KHS is promoting its Nature MultiPack system, an adhesive-based secondary packaging solution that groups beverage cans and PET bottles without the use of shrink film, cardboard wraps or plastic rings.
The system uses a series of adhesive dots to bond individual containers into multipacks of four, six or eight units. According to the company, the approach is intended to reduce the amount of material required for secondary packaging while maintaining pack stability during handling, transport and retail display.
Nature MultiPack is designed for both beverage cans and PET bottles and is processed using the KHS Innopack Kisters NMP packaging machine. The technology can be integrated into beverage production lines and is available in different output configurations. KHS states that the medium-capacity version can process up to 54,000 containers per hour, while the high-speed model can handle up to 108,000 containers per hour.
The company reports that the system can reduce packaging material consumption compared with conventional cardboard-based multipack formats. In addition, the elimination of shrink tunnels can contribute to lower energy requirements during production.
For PET bottle applications, KHS said the adhesive used in the system has been certified by the European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) as compatible with PET bottle-to-bottle recycling processes. This is intended to support recyclability within existing PET recycling streams.
The technology forms part of a broader industry trend towards lightweight and material-efficient secondary packaging solutions for the beverage sector. Manufacturers and brand owners are increasingly evaluating alternatives to traditional shrink film and ring-carrier formats as they seek to reduce packaging material use and improve resource efficiency.
KHS has also introduced variants of the Nature MultiPack concept that combine adhesive bonding technology with cardboard carrying handles for PET bottle multipacks.