The new compact Contipure AseptBloc in shopfloor reality

In Belgium, people call it “gezond Boerenverstand”, which translates as “common farmers’ sense” and describes sensible, pragmatic thinking. “The salient characteristic of our staff here at Inex is their ‘gezond Boerenverstand’,” says Jens Corijn, who has been working for the company as an automation engineer for what are meanwhile ten years. “Each and every one of them wants to get things done and isn’t shy to take decisions.” Thanks to this positive mindset, the Belgian family firm has been reaping great success. It has a payroll of 450 and is meanwhile managed by the fourth generation. Last year, it celebrated its 125th anniversary. “We turn milk into something special,” is how Managing Director Steven Dierickx sums up the company motto. In specific terms, this means: Inex offers a broad spectrum of fresh and ESL (extended shelf life) dairy products, ranging from milk and yoghurt right through to cream. The enterprise manufactures products under its own brand and also operates a very strong co-packing business. 

“Our top priority is to satisfy our customers’ wishes,” emphasises Steven Dierickx. In order to live up to this aspiration, the company operates 23 filling lines in three-shift operation at its plant. They are able to produce just under 300 million litres of dairy products per year. The focus has so far been mainly on carton packaging. But Inex also fills glass bottles and 1,000-litre containers for industrial use. In order to upgrade both flexibility and performance levels, Inex decided to buy a new line for filling PET bottles. “We could have invested in an existing PET line but deliberately opted for a completely new line,” says Steven Dierickx. 

Compact design for a field-proven classic 

We’re talking the brand-new Contipure AseptBloc by Krones here, developed for the small output range and able to fill up to 20,000 containers per hour. Just like every other model in this series, that block also combines stretch blow-moulding, filling and capping in an aseptically safe process. What’s more, the new block scores highly with its ultra-compact configuration. Thanks to a smaller filler and optimised machine design, it boasts an exceptionally lean, space-saving layout which ensures top efficiency into the bargain. The Contipure AseptBloc’s operation is quality-driven and pragmatic, so it’s also characterised by “gezond Boerenverstand”, thus fitting in perfectly with the positive mindset at Inex. 

Space-saving, flexible and fast 

“There were three main reasons that quickly won us over,” says Jens Corijn. As already mentioned earlier, the first plus offered by the new block is its minimised footprint. “You see, space was at a premium in our plant,” he explains. The new bottling line had to be installed in a room measuring 1,500 square metres, which had previously been used for storage. But that was no problem for Krones’ design team because the block’s outstanding features include simplified construction, optimised material transfers and a smaller number of transfer starwheels and cavities. All of that makes for a substantially reduced footprint. The fact that the block integrates the various process modules makes for a highly streamlined layout. Yet another highlight is that this compact configuration is enclosed in a cleanroom, which is not only smaller but also offers improved access for maintenance and cleaning. 

Besides the block’s small footprint, it was above all the line’s flexibility that played a key role. “Our customers have highly disparate demands and, of course, we want to be able to meet them all,” emphasises Steven Dierickx. The options provided for end-of-the-line packaging were particularly important to the Managing Director. “We weren’t looking for a machine that processes just one standardised product, but a solution enabling us to flexibly handle a multiplicity of different articles,” is how Jens Corijn sums up the requirements. That is why the line features a Sleevematic that dresses the PET bottles either in half-sleeves or full-length sleeves, after which a Variopac Pro produces various types of PET bottle pack, ranging from compact six-packs right through to 24-bottle cases. “These packs can then be shrink-wrapped, placed in cartons which are film-wrapped, or put in wrap-around cartons,” explains Jens Corijn. “In this way, every single product can be presented to optimum effect and transported in line with each customer’s wishes.” 

We weren’t looking for a machine that processes just one standardised product, but a solution enabling us to flexibly handle a multiplicity of different articles. Jens CorijnAutomation engineer at Inex

The third factor of crucial importance was the short delivery time promised by Krones. As specified by an EU regulation, only PET bottles with tethered caps may be brought to market as from 3 July 2024. So Inex had to take action fast. Krones guaranteed short-term delivery and commissioning for the new bottling line and proved to be a reliable partner assuming overall responsibility for the project as general contractor. Inex had so far used only individual Krones machines. The Contipure AseptBloc was its first turnkey project.

Stretch blow-moulding, filling and capping without detours 

What sets the Contipure AseptBloc apart is that it handles stretch blow-moulding, filling and capping in direct succession in a sterile process chain, without using conveyor belts. And this is exactly how the new space-saving variant at Inex works. That not only saves space, it also makes it easier for the staff to access all the relevant components. “Simple handling is made possible not least by the touchscreens being arranged close together, which makes for fast format change-overs,” says a gratified Jens Corijn.

At present, Inex fills beverages into 0.5-litre bottles. The company uses two different bottle types in two colours, which can be combined with caps in seven different colours.  Aseptically safe filling of the bottles is followed by the next process step: spacing out the bottles and labelling them in the dry end. 

Simple handling is made possible not least by the touchscreens being arranged close together, which makes for fast format change-overs. Jens CorijnAutomation engineer at Inex

The focus in all these processes is not only on flexibility and efficiency but also on quality, of course, which is ensured by no less than four Checkmat systems that inspect the preforms and the bottles’ caps and sleeves and also check the containers for correct cap placement. Hygiene is of particular importance when handling dairy products. The preforms are sterilised with gaseous hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), which leaves almost no residues. The last traces of the sterilising agent are then diluted during subsequent stretch blow-moulding. After having been sterilised, the container is kept in the sterile zone until the bottle has been capped. Another highlight is the sterile airlock which serves for removing sample containers without interrupting the production process. 

Less cost and effort, more performance 

Time and again, Jens Corijn is absolutely thrilled when he enters the production hall: “This line’s stability and precision are really impressive.” And he adds: “The Contipure AseptBloc line is even our fastest.” It replaced an HDPE line commissioned in 1975, which was really and truly well past its prime. The new line operates twice as fast and needs only two to three machine operators per shift, meaning half the number required previously. 

Inex placed the order for the new line in March 2023. Installation work began one year later, and production was already up and running at the end of June 2024, right in time for complying with the new regulations. “I’m really very satisfied with how our cooperation with Krones went, based as it was on solution-driven, efficient communication,” says Jens Corijn. “When we order another line, I would want exactly the same team to work with.” Once a week, he and the team in Neutraubling held a coordinatory session to make sure everything was going according to plan. Both parties were able to take swift decisions straight away if necessary. This close cooperation was crucial in ensuring that the project went without a hitch. By adding the new line, Inex once again demonstrated how innovations can be implemented with “gezond Boerenverstand”. 

I’m really very satisfied with how our cooperation with Krones went, based as it was on solution-driven, efficient communication. When we order another line, I would want exactly the same team to work with. Jens CorijnAutomation engineer at Inex