Light Barrier Management in PET Packaging Applications Hans Werink Project Manager Packaging Holland Colours
Outline Holland Colours Company Profile & Markets Served Customizing Light Barrier Holcomer UHT White Dairy market trends Light & Oxygen barrier Lightweighting & Opacity Other applications Sustainability
Holland Colours Profile
Holland Colours Profile Founded in 1979 Over 400 employees Listed at Euronext, 48% employee owned 6 Plants, 6 Sales Offices 2000 Customers in 70 Countries Focus markets: PET Packaging Building and Construction Silicones/Elastomers
Holland Colours Product Formats for PET Non-polymeric solids Holcobatch & Holcoprill Liquids - HolcoPET Resin based masterbatch - Holcomer to benefit from Optimized processability Economy of colouring Optimal productivity
Holcomer White: Customizable Light Barrier for Light-sensitive Products in Monolayer PET Bottles
Milk Types Milk type Heat treatment Shelf life Pasteurised 72-75 C, 15-4 0 sec 4-7 days at <8 C b efore filling ESL Pasteurised befo re filling, filled und er lo g 4-5 aseptic conditio ns 14-120 d ays at <8 C Needs med ium lig ht p rotectio n UHT Sterilised 13 5-150 C, 4-20 sec b efore filling, filled under log 6 asep tic co nd itions 110-12 0 C, 10-40 min. in the b ottle after filling Up to 12 0 days at amb ient temp erature Needs high lig ht p rotectio n Up to 9 mo nths at amb ient temp eratures
Global Milk Market Trends Source: Tetra Pak, 2009
Global Milk Market Trends Milk continues to grow with approx. 2% annually Long-life packaged milk growth approx. 8% annually Much of this growth is in emerging markets Health & Wellness trends Fortified and functional milk products consumption is rising Soy milk consumption is steadily growing
Effects of Light on Milk - the Chemistry 1 2 3 Extended exposure to visible light will initiate photooxidation of vitamins B6/B12 and riboflavin (vitamin B2). Secondary degradation due to auto-oxidation of lipids (milk fats) results in off-flavours and nutrient losses, especially of vitamins. All this results in a specific light taste. Taste performance can not be captured by mathematical formulas or generic data: taste & odor tests must be performed in the chosen package option.
Conventional Milk Packaging Options 1 Three layer HDPE bottles with a black middle layer 2 Carton packs with a metallized inner coating
A Novel Packaging Option Monolayer PET 1 Long-shelf life milk needs a light barrier providing a transmission of less than 2% visible light 2 Monolayer PET bottles are a solution!
Holland Colours Holcomer UHT White Holland Colours UHT White against a 60% loaded TiO 2 product at 550 nm, Wall thickness 0,3 mm Transmission at 550 nm (%) 30 20 10 0 Holcomer 60% TiO2 Masterbatch 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Dosing level (%)
Holland Colours Holcomer UHT White Key product features High-concentrated solid format Recommended dosing level 8-14%, depending on required opacity and wall thickness Generates a white bottle that blocks 100% UV radiation and up to 99% of visible light EU & FDA food contact compliant
benefits of using Holcomer SCENE Performance Cost-effectiveness Value Flexibility
benefits of using Holcomer SCENE Performance Molding & Blowing Value Injection moulding performance: unaffected cycle time Blowing performance: equal line speed and no blow outs provided the preform design is optimized Bottle integrity: no sidewall delamination upon bottle squeezing
benefits of using Holcomer Flexibility Value Bottle design: light protection performance can be customized Flexibility in sourcing of resin no specific resin required Molded and blown on standard monolayer equipment no additional investments required
benefits of using Holcomer SCENE Cost - effectiveness Value Cost: competitive against current monolayer, multilayer and carton alternatives Significantly higher opacity than competitive resin concepts Adjustable dosing level offers further lightweighting of bottles without loss of opacity
benefits of using Holcomer SCENE Performance In The Marketplace Value Protection: taste preservation equal to multilayer and carton packaging Quality appearance: high bottle surface gloss Proven technology
Some Commercialized Projects Sachsen Milch, Germany Campina, Germany Fage, Greece
