JBT has won a strategic order for the high-accuracy PrecifillTM Weight Filler in the Asia Pacific region, underlining the importance of the technology to companies in the dairy, juices and infant formula industries. In this particular instance, the Precifill will fill juices and dairy alternatives in glass bottles at 36,000 cph.
A non-contact weight filling system, the Precifill is an extremely accurate solution which minimizes product give-away. The filler, which is equipped with effective Clean-in-Place provisions, handles plastic and glass bottles, plastic cups, glass jars and cans, and can be equipped with a conditioned filling space to meet hygienic filling requirements.
Historical success
In 1990, JBT SFDS – then known as Stork – installed its first Precifill Weight Filler for white milk in bottles. Since that time, Stork and JBT have built hundreds of weight fillers, the majority of which have been installed in the dairy, juices and infant formula industry.
Following JBT’s acquisition of Stork in 2015, production of the rotary weight filling product line was transferred to the JBT St Niklaas plant in Belgium. JBT Sint-Niklaas has a 70+ year history of building and servicing rotary fillers and closers for cans, jars and bottles and is JBT’s global center of excellence for non aseptic rotary filling technology.
Industry growth
Since the early 1950’s Asia Pacific has been a key market for JBT’s rotary fillers, largely driven by the growth of the dairy industry in the region, according to Bart Mertens, JBT Product Line Director for Filling and Closing technologies.
As well as the Precifill Weight Filler, JBT’s range includes the rinser and capper – in monobloc configuration together with the weight filler – the integrity checking and reject system, and the CIP (Clean-In-Place) kitchen.
The Factory Acceptance Test for the Precifill at JBT Sint-Niklaas is planned for Q2 2021, with installation projected to follow in Q3 2021.