TORONTO - Twinpak Inc. has entered the hot-fill PET container market by installing a C$7 million (US$5.1 million) production line at its Mississauga, Ontario, plant. The firm is going after the juices and sports-drink market, which has been supplied by PET containers imported from U.S. firms, officials said. In early April it debuted 32-ounce and 64-ounce containers when it began commercial production. It plans to add a 20-ounce version soon.
Twinpak bought a Sidel two-stage blow molding machine and a Husky injection press to make the container preforms, according to David Read, market development manager for the firm's beverage packaging group. It de-signed its own preforms and containers, Read said. Heat-set PET containers can be filled at 185§F. Read said containers are heat set in the mold. The process makes the PET more crystalline and able to withstand higher temperatures. Twinpak is using standard container grades of PET in the program. Twinpak might install more heat-set PET container lines at its other four Canadian PET container plants if regional markets warrant the expansion. Read said it also may export to U.S. markets. He did not disclose capacity of the new line.
The Dorval, Quebec, company will try to serve existing users of heat-set PET containers and help glass-container users switch to PET. Read did not disclose Cana-dian users of heat-set containers.
Twinpak's beverage packaging group is big in PET bottles for soft drinks and water. The firm's total blow molding sales for the year ended June 30 were US$101.6 million, placing it 14th in Plastics News' 1995 ranking of North American blow molders.
