To provide the technology, Krones of Neutraubling, Germany, was chosen ahead of a number of other applicants as the winner of the second TecnoBebida Award in 2002. This prize for innovative technologies is awarded every two years at the TecnoBebida trade fair.
The hygienic protection used is a fully recyclable aluminium foil. Besides protecting the can closure against soiling, the can foiling option also scores in terms of upmarket visual enhancement. The printable foil offers additional advertising area, and thus a number of options for flexible support of advertising campaigns, such as drawing attention to ongoing sales promotion drives or other events.
In a tunnel at the Taxomatic's infeed, UV lamps first destroy up to 99.8 per cent of all micro-organisms located in the lid area. The cans are then passed through a worm to the infeed starwheel. Using a food quality cold glue and a special centring bell, a sheet of foil is then placed on the lid and in a separate carousel gently pressed on and precisely moulded to the can's shape.
The compactly dimensioned rotary Taxomatic is equipped with a height adjustment feature, controlled by an electric motor. Changeover kits for different can sizes and shapes can also be fitted. The Taxomatic for can lid labelling can also be easily integrated retrospectively into existing canning lines, Krones claims.
The new technology has been designed to provide what the company says is a reliable solution to the worldwide problem of dirt on can lids. The first user is the Cervejaria Petrópolis Brewery in São Paulo State, whose beer brands Crystal and Itaipava are already on the shelves at Brazilian retailers with the hygienic protection foil for cans.