed belt upstream of
Ballard’s justification is convincing: “It made no sense to
each of the packers. Here, a belt system removes individ
use the Advance technology here, as we would not have
ual blanks automatically. Special servo-motor-driven belts
been able to make use of its numerous advantages, if – as
with particularly slip-proof surfaces index the blanks per
intended – we were only going to pack one size of bottle
fectly into the conveyor chain while optoelectronic sen
in 12-pack wrap-around cases.”
sors ensure reliable production. “The operators load the
Once again, Byron DuBois is extremely satisfied with
conveyor and can then get on with other tasks until the
Beam’s latest decisions. “The two Innopack WP 030 ma
blanks have been processed – an important plus point as
chines also operate exactly the way we want them to. The
far as we are concerned,” comments John Ballard, Mainte
quality of the products is outstanding and the machines
nance Manager at the Frankfort plant.
are easy to operate and low-noise. We would opt for these
systems time and time again for lines with low capacity
4
and a small processing range.” After all, the world’s No. 1
is the world’s No. 1.
Gentle, custom-fit packaging
Folding chains with attached folding pushers in the front
and rear case packing areas initially guide the permanently
fixed product groups – and thereafter folding curves on
both sides when they simultaneously converge with the
blanks after indexing. After the blanks have been closed,
glue is applied by means of special hot melt applicators,
the front and rear of the case are finally sealed, and the
lid is folded and glued. The finished carton then passes
through an application pressure station.
→ Contact
Georg Zuzok
KHS GmbH, Bad Kreuznach
Phone: +49 671 852-2202
Email:[email protected]
Steve Humbert
KHS USA, Inc.
Phone: +1 404 513 288-8931
Email:[email protected]
competence
92/93
01.2014
SPI R I TS
Innopack Kisters WP AH: capacity
of up to 70 cycles per minute.
“We are
extremely
satisfied!”
Byron DuBois, Manager of the Beam headquarters in Frankfort,
Kentucky on the collaboration with KHS:
Our partnership began in 2010. In the light of upcoming investments, we visited
breweries that had already been using the Innopack Kisters WP A-H for some time and
whose comments were nothing other than positive. The overall concept impressed us,
as it is very flexible and well thought out in every respect. It therefore did not take us
long to place the first order.
Four KHS wrap-around packers have in the meantime been installed here in the Old
Grand Dad plant. We need technical systems which we can completely rely on in order
to achieve the specified high output reliably. Since 2010, we have been ordering one
KHS packer after the other; they not only pack our high-quality products perfectly, but
also work highly efficiently. We are extremely satisfied.
Flexibility in production is a decisive factor for us – now and in the future. At the
Frankfort plant, we are currently bottling spirits in PET and glass bottles in almost equal
quantities. PET bottles are becoming ever more popular, as they have many advantages. They are light, unbreakable and at first glance almost indistinguishable from
glass bottles – they also have an attractive appearance.
Systems for sectors
drinktec 2013
A perfect
performance
94/95
“When planning our trade show exhibit, we made
a special effort to forge a link between our history,
our technology, and providing a certain emotional
appeal for our visitors. Our biggest reward was
the enthusiasm of our customers and of course our
colleagues.”
Sandra Wapniewski
Corporate Communication Trade Shows & Events, KHS GmbH
1
2
W
hen it comes to convincing existing
The generous display of these and various
and prospective customers of the
other exhibits at our trade show booth cre
value of KHS innovations, the perfect medium
ated a unique setting in which visitors could
is demonstrating our enormous passion for
examine the machinery at length and learn
technological systems at the world’s leading
more in talks with KHS. Spacious catering
trade shows.
areas provided a comfortable atmosphere
drinktec in September 2013 was with
and offered visitors with a quiet space to con
out a doubt the ideal opportunity to present
template and recover – so crucial at trade
KHS’ many significant innovations, among
shows – giving a positive bent to their often
them the Innosept Asbofill ASR rotary asep
minutely planned show schedules.
tic machine, the Innoket Neo labeling con
The special challenge for the KHS team
cept, the Innofill Can DVD canner and our
sent to the world’s leading trade show for
revolutionary direct digital print system for
our industry was to illustrate all facets of KHS’
PET bottles.
professed claim of being the First Choice in
14,200 square meters:
KHS had the second
largest exhibition
booth at drinktec.
2A warm welcome:
the modern,
feel-good catering
area.
