IPI - FX120

How FX120 stands out in the aseptic filling machine market

Contents of the article

  1. Aseptic packaging machine market

  2. FX120: what makes it unique in the industry of aseptic fillers

ASEPTIC PACKAGING MACHINE MARKET

As of today, the global filling machine market is steadily expanding. Valued at $6.7 billion in 2018, it is estimated by Grand View Research to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2019 to 2025[1] . The landscape is still very fragmented, the main segments being aseptic, rotary, net weight, and volumetric. In spite of this variety, though, it is largely dominated by the packaging equipment industry, especially filling machines for food and beverage. The most notable factors behind this expansion include industrial development, purchasing power parity across developing countries and, most importantly, regulation and automation. In addition to this, other noteworthy drivers are rising income, population growth, urbanization, health awareness, and finally, increasing inclination toward packaged and processed products.

The influence of regulation is particularly significant. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering the larger and larger consensus that sustainability and eco-activism have gained these past few years. After oil, plastic packaging waste has the lion’s share of GHG emissions. As a consequence, government regulations are getting more stringent, even more so for food and beverage packaging.

Within the context of automation, the rise of edge computing and industrial IoT (IIoT) is poised to affect the market significantly in the coming future. Albeit still marginal in the packaging equipment industry, both edge computing and IIoT are growing at double digits in the economy as a whole. Because of this, a great deal of R&D is being invested in converting traditional production plants into Smart Factories through IoT sensors and actuators - a practice known as retrofitting. 

Another peculiarity of this market is the width of the spectrum of filling machine solutions already available. The most prominent segment consists of volumetric filler machines. That said, aseptic filling machines are currently registering an above average CAGR (4.4% between 2019 and 2025) and, as a matter of fact, are widely considered to be unparalleled when it comes to performance and ease of use. Last but not least, they are among the most efficient in delivering liquids to its end users. 
Aseptic carton fillers account for around 75% of all installed aseptic filling lines. The high-volume UHT white milk market is dominated by cartoning systems, which also represent a large share of the ambient still beverage market. Thanks to their distinctive high nutrient retention, uniform product quality, and superior performance, aseptic filling machines are likely going to gain a dominant position in the future.

In the context of aseptic filling machines, FX120 deserves more attention, standing out as the fastest flexible roll-fed aseptic filling machine in the whole world.

FX120: what makes it unique in the industry of aseptic fillers

Flexpeed 120 is the latest innovation by IPI - a cutting-edge aseptic filler developed in response to evolving market needs. It is the emblem of IPI's vision, as it embodies the concept of disruptive innovation in the aseptic carton packaging for liquid products. The machine offers many advantages over traditional aseptic fillers, but efficiency, flexibility, and speed is where FX120 really shines. 

FX120 - aseptic filling machine market

As of today, FX120 is the fastest aseptic filler among flexible roll-fed aseptic fillers worldwide. On top of this, FX120 excels in flexibility. In fact, it has the capability to handle different sizes and shapes. Icing on the cake, it is characterized by low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for production and maintenance, making it competitive with current and future market challenges.

EFFICIENCY and RELIABILITY

A distinctive characteristic of FX120 is indeed how efficient and reliable it is - two essential features for any profitable business. Long-term profitability depends on several factors, including but not limited to power consumption, accessibility, and minimum manpower required. In this regard, FX120 represents a leap forward, as it is easily accessible, can be operated with minimum manpower, and has a very low consumption per unit. What’s more, it ensures low utility consumption and minimal machine downtime. Long story short, FX120 has a low TCO, making it incredibly competitive in the global filling machine market.

Plus, FX120 is compatible with any smart equipment (PackML compliant) and enables remote monitoring of multiple line performances at once through an integrated HMI. Also, there is the option for Data Collection System, i.e. IPI’s own IoT-as-a-service platform, which reduces downtime (and therefore costs) even more.   

FLEXIBILITY: FITTING MARKET NEEDS

FX120 can handle two different levels of packaging flexibility, i.e. 1D Fast Change and 3D Conversion. With 1D Fast Change it is possible to change the volume of the pack while keeping the cross section and shape unchanged in just a few minutes. 3D Conversion, on the other hand, allows for switching from portion to family pack and vice versa - also among different shapes. For instance, thanks to 3D Conversion it is possible to switch from a 200 ml Slim pack to a 1000 ml Square pack.

Thanks to its high flexibility, FX120 has a very low obsolescence risk and is therefore a very good investment. The customer can start with a low investment as far as TCO is concerned and still manage a wide variety of formats. Plus, the customer has the opportunity to easily and quickly change strategy depending on evolving market trends.

HIGH SPEED AND PRODUCTIVITY

When it comes to flexible roll-fed aseptic fillers, FX120 has no equals. It can handle portion sizes (125 - 375 ml) with a speed of up to 10,500 pph and goes at up to 8,500 pph for family sizes (500 - 1000 ml). All in all, it is circa a 15% increase in speed compared to flexible fillers offered by the competition. 

In conclusion, FX120 embodies the spirit of radical innovation that is at the cornerstone of IPI’s vision. Thanks to its unprecedented flexibility, its top-notch speed and its low Total Cost of Ownership, FX120 deserves a particular spot among the most cutting-edge filling machines of nowadays. 

[1]Source: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/
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