From:Packaging News

Tetra Pak has launched a new generation electron beam technology for its filling machines.

The Tetra Pak E3 was launched at the packaging trade show Fispal Tecnologia 2015 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, covering processing, packaging and logistics for the food and beverage industries.

It features Ebeam sterilization technology which focuses a controlled beam of electrons onto the surface of packaging material as it runs through the filling machine, killing bacteria or micro-organisms that may be present.

The Ebeam technology is an improvement from the hydrogen peroxide sterilization process – both in speed and environmental performance. The carton and machinery giant said benefits included reduced operational costs, improved environmental performance, and production flexibility.

Tetra Pak claims there is potential to run up to 40,000 portion packaging every hour with the E3 platform, equating to up to 11 packs per second, adding that tests showed this capacity can save beverage manufacturers up to 20% in operational costs.

Ashutosh Manohar, vice president, carton value and economy, said the new platform also reduces energy costs, cuts waste and makes water recycling easier.

He added that any company that is interested in getting new technology, and reducing operational costs, would consider switching to this platform.

Charles brand, Tetra Pak executive vice president, product management and commercial operations, said Tetra Pak spends up to €400m annually on research and development, and this technology received significant investment over a 15 year period to finally be ready for launch.

“Tetra Pak E3 not only delivers significant cost and environmental benefits to our customers, it also marks the start of a new era in the world of carton making. The efficiency and effectiveness of filling equipment has just taken a major step forward.”

The platform has been trialed in Slovakia and Japan, and Brand told Packaging News: “Broadly speaking there isn’t a market where it won’t end up,” adding that it was more dependent on the customers – for example in India there would not be a demand for 1 litre machines as that market is focused on smaller portion categories.

But he said that as the technology is further developed to offer more variations on size the demand will grow for the E3 platform around the world.

Brand spoke glowingly of the South American dairy market, with a high degree of innovations in packs and closures compared to Europe, which is not growing to the same degree, and emphasized that technological advancements came from various regions and not just the developed markets of Europe – citing South America and Vietnam as primary examples.