New Market Introductions Range Range of of commercial commercial applications applications in in Europe Europe and and the the USA USA with with leading leading dairy dairy companies companies Variety Variety of of UHT UHT and and ESL ESL milk milk types types and and flavored flavored milk milk drinks drinks in in aa range range of of different different bottle bottle designs designs Several Several new new market market introductions introductions is is Europe Europe in in 2010 2010
Taking the Next Step in Lightweighting Previous design generation: 0.24 mm wall thickness 1.8% light transmission @ 550 nm 60 days shelf life New generation: 0.2 mm wall thickness 1.5% light transmission @ 550 nm Up to 120 days shelf life Meets all requirements on mechanical properties
Light Protection & Oxygen Barrier O 2 O 2 O 2 O 2 O 2 O2 O 2 O 2 Some products need Light AND Oxygen protection Soy milk Milk-juice blends Baby formula Fortified & Functional drinks Omega-3 Enzymes Vitamins
Light Protection & Oxygen Barrier O 2 O 2 O 2 O 2 O 2 O2 O 2 O 2 Combined functionality It is possible to combine Holcomer UHT White and oxygen barrier resins Holcomer has additional passive barrier properties Needs to be validated case by case
Light Protection & Oxygen Barrier 1 PET O2 conc. (ppm) 0,8 0,6 0,4 Polyshield + 8% Holcomer White Polyshield + 10% Holcomer White Polyshield + 14% Holcomer White Polyshield 0,2 0 0 10 20 30 40 Time (Days)
Holcomer & Absolute Light Barrier Some Some products products need need better better light light performance performance than than monolayer monolayer solutions solutions can can offer offer Typically Typically less less than than 0.1% 0.1% light light transmission transmission Multilayer Multilayer can can be be an an option option
Holcomer & Absolute Light Barrier Netstal Prelactia 2-layer overmoulding system Holland Colours has developed special White & Gray Holcomer grades for this application Requires a specialized multilayer preform moulding system
Other Applications Requiring High Opacity There There are are other other monolayer monolayer white white applications applications that that require require high high opacity: opacity: Liquid detergent bottles Extruded sheet PET laminated coatings PET paint cans
Proper methods to measure transmission Diffuse or opaque samples scatter transmitted light (stray light) Sensor Ordinary linear transmission setup Scattered light is not measured as it it does not reach the detector Apparent transmission: 0,2%
Proper methods to measure transmission Diffuse or Opaque samples scatter transmitted light (stray light) Sensor Ordinary linear transmission setup Scattered light is not measured as it it does not reach the detector Apparent transmission: 0,2% Setup with integrating sphere Sensor All transmitted light (including stray light!) is collected and measured Realistic and accurate transmission value is obtained Real transmission: 30%
Proper methods to measure transmission Polystyrene coffee cup transmission measurements 50 with and without integrating sphere Transmission (%) 40 30 20 10 0 Coffee cup with IS Coffee cup without IS 350 450 550 650 Wavelength (nm)
Barriers for introduction SCENE Investment in aseptic filling line Consumer acceptance Brand owners unfamiliar with package performance
Sustainability 1 2 3 4 Fact is that opaque white PET dairy bottles can significantly disturb PET bottle-to-bottle recycling All stakeholders are concerned by the potentially negative image of opaque PET A working group on opaque PET recycling has recently been created around COTREP (Comité Technique du Recyclage des Emballages Plastiques) in France This group has taken the initiative to propose a Bottle to Bottle recyclability assessment protocol for each individual white opacifying solution
Sustainability See it in a different way 1 2 3 4 Long shelf life milk already comes in multilayer HDPE containers and multilayer cartons The recyclability of PET is potentially better than that of current alternatives The PET chain as a whole can benefit from this emerging market We are teaming up within the industry with a proactive approach
Cost-Efficient Solution for Monolayer PET Consistent results Adjustable opacity level enables further lightweighting of bottles without decreasing protection Sensory & mechanical properties have been approved in all projects The Holcomer concept is competitive against all alternatives