Discover your next big idea in food packaging & processing this Sept.
Experience a breakthrough in food packaging & processing—explore solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries at PACK EXPO Las Vegas.

Bottle drying system produces for Britvic

An airknife system solves a labeling and coding problem for a new bottling line.

Pw 8807 Web Britvic
A bottling line started up in fall 2006 at Britvic Soft Drinks at Chelmsford, United Kingdom, to handle the company's Robinsons Fruit Shoot beverages is anchored by a space-efficient block filler for 200- and 300-mL PET bottles.

But there was one major problem: It was found in early production runs that the bottles were too wet for efficient labeling and ink-jet coding downstream of the block filler. Personnel determined that a drying system was needed to assist labeling and coding.

Initially, free-standing compressed air jets were added outside the block filler, but they proved inefficient, noisy, and expensive to run. The company then turned to Air Control Industries (www. air-con.co.uk), which suggested a hybrid version of its "JetPlate" plenum-based bottle drying system.

Typical installs of the ACI airknife system comprise two facing plenums, each with stepped air delivery slots that drive water down and off of bottles or cans.

However, because of Britvic's carousel block filler arrangement, a different solution was needed. Two specially engineered plenums equipped with four airknife slots were constructed and mounted directly on the conveyor track inside the block filler. It resulted in a safer, lower-cost solution than the compressed air alternative. In the picture above, the four slits on the plate provide the main airflow with incidental, supplemental air being directed from the blue, hose-like "nozzles."

"The ACI JetPlate system appears to be a very effective solution," says Britvic's project manager, Shayne Ford. "It dries the bottles effectively to ensure that paper labels can be applied correctly and do not deteriorate due to residual moisture, and so the inkjet-coding is sharp and legible."



Dairy Food & Beverage Innovations Report
Discover cutting-edge packaging and processing solutions in the inaugural Packaging World/ProFood World Innovations Report. From high-speed filling machines to mono-material lids, see how the latest advancements from PACK EXPO International 2024 are driving safety, sustainability, and extended shelf life—shaping the future of dairy food and beverage packaging.
Access Now
Dairy Food & Beverage Innovations Report
Proteins Innovations Report
Discover cutting-edge protein packaging innovations from PACK EXPO International 2024! Our editorial team spotlights hygienic equipment and materials designed for the demanding protein sector. From IP66-rated washdown systems and all-servo chub packaging to advanced auto-bagging technology and compostable trays replacing EPS, this report reveals how manufacturers are addressing clean, safe design while improving efficiency.
Take Me There
Proteins Innovations Report