Stork Food & Dairy Systems - Blowmoulding, Filling and Sterilizing Equipment and Lines

Stork produces systems and complete lines for handling all conceivable types of dairy and juice products, including blowmoulders for manufacturing plastic bottles and filling machines for fresh, Extended Shelf-Life (ESL) and long-life (aseptically packaged) products. Stork also produces equipment for in-container sterilization.

THE STERIDEAL IN-FLOW STERILIZER - A STORY OF EXPERIENCE

At the end of the 1960s, Stork introduced an in-flow sterilizer: the Sterideal. This UHT system consists of a helical configuration of concentric tubes which offers major benefits, such as fast and easy cleaning, better heat transfer compared with a straight-tube system, and a high regenerative capacity (more than 85% heat regeneration). Over the years, more than 1,000 Sterideals have been supplied to companies all over the world, with the dimensions specifically calculated to match individual customer requirements.

Stork recently introduced the Steritwin, a combined system with indirect and direct heating, which is able to handle UHT treatment processes at high sterilization temperatures (>160° C).

CONTINUOUS IN-CONTAINER STERILIZATION

For in-container sterilization, Stork has been building continuous sterilizers under the brand name Hydromatic for more than 30 years. Initially designed for cans and glass bottles, in later years Stork expanded the Hydromatic's capabilities to include plastic bottles and other containers.

Stork Food & Dairy Systems is also the inventor of the two-phase system, which combines a UHT treatment process with a rotary-filler. After the containers have been filled, the product undergoes further treatment – a mild sterilization procedure – in an autoclave or a continuous sterilizer.

EXTRUSION BLOWMOULDED PLASTIC BOTTLES

Stork mastered the art of extrusion blowmoulding of plastic bottles and used that knowledge to build blowmoulding machines. These machines have been further developed and fine-tuned over the years, for instance with the co-extrusion technique, which makes it possible to produce three and six-layer bottles with a light and/or oxygen barrier. With the Stork blowmoulding machines, bottles can be made which are internally sterile. These bottles are therefore ideal for an aseptic line and optimally matched to other Stork components in such a line.

ROTARY FILLERS - LIQUID LEVEL FILLERS AND WEIGHT FILLERS

Stork's rotary filler range includes liquid level fillers for bottled spirits and other products, and extremely accurate weight fillers for dairy products and juices. These fillers are supplied in a hygienic version for fresh products and in an ultraclean version for ESL products (with a sterile air system and special facilities for cleaning and sterilizing).

COMPLETE LINES FOR ASEPTIC PRODUCTS IN BOTTLES

In 1991, Stork introduced its first completely aseptic line with integrated linear aseptic bottle filler. Since then, Stork has supplied dozens of complete lines, amply demonstrating Stork's leadership and its unique position as the world's only producer of complete lines for aseptic products in bottles.

Long-life products, packaged in plastic bottles, have a non-refrigerated shelf life of several months. To make this possible, the filling process must take place under completely sterile conditions, in other words in an aseptic filler.

In response to strong interest in the USA for Stork's aseptic fillers, Stork developed a filler for the US market that meets the very stringent requirements of the FDA. Meanwhile, several high capacity lines with these fillers have been successfully put into operation.

THE ASEPTEC ASEPTIC BOTTLE FILLER

Stork has developed a new concept for a flexible and extremely reliable aseptic filler. This filler can handle plastic bottles in a wide range of bottle sizes, with minimal changeover time and without interim sterilization. The concept is so flexible and future-proof that it easily copes with changing requirements (the filler can be adapted, for example, to handle open or closed plastic bottles). This filler – the AsepTec – will be introduced in the second half of 2004.

STORK PRODUCTS AND COMPLETE LINES

Detailed information on all Stork products and line concepts, as well as downloadable brochures and background articles, can be found on the website of Stork Food & Dairy Systems.