“Human nature is like water. It takes the shape of its container”, once said Wallace Stevens, the American modernist poet. It used to take the shape of heavy wooden casks in ancient times and the shape of glass demijohns during Renaissance. In 1947, it took the shape of a plastic bottle for the first time ever. Still, its cost was too high to compete then traditional packaging.
What was next? High-density polyethylene was introduced. The containers became lightweight, less fragile & more resistant, much cheaper and easy to handle. But the evolution continued. In the 1970s a plastic miracle occurred: a PET bottle was invented. Then a 2 L PET bottle weighted 68 grams and one could hardly imagine a 5 US gallon PET bottle!
The evolution continued. PET bottle consumption was drastically growing. It covered all the formats: from 100 ml up to 40 L. The latter is gaining popularity now as an eco-friendly and safe alternative to PVC or PC 5 US gallon containers. Each time more preform manufacturers expand their product catalog with the one for large containers. Its weight varies between 400 g and 700 g.
Why do 5 US gallon PET bottles attract attention?
- Lower bottle cost
- BPA-free (bisphenol A chemical, detected in certain plastics, has possible health effects, according to some researches)
- Can be returnable or one-way, with or without inserted handle
- PET material is more flexible and better withstands external impacts
- 100% recyclable & ecologically friendly
- Perfect material distribution
- Compatible with existing washing and filling lines
- Easy on-site manufacturing
All-in-one machine. PET water cooler bottles are often produced with a 2-stage SBM process: from preform to avoid any risks with resin. A wide range of equipment in terms of output and flexibility permits to choose the optimal one.
PET Technologies APF-30 blow molder has 3 modifications: 120 bph, 250 bph, and 500 bph. Its hopper is covered with rubber to protect preform from damage and scratches. A deep heating system and intense air cooling provide uniform temperature distribution between the inner and outer parts of the preform wall. Finally, the container shines as if it were glass!
One APF-30 blow molder can produce both:
- Returnable & one-way containers
- With inserted handle & without it
- PET water cooler bottles & PET kegs
- A wide range of customized containers without changing mold
The flexibility and reliability are two basic concepts that explain why the APF-30 blow molder has high demand among PET water cooler bottle and PET keg manufacturers! It has been successfully running in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.