The right ActisTM solution for every beverage

ActisTM and Actis LiteTM barrier treatments meet specific requirements for packaging beverages like beer,
soda, sparkling water, sauce, tea, and juice.

ActisTM, an industrially viable process

In line integration

Industrial quality control

Recyclability

The ActisTM technology is based on

the Sidel Groups well-known expertise in
rotary kinematics and reliable mechanics.
ActisTM is an industrially viable solution
currently in production on 3 continents
(America, Asia, and Europe). It is easy to
integrate the process into a bottling line,
downstream from the blowing machine
and upstream from the filler or palletizer.

The ActisTM machines treatment stations

control key process parameters in
real-time. These parameters include: levels
of vacuum inside and outside the bottle,
flow of acetylene, microwave power,
and plasma brightness. This control
guarantees quality of the barrier treatment
on each bottle.

ActisTM treated PET can be recycled in

traditional PET recycling streams. The
barrier layer represents less than 0.04%
of the weight of a standard PET bottle.
When mixed with new material, up to 50%
recycled PET can be used to produce
fibers and 40% to produce new PET
bottles. These data come from industrialscale testing performed in collaboration
with NAPCOR and WELLMAN, two
American recycling companies.

www.sidel.com

Sidel - RCS Le Havre B 365 501 089 - GB - DC 104122 - 04/2004 - As we constantly strive to improve production, Sidel reserves the right to modify its equipment. Therefore, this document cannot be considered as contractually binding. - c comme c [rouen] 33 (0)2 35 73 15 15

Avenue de la Patrouille de France Octeville-sur-mer BP 204 76053 Le Havre Cedex France Tel. : 33 (0)2 32 85 86 87 Fax : 33 (0)2 32 85 81 00

Barrier Solutions

Actis

TM

For your PET packages

A PET solution
for sensitive drinks
Todays challenge for oxygen-sensitive and/or carbonated drinks is to devise
a PET packaging solution that better protects beverage qualities. The ideal
solution is ActisTM, a barrier treatment inside the PET bottle.

PET packages used to package oxygen-sensitive and/or carbonated drinks must be able to provide
a barrier to gas exchanges. In fact, the products shelf life is largely dependent on its sensitivity
to oxygen (O2) penetration and loss of carbon dioxide (CO2). After its best by date, the liquid begins
to lose its organoleptic qualities.
The smaller the volume/surface ratio of a bottle, the more gas exchanges become critical to the quality
of the packaged product. This explains why a gas barrier placed inside PET bottles (primarily smaller
size containers) is needed to guarantee superior package performance.

O2

CO2

O2

To protect the natural properties of liquid foods, Sidel has developed its ActisTM and Actis LiteTM processes
along with a range of machines that make it possible to mass-produce barrier PET bottles.

Beers, ciders

O2 Barrier

CO2 Barrier

+
+

CSDs, sparkling waters

Juices, teas, sauces

Solution
ActisTM
Actis LiteTM
Actis LiteTM

Process
In the ActisTM process, a very thin coating of hydrogen rich amorphous carbon is deposited inside a standard
PET bottle thus acting as a gas barrier. This internal barrier, in direct contact with the beverage, is protected
from mechanical shocks and prevents any migration that might otherwise occur in PET.

Bottle is introduced
into the treatment
station

Acetylene is injected
into the bottle
Vacuum is created inside
and outside the bottle

Amorphous carbon is
deposited on the inner
wall of the bottle

Microwave energy causes

acetylene to reach its
plasma state

Treated bottle exits

Bottle and cavity are

returned to atmospheric
pressure

Performance
The carbon layers thickness depends on the process time and is modified to satisfy each beverage
applications needs.

Barrier
process

Plasma
process time

Layer
thickness

Actis LiteTM

1 - 1.4 sec.

ActisTM

2.5 - 3 sec.

Improvement rate in barrier properties

of ActisTM treated PET*
O2

CO2

65-80 nm

5 - 10 times

3 times

Approx. 150 nm

25 - 30 times

7 times

* Reference values compared to a non-treated PET package. Values may vary

depending on liquid packaged, bottle shape, and filling/capping method used.

Machine features
Machine features
Number of
stations
ActisTM 20 LM
(Lite Medium)
ActisTM 20 FM
(Full Medium)

Maximum rate
(bph)

Bottle features
Reference
volume (ml)

Height under
neck ring (mm)

Max. internal
diameter (mm)

Internal neck
diameter (mm)

200 - 600

160 - 218

60 - 75

20 - 34

12,000
20
10,000