All in one machine

Packaging advice

As a result of the great demand from the market, it has become clear that it is extremely important to advise line operators on possible packaging and materials. Krones therefore works together with the leading carton manufacturers worldwide and cooperates with partners who provide support in the development of container prototypes. As with bottle design, Krones can now provide bottlers with advice on container proposals. This puts Krones in a position to offer users an optimum solution comprising packaging and the appropriate machine technology.

The Varioline packaging machine from Krones AG has successfully established itself in the brewing and beverage industry. This is proven by the more than 30 machines that have been put into operation within a period of two years. There are good reasons for this: Flexibility in final packaging is becoming increasingly important for the brewing and beverage industry. It is often a matter of first placing individual containers in multipack containers and then packing these in suitable sales or outer packaging. As both the multipacks and the final packaging are subject to changing consumer trends and are different for different target groups, consumption occasions or export countries, maximum flexibility is required. With the development of the Varioline as a flexible solution, Krones has found the right answer to this task. The basic idea is that a single machine can replace up to six conventional individual machines with transport technology. With the combination artist Varioline, up to three-stage packaging processes can be realized with just one single machine. Space savings during installation, lower maintenance requirements and fewer operating personnel are the logical consequences.

Individual packaging lines

Within two years, 30 Varioline machines were put into operation in the brewing and beverage industry. Photo: Krones

The Varioline modular system consists of three modules that can be combined to create a customized packaging line. The three modules - cartoning module, infeed module and base module - have an identical basic structure. This modular design of the machine ensures a company's flexibility. It processes up to 52,000 containers per hour.

The Varioline packaging machine can also be linked with other machines, such as the Variopac Pro film packaging machine, so that film packaging of the packs is also possible in addition to pure carton packaging. This has already been implemented by three users, who have thus created maximum flexibility within one machine block.

MillerCoors brewery modernizes packaging technology

Varioline country number one is the USA. It has the largest market for baskets & multipacks in the world. The US brewery group MillerCoors has recently modernized and rationalized its packaging technology. The group has equipped each of its four sites in Milwaukee/Wisconsin, Trenton/Ohio, Fort Worth/Texas and Albany/Georgia with two new Varioline packaging lines. The Varioline machines installed in parallel operation replaced the old technology, which was based on a series of individual machines. With basket and carton formers, case packers and carton sealers, this large number of individual units was a very complex and labor-intensive technology. The total installed capacity of the two parallel machines is up to 104,000 bottles per hour. This sufficiently covers the respective line output of 72,000 bottles per hour. The machines pack 12-ounce (0.355-liter) non-returnable glass bottles in 6- or 4-basket outer cartons or in 24-bottle compartment cartons.

What the Varioline can do

The Varioline places loose containers in multipack containers, such as:

• Over Top Open
• Open Carrier (Open Basket)
• Top carrier
• Wrap-around cartons

...and packs multipacks in:

• Wrap-around cartons with and without compartments
• Folding cartons with and without compartments
• Plastic crates
• Display packaging

The eight new Variolines offer MillerCoors a whole range of advantages. They are flexible and space-saving, require fewer operators and are more efficient as fewer machines are now in use. They are also future-proof, as tools for new packs can be easily retrofitted in the event of packaging changes.

www.millercoors.comwww.krones.com