Stutensee, June 29, 2009 / OYSTAR. The Process & Packaging Group (Stutensee, Germany) will be represented at drinktec 2009, the leading trade fair for the beverage and filling industries, in Hall A2, Booth 324 by the companies in its Beverage and Dairy Division, namely OYSTAR Jones (Covington, USA), OYSTAR Hassia (Ranstadt, Germany), and OYSTAR Hamba (Saarbrücken, Germany). This presence underscores the leading position held by the provider of process technology and packaging equipment in the areas of aseptic technology and hygienic design – the issues dominating the agenda at drinktec.
Aseptic packaging processes are ideally placed to respond to heightened demands for longer product shelf lives and sustainable packaging. It is against this backdrop that the concept of hygienic design is increasingly gaining ground; a concept that is accounted for in filling and packaging equipment as early as the design and manufacture stage by selecting suitable materials and ensuring easy cleaning is possible. OYSTAR. The Process & Packaging Group, one of the world-s leading providers of packaging machines and process expertise, is constantly raising the bar with fresh developments and innovations. The result for the beverage and dairy sector is packaging technology of the highest hygiene standards.
Investing in hygienic design brings with it competitive advantages. The concept makes equipment more flexible, facilitates cleaning and maintenance procedures, and achieves sustainability, the latter being a long-established quality requirement in the manufacture of packaging equipment. The OYSTAR Group ranks among the market leaders in this field. Products filled aseptically last longer, which minimizes energy consumption during transportation, storage, and on the shelf.
As far as the legislator is concerned, hygienic design constitutes an indispensable aspect of machine construction. The guidelines of the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG) and the stringent 3A guidelines were both devised with this in mind. The OYSTAR Group-s form-filling and sealing machines are designed according to the principles of hygienic design and account for both the aforementioned guidelines and the regulations of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
OYSTAR Hassia uses steam to sterilize foil in form-filling and sealing machines and keep the process for packaging beverages and dairy products free from micro-organisms. Given that steam is already present in most dairy and beverage processing plants and is free from contaminants, it represents an inexpensive and completely harmless solution.
The form-filling and sealing machines from OYSTAR Hassia and OYSTAR Hamba come equipped with a CIP (Clean-in-Place) dosing system, which enables fully automated cleaning to take place without any need for disassembly. An SIP (Sterile-in-Place) version is also available, combining the CIP system with full sterilization of the equipment. In addition to the solutions for aseptic technology and hygienic design, OYSTAR Jones will use drinktec to showcase its new Meridian® XR end-of-line packaging machine, which sets the benchmark for speed, productivity, flexibility, and sustainability.
OYSTAR Jones presents the new Meridian® XR Multi-Packer for the beverage industry at drinktec. With the Meridian® XR from the OYSTAR Jones Multi-Packer series, a new milestone has been reached in terms of speed, productivity, and versatility. The machine is designed to handle a wide range of products of different formats, all of which can be packed in all conceivable ways. To demonstrate this at drinktec, the machine will be used to process cartons that take 4, 6, and 12 bottles.
The Meridian® XR offers high output rates for beverages in both cans and bottles. The standard machine – made completely from stainless steel – can be adapted to handle formats ranging from 0.2l to 0.75l cans and bottles without using any tools. Dual pitch technology allows the Meridian® XR Multi-Packer to process up to 300 cartons per minute while maintaining a very low line speed. This halves material requirements and enables better controls throughout the packaging and sealing process.
The electronic and mechanical components of the Meridian® XR are durable and require minimal maintenance so the associated costs are low. Products can be changed in under half an hour with a few manual adjustments. At just 8.4m in length, the compact frame fits on small surfaces. Installation times and costs are minimal because the machine is delivered as a complete unit. Ergonomically designed controls make the equipment highly user-friendly. Standard Meridian® XR machines are equipped with directly coupled servo drives and belt drives that enable transport levels to be changed automatically while size adjustments are taking place and the rotating three-head carton feed to grip and release cartons gently. All Meridian® XR machines come with a one-year warranty that provides 24/7 service cover.