Systems for sectors
3Premiere: KHS
presents a machine
that is able to
print directly on
PET bottles.
4The Technology Lab
was an absolute
attraction for visitors
who came to take
a look at the pack
aging systems of
the future.
Technology and Service in a manner compre
gave exclusive insights into the key develop
hensible to the customer. The booth’s per
ments, which would mold the future, such as
fect meld of history, innovation, and emo
the direct digital printing of PET bottles, was
tional appeal made sure that KHS was not
an example of just one feature, which attracted
only one of the topics of conversation of the
great interest and created long waiting lines.
show among its customers and partners but
The same went for the large auditorium, where
also for its competitors.
each day KHS experts discussed new topics
4,200 square meters of innovation
relevant to the industry with their customers.
Altogether, KHS presented itself to its
Besides the many impressive technological in
international clientele with a show concept,
novations on display, the 4,200 square-me
which was both coherent and extremely suc
ter exhibition booth – the second largest at
cessful, portraying its aforementioned central
drinktec – was in itself a topic of animated con
theme of ’First Choice in Technology and Ser
version. The new Technology Lab, where KHS
vice’ with total conviction.
96/97
“There was huge interest in our innovations.
Thousands of existing and prospective customers
from all over the world were very impressed
with our trade show booth, our innovative systems,
and our plant technology.”
3
CEO/CTO, KHS GmbH
4
Special
A
competence
98/99
01.2014
Special: when art
meets technology
The aesthetics
of functionality
C
D
S
B
When cutting-edge technology and art of engineering with real dynamism
and discerning yet identical basic structures meet clear,
efficient design, the result is much more than functional production
plant or soulless factory. / What you get are creations, which with
their moving and often emotional aestheticism come very close to being works
of kinetic art. Allow us to explore this unique world – to which KHS also
belongs.
The station at Lyon’s Saint
Exupéry Airport:
motion in all
directions, designed
by Santiago Calatrava.
Kinetic art became
popular in the 1950s
and 1960s.
T
heaterplatz in Basel, Switzerland, boasts an extraordinary spec
the age of machines. His motto was as fol
tacle admired by locals and visitors alike. In its commodious
lows: “Everything flows; nothing stands still!"
Fasnachtsbrunnen, ten playful yet very technical sculptures tirelessly
perform their various tasks like machines, in constant flow with the
Art and technology closely linked
water, scooping, ladling, sieving and spraying it, the individual com
This combination of art and technology is in
ponents forming a fascinating whole, hour for hour, day by day, year
deed nothing unusual, with the origins of
for year.
both closely linked, as Dr. Danièle Perrier re
This work of genius, famous the world over, was fashioned by
minds us in her much-acclaimed essay on ki
Swiss artist Jan Tinguely, who also integrated moving, mobile elements
netic art (Die kinetische Kunst): “The Ancient
no longer required by the stage designers at the Rhine metropolis’ city
Greeks described art as techne, from which
theater into his masterpiece. Large, mobile machines were typical fea
the word ’technology’ can be derived.” The
tures in the work of the Swiss artist who died in 1991. Art history has
former assistant professor, art advisor, cura
consigned them to the category of kinetic art – or the form of artistic
tor, museum director, and current vice-pres
expression where motion forms an integral, aesthetic part of the cre
ident of the International Association of
ative whole.
Art Critics AICA also proves for generations
Tinguely’s lively, clattering, motorized sculptures were his way of
of artistic movements and groups “that ki
treating industrial material creatively, a topical artistic expression of
netic art, when interpreted in the sense of
Special
“Santiago Calatrava’s creative work divines the essence
of architecture. His architecture broadens our horizons
and lends expression to the energy of the human spirit,
it enchants our imagination and delights us with the wonders
that plastic form and dynamic construction can produce.”
American Institute of Architects (AIA)
on the presentation of its famous gold medal to Santiago Calatrava.
B
C
moving sculpture, bears witness to the development of our technical
Yet are these abstracting parallels not com
achievements”.
pelling? For the observer of fascinating fill
Incidentally, the boundaries between art, technology, and func
ing technology, perhaps, watching hundreds
tion were also fluid, if not non-existent, for perhaps one of the great
or even thousands of perfectly orchestrated,
est artist of all time, Leonardo da Vinci. This universal genius acted as a
precisely coordinated processes per second?
painter, sculptor, architect, mechanic, engineer, scientist, philosopher,
Studying moving machines, which seem to
and musician as required or at the request of his clients. He not only
control and monitor all logistic functions prac
created the most famous painting the world in his Mona Lisa but was
tically independently, like a living, breathing
also a great admirer of machines.
organism? Where energy and fluids course
From Leonardo da Vinci ...
