Against the backdrop of the economic crisis, the returnable keg has oftentimes been critically appraised. Breweries are reluctant to commit to relatively high long-term investments. Worries about increased keg prices arising from fluctuations in stainless steel prices, together with increased transport costs, have also led to an examination of cost-effective disposable solutions. The keg maintenance backlog underscored the search for alternatives. A look at the drop in the share of draught beer in some markets appeared to some to indicate that the returnable keg was threatened with extinction. But the situation has changed again recently. This article deals with the background and measures that help to maintain the functionality of returnable kegs at a high level.

The Privatbrauerei Raab in Hofheim, Lower Franconia, Germany, has proved once again that a small, private brewery can also contribute to resource conservation and environmental protection while brewing an almost CO2 neutral beer. So that the “solar beers” not only taste great but are also visually appealing to customers, one year ago, the Privatbrauerei Raab installed a new labeling machine manufactured by Gernep GmbH in Barbing, Germany.

Specialist plastics packaging technology business Petainer has opened a new corporate head office in Peterborough, UK, to support the company’s future business growth and international expansion – particularly in the development of new large PET containers for beverages and other applications.

After just 12 months’ construction time, SIG Combibloc has now brought its first packaging plant in Brazil into operation.

The Oystar Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of packaging machines, has concluded a cooperation agreement with the Italian Sacmi Group. The two companies aim to develop new market opportunities through integrated packaging solutions. The primary focus will be on the beverage industry.

Pack strapping as the PET secondary packaging of the future

Conveyor lubrication makes a significant contribution to the efficiency of operations in the bottling hall. Although the focus here is placed primarily on line efficiency, the possibilities of conserving resources should not be ignored. The special characteristics associated with the combination of glass bottles on steel do not allow for a completely dry method of conveyor lubrication without additional cleaning. Ecolab is now presenting a solution which combines maximum water savings with hygienic and efficient line management.

Specialist plastics packaging technology business Petainer has appointed two new sales staff as part of an expansion aimed at further developing the company’s business in Central and Eastern Europe.

Beer bottles made of glass represent a product hazard in and of themselves, which from the standpoint of both the glass manufacturer and also the brewery cannot be completely eliminated. Repeatedly, spontaneously exploding beer bottles cause property damage and often result in personal injury. In order to minimize this unavoidable risk, an agreement must be reached between the glass manufacturer and the brewery in the form of a contract specifying the minimum requirements regarding the quality of the glass bottles. When designing glass bottles, one must avoid raised embossing or irregular bottle shapes that can compromise the strength of the glass. This article summarizes the essential requirements and also provides assistance for exercising due diligence regarding this issue; in fact, it is a condensed version of a presentation given at the Second Brewing Science Seminar in Wuhan, China (March 7 – 11, 2011).

A new generation of full crate inspection systems offer a high level of flexibility in terms of application and user-friendliness, with reduced mechanical and sensor requirements. An innovative process uses a camera and a line laser that counters the disadvantages of current systems.