In late 2018, Krones set a benchmark in stretch blow-molding technology for PET bottles with its Contiform 3 Speed introduction, boasting an hourly output so far unique in the sector: 2,750 containers a cavity. Less than two years later, the 100th Contiform 3 Speed was sold.

Since October 2020, this milestone machine from Krones has been up and running at the main plant of Odenwald Quelle, a producer of soft drinks headquartered in Heppenheim, Germany. For Andreas Schmidt, managing partner at Odenwald Quelle, the decision to opt for the stretch blow-molder from the House of Krones came quickly and easily, “The Contiform 3 Speed boasts several persuasively attractive pluses. It is compactly dimensioned and produces more containers while consumption levels are lower. And it also effortlessly handles preforms made of rPET. This advantage was of crucial importance to us because we’ve since 2020 been selling only plastic bottles made of 100% recyclate.”

No pressure pad means higher output and efficiency

Whereas in the case of conventional stretch blow-molders, a pressure pad in the mold carrier additionally keeps the two halves of the mold together during the stretch blow-molding process, the Contiform 3 Speed has been designed in such a way that the two halves are kept together purely using the revamped mold carrier locking mechanism. The omission of the pressure pad means that the molds can produce bottles with a volume of up to two liters – and this in a blow-module size so far used in the small-cavity machines, which is on average 22% smaller than the comparable blow module of the Contiform 3 Pro. But eliminating the pressure pad provides advantages not only in terms of line layout but also concerning media and energy consumption: it makes for savings of up to 15% of highly compressed air compared to all other stretch blow-molders currently available on the market.