ACI Jetplate ensures Foster's labels are seen clearly
May 31st 2007 New branding for Foster’s ‘Carlton Cold’ beer involving a distinctive label has resulted in the company's Australia Yatala Brewery(QLD) and Abbotsford Brewery(VIC) upgrading their bottling lines to handle pressure sensitive labels.
With the labels being self-adhesive and of printed clear plastic, the Carlton Cold bottles have to be 100% dry. This is to avoid the risk of moisture entrapment and the formation of unsightly bubbles that would disfigure the new visually appealing label design. Yet the high drying efficiency required must not reduce the original production speed capacity of 1000 bottles/minute with wet glue labels, in fact the goal was ultimately to have an increased capacity.
Initially, Foster’s Australia was going to opt for a bottle drying system based upon conventional air nozzle drying technology. However, it was found that to achieve the higher efficiency demanded, a 6-metre long array of multiple air nozzles would be required. The cost and foot print of this option, plus the inherent ongoing maintenance demands and high noise levels, caused Foster’s Australia to look for an alternative solution and supplier.
The solution proved to be the ‘JetPlate’ system from Air Control Industries of Chard, UK, supplied by the company’s Australian distributor, Dynamic Engineering Australia, Perth.
According to Andrew Marshall, Manager Packaging Capability, this JetPlate solution, which is housed in an ACI ‘LLB’ (low level blower) enclosure, costs a third less than the original option considered and occupies around a third of the same foot print - yet fully meets Foster’s Australia drying and throughput requirements.
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