Leonardo da Vinci:
born April 15, 1452,
in Vinci, Italy,
Died May 2, 1519,
in Amboise, France.
through its inner workings – non-stop – to
produce a flawless end result, namely tens
Leonardo also busied himself with the building of fortresses, bridges
of thousands of products per hour, each and
and canals; he developed a rapid-fire canon that shot the first stream
everyone of absolutely perfect quality?
lined missiles, an automobile complete with gears, and a tank. He also
If we were to twist art expert Perrier’s per
designed a diving suit with a snorkel and the first glider – an elegant,
spective to this rather unaccustomed view of
pyramid-shaped parachute that actually flies. This was proved in June
such outstanding technology, then her ’tech
2000 by Adrian Nicholas from Great Britain who gently and safely
nical achievements’ would here become ver
glidedto the ground from an elevation of 3,000 meters on a replica of
itable moving sculptures of the 21st century.
Leonardo’s masterly flying machine.
It has thus long been undisputed that many
What still remains unclear is whether Leonardo also wanted to ex
industrial products and machines have since
plore the soul when he dissected more than 30 bodies in the course of
gained the status of object d’art – if not more.
his anatomical studies to examine muscles, bones, organs, and vessels –
and became the first to observe diseases such as arteriosclerosis. Was
... to the Red Dot Award
he looking for parallels between animate and inanimate objects? We
It’s for this reason, for instance, that the De
don’t know. What we do know, however, is that French doctor and phi
sign Zentrum NRW, located at the World Her
losopher of the Enlightenment Julien Offray de La Mettrie caused an
itage Site Zeche Zollverein in Essen, Germany,
absolute scandal a good two hundred years later with the publication
presents the Red Dot Award for outstanding
of his book L’homme machine (Machine man). In it he compared the
design once a year. The various award win
functions of the human organism to the functionality of a machine.
ners – from automobiles to dentist’s chairs –
competence
100/101
01.2014
Santiago Calatrava
Architecture
in motion
Spanish star architect Santiago Calatrava manages to integrate his
fascination with movement into his buildings like no other. His work
is thus the perfect synthesis of moving technology and aesthetic art
in architecture.
The combination of art, architecture and technology is the foundation of
Santiago Caltrava’s outstanding oeuvre. The fourth essential element in
his creations is his fascination with movement which he is convinced can also
be found in all static objects and systems.
As a result, in his several decades of creative activity Calatrava has specifically designed and built structures, which symbolize motion or even make it possible, time
and again, these including airport terminals and railroad stations, subway stations,
bridges, the Transportation Hub at the new World Trade Center under construction
in Manhattan and a planned cableway, which at some stage in the future will link
Manhattan and Brooklyn with Governors Island in New York.
All these structures, even his futuristic office and residential buildings, have one
thing in common: they are like moving sculptures, which in turn are marked by filigree yet strictly systematic structures. Santiago Calatrava’s extensive and extraordinary catalog of works has earned him countless awards over the past decades. In
2005 he was presented with a gold medal by the American Institute of Architects
for being one of the most significant and innovative architects of our modern age.
Calatrava’s highlights from A to Z
→→ Athens: Olympic Sports Complex
→→ Barcelona: Port de Barcelona, radio tower
→→ Buenos Aires: Puente de la Mujer
→→ Dallas: airport
→→ Jerusalem: Light Rail Train Bridge
→→ Kuala Lumpur: KL Linear City
→→ Los Angeles: Cathedral Square
→→ Madrid: Barajas Airport
→→ New York: World Trade Center
A modern classic:
the radio tower at the Olympic Village
in Barcelona,
built by Calatrava.
Transportation Hub
→→ Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Auditorium
→→ Stockholm: Olympic Stadium
→→ Toronto: airport bridge
→→ Valencia: Palau de las Arts Reina Sofia
→→ Zürich: Stadelhofen station
Special
“ ‘Made in Germany’ also incorporates
the promise of good design.”
