APPE on PET jars versus glass
APPE claims the recyclable jar, which has a twist-off top, is up to 85% lighter than glass with a smaller footprint that can deliver ‘huge savings in transport costs’ before and after filling.
It said based on a quantity of 10 million jars – it saves a total of 106 vehicles or 27% less trucks needed for transport.
“The ThermaLite jar addresses some of the real challenges faced in food packaging such as cost reduction, lower carbon footprint, elimination of glass contamination through breakage and consumer safety,” said Kinza Sutton, marketing manager, APPE.
“It has much thinner walls and base, to contain the same capacity as a glass jar. This physically makes the size of the jar smaller, whilst being able to contain the same internal dimensions.”
Nissei ASB partnership
The product is the result of the company’s previously-announced partnership with Nissei ASB (Europe) and comes in six sizes from 370ml to 720ml in round and octagonal designs.
Additiponal shapes and sizes are in development including round and octagonal shapes, a mixture of tall and thin, as well as more compact wider containers, with capacities up to 1 litre.
Sutton said the jar uses less energy depending on the filling and pasteurization process involved but about c. 7% - 8% per filled complete product.
“As the container walls are much thinner, the heat takes less time to reach the product contained within in,” she said.
“Also, as there is no risk of thermal shock, the jars do not have to be pre-heated (unlike glass) and can be filled at a lower temperature, as there is a reduced temperature drop during filling when compared to glass.”
Award winning top 100 ideas
Sutton added when glass jars knock against each other as they travel on filling lines, the noise is extreme, so filling plants are extremely noisy.
“PET ThermaLite jars do not make this noise, and so the filling process is much quieter,” she said.
The jars can be used for products including cooking sauces, pesto, tomato-based products, pickled vegetables, relishes chutneys, and fruit purées, jams and spreads.
The ThermaLite jar was named as one of Spain’s top 100 ideas by Actualidad Económica magazine in April this year.
