New process technology slashes PET bottle cost

A new low cost process for producing PET bottles that fills the gap between single stage and twin stage processing technologies is about to go into multi-cavity pilot production.

Developed by UK-based packaging technology developer Yew Tree Consultants, the EcoBlow process is designed to deliver annual volumes of 30m units per year using a 12-cavity injection mould and 4-cavity linked blowing station.

Yew Tree director Peter Clarke said that more than €750,000 has been invested in the technology over the past two and a half years. Full details of the EcoBlow process are being kept closely guarded.

However, Clarke confirms it uses radically different preform designs that are heavily ovalised with much thinner wall sections. The pilot project will produce non-round bottles, currently manufactured using single-stage injection stretch blow moulding technology.