Big birthday
From the first stretch blow molder manufactured in series to Plasmax barrier technology: the KHS plant in Hamburg, Germany, looks back on 50 years as a PET pioneer – and wants to set standards in the future, too.
“Our factory in Hamburg is one of the pillars and drivers of the success and growth of the KHS Group,” says Kai Acker, CEO of KHS GmbH. “The last 50 years have shown just how much innovative strength this site has. Numerous systems and solutions developed in Hamburg still have a formative influence on the beverage and packaging industries today.”
PET pioneer
The success story began in 1975 with the founding of Gildemeister Corpoplast, the forerunner of the present KHS facility in the metropolis on the River Elbe. With the first stretch blow molder manufactured in series, later known under the name of InnoPET Blomax, the company established a benchmark in its branch of industry. Further key developments followed, among them groundbreaking Plasmax product protection with its sustainable FreshSafe PET system and ultramodern lightweighting equipment.
FreshSafe PET coating technology from KHS combines highly effective product protection with 100% recyclability by material type.
With its optimized Double Gate heating system, the latest machine generation uses up to 40% less energy than single-lane stretch blow molders.
Sustainable and gentle on resources
KHS in Hamburg stands for resource-conserving plant engineering and sustainable packaging systems. All PET machine systems by KHS are able to process up to 100% recycled material. The containers these produce thus become part of the closed bottle loop. What’s more, KHS technologies also significantly cut material and energy consumption. One example of this is the latest generation of InnoPET Blomax stretch blow molders. With its Double Gate heating concept, it saves up to 40% in energy costs compared to single-lane stretch blow molders of the same output.
“Our factory in Hamburg is one of the pillars and drivers of the success and growth of the KHS Group.”
CEO of KHS GmbH
Part of the KHS proficiency network
Hamburg’s specialization in PET technology complements the network of proficiency established by KHS’ further facilities in Germany. While Dortmund centers on bottle washing, conveying and labeling technology plus manufacture, Bad Kreuznach concentrates on process engineering and filling technology, Kleve on secondary packaging and Worms on palletizing systems. Despite their different focus, they all have one thing in common: they stand for holistic and innovative systems and solutions for the beverage industry.
Looking to the future
The PET market is growing worldwide, as is the demand for resource-conserving packaging systems and smart production processes. In order to meet this increasing requirement, KHS is expanding its capacities in Hamburg by building a new production shop and additional research facilities. By investing in technology, infrastructure and specialist personnel, the plant is safeguarding its powers of innovation for years to come. The local team plays a major role in all this, emphasizes Acker. “Our employees are the key to our success. With their expertise and unparalleled commitment, they considerably help to ensure that we’re able to flourish on a global scale.”
