KHS, in collaboration with Canadian firm Husky Technologies, has developed what it claims to be one of the world’s lightest PET bottles for still beverages. The new design, known as Factor 101, weighs just 5.89 grams while holding 591 milliliters – equivalent to the US 20-ounce format.

Building on KHS’s 2017 Factor 100 concept, the latest iteration incorporates key structural enhancements. Reinforced webbing, a redesigned shoulder, and a pop-in base collectively provide a top load of 220 newtons, surpassing industry benchmarks for bottle strength and stability.

Achieving this required close integration between KHS’s bottle design and Husky’s preform injection moulding expertise. Adjustments to preform geometry and precise temperature control during stretch blow moulding allowed for significant material reduction without compromising performance.

Compared to the typical 7-gram PET bottle used for 500-milliliter still water in the US, Factor 101 reduces plastic use by approximately 30%. The bottle can also be manufactured entirely from recycled PET (rPET).

Despite its low weight, the bottle maintains high-speed line compatibility, handling up to 90,000 units per hour. First presented at NPE 2024 in Orlando, Factor 101 is already drawing strong interest from contract fillers in the US, Middle East, and South America.

Consistent concept: from preform through blown PET container to filled, labelled and capped bottle