KHS SUPREME PET bottle for oxygen-sensitive beverages

KHS presents KHS SUPREME PET bottle, combining the benefits of glass with the handle-ability of PET by apply Plasmax barrier technology, for product protection of oxygen-sensitive beverages, such as tea.

KHS Plasmax barrier technology combines benefits of glass and handling of PET for oxygen-sensitive beverages.

Plasmax barrier technology is a wafer-thin, transparent layer of silicon oxide that coats the inside wall of PET bottles like glass. Less than 100 nanometers thick, it reliably protects the sensitive bottle content from oxidation, retaining its taste, color and quality for lengthy periods of time. This helps to make the product last up to ten times longer.

This technology, originally developed for pharmaceutical glass containers, is based on many years of research and process optimization. The first Plasmax systems were piloted in the food sector back in the early 2000s.

Since then, KHS has further developed its Plasmax barrier and this year scaled it up to industrial production speeds of up to 60,000 bottles per hour, without any detriment to its protective properties.

Besides its technical precision, the barrier also contributes to sustainability. One major advantage of Plasmax technology is that it is completely recyclable.

The glass coating is removed by caustic during the recycling process without affecting the quality of the material. Unlike chemical scavenger technologies that make recycling more difficult, here, the purity of the separated PET is maintained. The coating is also fully compatible with 100% [r]PET, meaning that it can be recycled and applied to recycled PET containers.

KHS will present this system at interpack 2026 in Düsseldorf, Germany, from May 7 to 13.