published on 16/09/09
Rexam has announced that its Fusion aluminium drinks bottle is to go into full production in the first quarter of 2010 at its Czech Republic plant, following a UK-led pilot phase last year and a team of contract engineers will begin installing the new line within the next couple of months.
The first Fusion line will be based and installed by the mechanical engineers at Rexam's Ejpovice plant near Prague and the firm hopes to produce 60 million units in the first year.
Rexam said that once Fusion's market was established, it plans to up capacity to 120m units per year at the same factory, before extending production to other worldwide lines.
Rexam will manufacture standard 330ml and 250ml Fusion bottles, which will feature three types of closure ROPP (re-sealable), MaxiP Crown and Standard Crown.
The group is working with contract fillers so that brands can have Fusion bottles filled without affecting their existing bottling lines. Many of the contract fillers already use outsourcing as a way to supplement their existing engineering team or as stand by for holidays and sickness.
Back in May 2008, Rexam invited drinks brands to view and use its Fusion bottle at a line aslo installed by a team of skilled mechanical engineers it opened at its R&D centre in Tongwell near Milton Keynes. It allows for pasteurisation and is suitable for a range of uses, including packaging single-serve wines, flavoured waters, beers, soft drinks and energy drinks. The contract engineers are also overseing the proactive and reactive maintenance of the lines at many of the sites.


Read the full article at packagingnews.co.uk