Professor Peter Zec
Head of the Design Zentrum and senator of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design ICSID
Wikipedia has 48 cate
gories under ’industrial
design’.
thereafter enjoy cult status and are shown
which has to bow to a function and the blatant idea of human scale
at the exhibition like works of art. “Germany
(through function). Where sculpture ignores function, is unbroken by
lives from launching premium products to the
mundane issues of use, as a form of pure expression it is superior to
world market, which generally have a high
architecture.”
quality of design,” comments Professor Peter
Calatrava has another passion pertaining architecture, namely a
Zec, head of the Design Zentrum and senator
passion for motion, also in its nomological form with real, repetitive
of the International Council of Societies of In
movements. It is manifested time and again in his buildings, from the
dustrial Design ICSID. He says, “’Made in Ger
early folding doors of the Ernsting’s family warehouse in Westphalia,
many’ also incorporates the promise of good
Germany, to the newer 82-ton sunshade of the art museum in Milwau
design.”
kee, Wisconsin, USA.
"Everything is potential movement,” he explains. “Newton’s sec
Genius Santiago Calatrava ...
ond law states that the acceleration of an object depends on two
Architecture also belongs to our industrial
things – the net force applied to the object and the mass of that ob
age, albeit on a rather grand scale. Nobody
ject. Mass and acceleration are linked and there is thus time in force. I
represents the synthesis of technology, move
realized that architecture is full of moving things, from the doors to the
ment and sculptural artwork with as much
furniture. Architecture itself also moves and with a bit of luck turns into
consistency and perfection as Santiago Cala
a beautiful ruin. Everything changes, everything dies, and cyclic move
trava. This may be the result of his training; he
ments hold an existential significance.”
studied architecture in Valencia, Spain, art at
the École des Beaux Arts in Paris, France, and
... our modern-day Leonardo?
constructional engineering at the Swiss Fed
That was a basic outline of Calatrava’s slightly abstract philosophy on
eral Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zürich,
architecture, art, function, motion and the existential things in life,
Switzerland.
which are all reflected in modern technology. Joseph Seymour, former
As far back as in 1997 he wrote of the cor
managing director of the port authorities of New York and New Jer
relation between art and architecture: “Archi
sey, was bolder and more to the point when he commissioned Span
tecture and sculpture are like two rivers with
ish architect Calatrava to build the new railroad station on Ground
the same water flowing along them. You
Zero: “We see him as the da Vinci of our modern age. He combines
could imagine sculpture to be unrestricted
light and air and structural elegance with strength!” When art meets
plasticity, whereas architecture is plasticity,
technology.
Dr. Franz-Josef Strittmatter, journalist and publicist, Dachsberg, Germany
competence
102/103
01.2014
Moving technology
German Design Award for
ClearLine by KHS
The German Design Award 2014
the fields of commerce, educa-
on the maintenance and clean-
goes to ... ClearLine by KHS!
tion and science. As a rule, the
ing effort, and optimizing the
What’s very special about this is
council selects individual prod-
hygienic design. ClearLine also
that the German Design Council
ucts for distinction. What the jury
includes the new machine oper-
didn’t just award a prize for a sin-
lauded as a special feature of
ating system known as the Hu-
gle product but for an entire de-
ClearLine from KHS was its uni-
man Machine Interface or HMI.
sign concept. Why?
form design concept, which covers all the machines on a bever-
Control and monitoring of ma-
To come straight to the point,
age filling and packaging system
chines and production lines is
KHS’ ClearLine philosophy opti-
and also visually emphasizes KHS’
now combined in a uniform in-
mizes and consistently reconciles
line expertise.
terface (hardware and soft-
aesthetics and functionality and
ware). The operator guides the
at the same makes machines and
What’s behind it all? The creators
machine and process using sim-
lines easier to operate.
of ClearLine for KHS machinery
ple buttons, colored graphics,
attached great importance to
easy-to-remember icons and in-
But let’s deal with one thing at a
aesthetic, tactile, and ergonomic
teractive handling instructions.
time. The German Design Award,
design. The focus was also on
The ClearLine operating con-
highly esteemed both within
simplifying functions and reduc-
cept has already won a num-
and outside Germany, has been
ing the number of parts with the
ber of awards, including the red
awarded by the German Design
goal of enhancing transparency,
dot: best of the best, the iF prod-
Council for 60 years. A total of
improving clarity, cutting down
uct design award and the iF gold
1,900 entries were judged for
2014 by 30 design experts from
award.
