Amcor uses liquid filling for new bottle blow moulding technique

American blowmoulders Amcor have pioneered a PET bottle moulding method using the liquid products to mould container walls.

It partnered with Greenblendz, the maker of ‘Nature’s Promise’ liquid soap, to make 12oz PET bottles with its ‘LiquiForm’ process, where Amcor machinery moulds a container using the constituent product. By removing the air-mould process it reduces carbon emissions and logistics steps.

Steve Berry, founder of Greenblendz, said: “We’re excited to be a partner in the commercial validation of such a highly sustainable manufacturing process - LiquiForm technology delivers enormous efficiencies throughout the supply chain and improves the industry’s carbon footprint.”

LiquiForm technology uses the packaged product instead of compressed air to simultaneously form and fill containers. In this case, the hand soap essentially forms its own rigid PET container using the LiquiForm process. By combining the forming and filling into one step, the process eliminates costs associated with the equipment and energy of the traditional blow moulding process along with the handling, transport, and warehousing of empty containers.

Ann O’Hara, vice president and general manager of Amcor Rigid Plastics’ Diversified Products Division, said: “LiquiForm has the potential to revolutionise the filling and packaging industries with a more flexible, efficient, and sustainable supply chain. The development and launch of the first commercial manufacturing machine and the introduction of the first commercial product represents two major milestones for the LiquiForm technology.”