High-volume stretch blowmolding solution

The latest reheat stretch-blow molding machine from Japan's Frontier Inc. is the FRB Series of rotary machines. On show at the recent IPF exhibition was the FRB-12 (12-station), capable of turning out 18,000 bottles per hour, and according to Frontier president Yoshinori Nakamura, mold changes can be accomplished typically in one hour. This represents the firm's first foray into large-capacity machines; its previous linear and linear/rotary combination machines had maximum outputs in the 2000-bph range.

The first FRB-12 was delivered to a leading Japanese bottle maufacturer in May, and the second went to South Korea. The largest unit, the FRB-18, can turn out more than 24,000 bph and Nakajima says the machines price is 30% lower than others on the market. Selling price is ¥170 million ($1.5 million).

The smallest unit, the four-station FRB-4, is suitable for wide-mouth containers up to 98 mm in neck diameter and 120 mm in overall diameter and can turn out up to 4800 bph. Cups with flanges up to 98 mm in diameter can also be molded. Selling price is ¥61 million ($530,000). The next unit up, the FRB-6, has capacity of 7200 bph. Also new from Frontier is the FMB-1, a linear reheat stretch blowmolding unit targeting pharmaceutical applications. This unit sells for ¥15 million ($130,000). Frontier Inc., Nagano, Japan; +81 268-380-088; www.frontier-inc.co.jp