In-house news
KHS supports VDM
mineral water summit
SUCCESSFUL
PERFORMANCE
PET event: the evening program gave both guests and the KHS team a chance to talk shop. From left to right:
Partho Ghose (Sales Director, KHS Machinery Pvt. Ltd.), Prof. E.h. Dr.-Ing. Johann Grabenweger, CSO, KHS GmbH,
Snehasish Sarkar (director, Greentouch Projects Ltd.) and Kishore Agarwal (director, Trinity Beverages Pvt. Ltd.).
T
he mineral water summit staged by the
VDM (Association of German Mineral Wa
ter Companies) took place in Bad Kreuznach,
Germany, on November 19 and 20, 2013.
Prof. Matthias Niemeyer, CEO/CTO of KHS
KHS PET event in Hamburg
GmbH, welcomed the guests and KHS ex
TOP PET TALK
perts helped make the summit a success with
their interesting lectures and enlightening
tour of the KHS plant in Bad Kreuznach. Here,
visitors could choose between seven differ
I
nformative KHS events are very popu
manager of KHS Corpoplast, to give a positive
ent work stations: the Powerwall, laboratory,
lar. It thus goes without saying that the
summary of the event. “The KHS PET Center
key systems, process and filling technology,
PET event orchestrated by KHS Corpoplast
in Hamburg made a very good impression.”
service and large component manufacture.
and KHS Plasmax in Hamburg, Germany,
What visitors found especially laudable was
In the evening participants wound down
last year was a success. Over 100 representa
the successful mix of exciting innovations, in
at the Bonnheimer Hof winery, with a ques
tives of international companies and 20 ex
teresting talks, great hospitality and the pre
tion-and-answer session chaired by Prof. E.h.
pert journalists came to learn more about
vailing very pleasant atmosphere.
Dr.-Ing. Johann Grabenweger, CSO for KHS
GmbH.
the many sides to PET at the opening of the
new production shop for KHS Corpoplast.
Topics included:
→→ Ultraclean filling in PET bottles
Reward for exemplary communication
→→ T
he modular line concept (duoblock)
→→ KHS’ service philosophy
KHS WINS YET
ANOTHER AWARD
→→ The Plasmax FreshSafe concept and
→→ Innoprint direct PET bottle printing.
Presentations by Toshihiro Ueki (general man
T
ager, Shonan Plant, Kirin Beverage Company
his is a great honor for KHS. The company
Ltd.) and Thomas Reise (head of Technology,
recently received the FOX GOLD AWARD
Hansa Heemann AG) also caught guests’ at
for its customer magazine KHS competence
tention. Among other things both speakers
for the third time running. The top-class jury
talked about their long and successful stretch
(acting on behalf of the leading online media
blow molder cooperation with KHS and about
portal CP Wissen) was convinced by the clear
KHS’ range of services, available at all times.
structure and customer-oriented content of
On his tour of the three production shops
KHS competence. The main reason for this is
at the PET plant in Hamburg, Prof. Matthias
that the company takes a back seat in the var
Niemeyer, CEO/CTO of KHS GmbH, welcomed
ious articles, instead focusing on presenting
the many guests and announced that the com
its readers with efficient, sustainable systems,
pany would be launching more innovations at
the then upcoming drinktec 2013 trade show.
Reason enough, then, for Thomas Karell, the
PET event: customers and journalists were able
to convince themselves of KHS’ comprehensive
expertise in PET on site.
which give them added value. QR codes, for
example, also provide links to more useful
background information.
competence
104/105
01.2014
VLB South America Symposium
Logistics outsourcing
KHS IS MAIN
SPONSOR
EFFICIENT
PARTNERSHIP
T
o mark 60 years of KHS in Brazil, from Au
further specialist talks and exchange ideas
gust 6–8, 2013 the Latin-American Sym
with colleagues.
