The question of the future in store for plastic packages continues to keep the sector on its toes. Even though the tone of the public debate is becoming observably more moderate, and more differentiated arguments are being heard: in numerous markets it is well worthwhile examining alternatives to conventional packaging solutions at an early stage. In regions that are considering bans on disposable plastic, in particular, or have already initiated appropriate legislation.
Plastic rings for can packs rank among the packages that are coming under intensified scrutiny, especially in regions near the coast, because if they are not properly disposed of and end up in the sea, this entails not least a hazard for the animals living there. LitePac Top here constitutes an eco-friendly, sustainable alternative. It is a cardboard package containing neither plastics nor adhesives, which is produced from renewable raw materials and can be easily recycled after use. It is fitted underneath the can seam, thus keeping the pack stable.
Top for both consumers and the natural environment
An attractive solution not only for the environment, but for consumers as well: because the pack features recessed grips with which it can be conveniently grasped and carried. If you want to remove a can, you simply pull it vertically out of the packaging – it’s not necessary to tear open the cardboard.
To ensure an eye-catching presence on the supermarket shelves, moreover, the pack offers space for design options. With the associated machine technology, for instance, it’s possible to selectively orientate the cans – e.g. in order to ensure prominent placement of the brand logo or to form a coherent motif from several different can designs.
Pack and machine as a team
For the sustainable packaging concept, Krones is of course also offering the associated machine technology. This latter is a Varioline, which as a multi-talented allrounder among packaging machines copes effortlessly with this type of pack as well.
The Varioline’s modularised construction enables it to be individually customised to suit the task involved, and several packaging variants to be run on one and the same system. Like the machine itself, its individual modules are also multifunctional. In the case of LitePac Top, for example, the first module can accept, orientate and group the cans. For creating the tertiary packaging, e.g. in order to insert the packs in trays, the Varioline can be combined with a Variopac Pro – in a space-economical block configuration without any lengthy conveyor sections.