O
n July 1, 2013, KHS transferred its Incom
posium was held by the Research Institute
Those who took part included the brew
for Brewing and Malting Technology, Berlin
eries Cervecería y Maltería Quilmes, CCU Ar
(VLB), in Buenos Aires in Argentina. As the
gentina, Cerveza Isenbeck/SABMiller, Cer
mund, Germany, to DB Schenker Logistics, the
main sponsor of this prestigious event, KHS
vecería Polar, Miller-Coors, and AB AmBev.
transportation and logistics provider for Ger
presented its expertise in the beer sector and
One of the event highlights was KHS inviting
man railroad company Deutsche Bahn. With
make quite an impression. This included a lec
the symposium guests to a KHS evening in the
this cooperation KHS is taking another im
ture by Dr. Andreas Zeller (Process Engineer
historic El Zanjón building erected in 1850.
portant step towards service leadership, as its
ing, KHS GmbH) on KHS ECOSTAB technology,
Georg Zuzok (head of Market Zone Americas,
new logistics partner will also provide spare
which has heralded a new dawn in the stabi
KHS GmbH) and Jorge Bosch (manager of KHS
parts logistics services worldwide. With 2,000
lization of beer. Around 250 representatives
Argentina S.A.), agree that “This was an ex
international sites its global network will en
from big breweries in all countries of South
tremely interesting and successful event for
sure good customer services, sustainability,
America seized the opportunity to attend
all who took part.”
and quality. Approximately 96,000 employ
ing Goods, Warehousing, Packing and
Spare Part Shipping departments in Dort
ees in over 130 countries contribute to the
global success of DB Schenker. The company
holds a top international position in land, air,
and ocean freight.
At the beginning of the year, KHS opened
its new nearly 20,000 square-meter World Lo
gistics Center in Dortmund. Marc Hartmann,
COO of KHS GmbH, says, “Thanks to ongoing
international growth KHS must now rely on
an experienced logistics company for world
wide spare parts shipping and production
supply. We’ve found the right partner in DB
Schenker Logistics.”
Event with a cultural bent:
fiery Latin-American dancing in El Zanjón.
The new World Logistics Center in Dortmund, Ger
many also includes spare parts logistics.
In-house news
“Technical advance can’t replace
the trusting relationship we’ve built
up with our customers.”
Ingo Hackler
Head of Remote Diagnostic Service and Service Contracts
competence
106/107
01.2014
That’s my job
Direct line
to the customer
– and ideally – also correct faults. They can also directly
advise our customers wherever they are in the world and
support our service engineers if they encounter any prob
lems when visiting a customer.”
Analysis and help can often be provided through a
telephone line (ISDN) or VPN (virtual private network via
W
the Internet) without a service engineer having to un
hen on the morning of February 15, 2013, the meteorite struck
dertake time and cost-consuming travel to the site. “This
the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, a veritable drama unfolded.
is ensured by connections to over 1,000 KHS customers
Windows shattered, phones and the power supply failed and hun
hooked up to our ReDiS network,” Hackler stresses the
dreds of people were injured. There was total chaos.
number with a certain pride. Grinning, the ReDiS expert
Experts at KHS Dortmund were just about to hook up their remote
remembers how it all started, “when we set up the en
diagnostics system (ReDiS) to a machine belonging to a long-standing
tire system, still with a headset and camera, in a fancy alu
customer in the city in the Urals to resolve a machine standstill through
minum case and then installed it at the customer’s site.”
remote maintenance. For some reason, however, they were unable to
Hackler trained as an electronics engineer at KHS 23 years
make the connection. Their attempts to contact their colleagues in
ago; “By the way,” he adds, “my son’s starting his training
Russia by cell phone and email were futile.
at KHS this year ...” How times flies; the aluminum case has
It was hours before people realized that the shockwave released
by the largest space rock to hit the Earth since 1947 had caused con
also long gone, with ReDiS now networked in via ISDN or
broadband.
siderable damage to the city of over a million inhabitants – luckily at
“Nevertheless,"says Hackler, “technical advance can’t
no cost to human life. “That,” says Ingo Hackler, when asked to name
replace the trusting relationship we’ve built up with our
one extraordinary event in his working life, “that was undoubtedly the
customers over many years. After all, we’re processing
most hair-raising thing to happen to me since we started using ReDiS
very sensitive company data – which we of course protect
at KHS. Compared to that, extreme weather conditions, such as the dif
and keep totally secure.” He doesn’t even want to share
ficult circumstances caused by cyclones or snow disasters, are more or
even the tiniest detail with us. “This is our business – and of
less routine. The colleagues who provide support on our machines con
course that of the respective customer.” Family man Hack
stantly have to adjust to all kinds of local conditions.”
ler often travels all over the globe in this respect – and also
Thank goodness the 45-year-old’s normal working day is more
in his capacity as manager of KHS’ wide range of service
structured! Ingo Hackler is head of Remote Diagnostic Service and Ser
contracts. He sums up. “I have a very varied and interest
vice Contracts at KHS. In 2002 he and his colleagues began developing
ing job that gives me lots of insight into the internal work
the software for this highly efficient method of remote line and ma
ings at our customers’ plants. This is important, since if we
chine maintenance. Hackler tells us more. “KHS’ objective is to keep
didn’t have a direct line to our clients, we couldn’t give
our systems up and running without a hitch at our customers’ plants
them our all-out effort.” And it doesn’t take a meteorite
at all times. As anybody with a practical mind knows, this isn’t always
for this to happen ...
possible, but production should at least be resumed as quickly as pos
sible. With the help of ReDiS our functional departments can diagnose
Jürgen Jacobs
Click by click
KHS web news
PLUS FOR TABLETS AND
SMARTPHONES
K
HS has considerably improved the mo
bile compatibility of its website –
or to be more exact, for users of tablets and
smartphones who are increasingly surfing the
KHS website. While tablet users are chiefly in
terested in products and services, smartphone
holders primarily retrieve information on the
company and the careers it has on offer. KHS
has now simplified use for these two target
groups.
The principle: The website automatically ad
justs to the graphic setup of the mobile de
vice through what’s known as ’responsive
web design’.
The advantage: The display is individually
adapted to suit that person’s tablet or smart
phone. As this also fits in with user habits, this
makes surfing the web easier and accessing
information faster.
The result: With this new feature, KHS gives
existing and potential customers and prospec
tive job applicants greater user convenience.
www.khs.com
competence
108/109
01.2014
KHS competence
PUBLISHER
KHS GmbH, Dortmund, Germany
EDITORS
KHS: Nicole Pohl, Patrick Heitmann;
Friederike Arndt, Bonn; jj-media, Cologne
GRAPHICS
KD1 Designagentur
CONTRIBUTIONS
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Otto Appel, Friederike Arndt, Torsten Bloch, Matthias Damm, Rainer Deutschmann,
Jon Elward, Matthias Gernhuber, Ingo Hackler, Frank Haesendonckx, Tatia Haupt,
Wolfgang Heßelmann, Steve Humbert, Dieter Holler, Hans-Werner Holzer, Phil Johnson,
Reinhold Jülg, Bernd Kempa, Dr. Thomas J. Kinne, Karl-Heinz Klumpe, Hermann Neugebauer,
Tony Parham, Bob Pease, Jörg Schönwald, Claudia Schulte, Dr. Franz-Josef Strittmatter,
Sandra Wapniewski, Georg Zuzok
/
PHOTOS ILLUSTRATIONS
Amigo Promotion; Garbe Logistics AG, Hamburg; KHS; Lao Brewery Company;
Frank Reinhold; shutterstock (Anastasios71, Galyna Andrushko, Andrey Bayda, John Bill,
Chuhail, EUROPHOTOS, exilefe, Richard Paul Kane, Antony McAulay, Stuart Monk,
Christian Mueller, OPOLJA, pio3, Quintanilla, Sidarta, Zyankarlo); Oliver Tjaden
This information is non-binding. Only the technical specifications of our quotes are determinative
with regard to design and scope of delivery. Subject to design modifications.
INFORMATION FOR ORDERING
KHS competence is published biannually in English, German, Spanish, and Russian.
Our online edition is also available in French. All language versions can be easily downloaded
from www.khs.com or accessed with a free app.
KHS competence has been translated into English, French, and Spanish
by Fachübersetzungen CP MacKusick (www.mackusick.de).
Addresses
KHS GmbH
Juchostrasse 20
44143 Dortmund, Germany
Phone: +49 231 5690
Fax: +49 231 5691541
KHS Corpoplast GmbH
Meiendorfer Strasse 203
22145 Hamburg, Germany
Phone: +49 40 679070
Fax: +49 40 67907270
KHS Plasmax GmbH
Meiendorfer Strasse 203
22145 Hamburg, Germany
Phone: +49 40 67907364
Fax: +49 40 67907353
Do you have any questions or suggestions? Then please write to us at [email protected] or
visit our website at www.khs.com.
You can also watch us
on YouTube!
Simplified use on any screen:
the website automatically adjusts
to fit your mobile device.
301992021001
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KHS Competence 01.2014, english

Transcription

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