Refresco and Sidel Achieve Breakthrough in Sustainable Bottling as EvoBLOW Laser Redefines PET Efficiency, Strength and Recycled Plastic Performance Worldwide 18-02-2026
Refresco and Sidel Revolutionize PET
Refresco and Sidel redefine PET standards with EvoBLOW Laser
Refresco, the world’s largest independent beverage solutions provider, has completed one year of industrial-scale production using Sidel’s EvoBLOW Laser, setting a new benchmark in PET manufacturing. The successful installation at the Bruchsal facility signals a decisive shift away from halogen-based heating systems that have dominated blow moulding for nearly five decades.
With EvoBLOW Laser technology, Refresco and Sidel are demonstrating that laser-based preform heating is no longer experimental. It is now a mature, high-volume solution capable of delivering measurable gains in efficiency, sustainability and bottle performance. Refresco and Sidel Revolutionize PET
Moving beyond halogen: precision heating transforms PET production
Traditional stretch blow moulding systems rely on halogen lamps to heat PET preforms in eight broad thermal zones. While effective, this approach limits precision and is sensitive to environmental fluctuations. In contrast, the EvoBLOW Laser uses up to 36 ultra-focused heating lines, allowing highly granular control of temperature distribution along the preform.
This advanced heating architecture enables engineers to fine-tune material thickness with exceptional accuracy. The result is what Refresco describes as a solved paradox: PET bottles that are significantly lighter while maintaining — or even improving — structural strength. Refresco and Sidel Revolutionize PET
By controlling energy input with pinpoint precision, EvoBLOW Laser reduces overheating and uneven material distribution. This not only improves mechanical resistance but also enhances process stability during high-speed production.
For beverage producers operating at industrial scale, that level of control translates directly into consistent quality, lower material consumption and reduced downtime. Refresco and Sidel Revolutionize PET
Lightweight yet stronger: redefining bottle design freedom
One of the most innovative aspects of the EvoBLOW Laser system is its ability to create invisible reinforcement zones, referred to as power rings. These are subtle bands of increased material thickness positioned strategically within the bottle wall.
Unlike traditional reinforcement methods that rely on visible ribs or geometric structures, power rings strengthen bottles without compromising aesthetics. This provides greater design flexibility for brand owners while reducing overall PET usage. Refresco and Sidel Revolutionize PET
Refresco reports material savings of up to 15 percent compared to conventional processes. For high-volume beverage production, such reductions generate significant cost and sustainability benefits.
Lighter bottles lower raw material demand, reduce transport emissions and improve overall lifecycle performance. At the same time, structural integrity remains fully compliant with filling, capping and distribution requirements.
EvoBLOW Laser and rPET: unlocking recycled plastic performance
Sustainability remains a core driver behind the adoption of EvoBLOW Laser technology. One of the main limitations of halogen systems is their sensitivity to ambient temperature and variations in recycled material properties. Refresco and Sidel Revolutionize PET
Laser heating eliminates many of these constraints. Because the system is less affected by external environmental conditions, it maintains stable energy distribution regardless of surrounding temperature or rPET variability.
At the Bruchsal plant, Refresco successfully tested the system with up to 100 percent rPET. Production runs using 50 percent and 70 percent recycled PET blends were achieved using the same blowing recipe, demonstrating consistent mechanical performance and visual quality. Refresco and Sidel Revolutionize PET
This stability is critical as beverage companies increase their use of recycled content to meet regulatory targets and corporate sustainability commitments. By improving process tolerance, EvoBLOW Laser supports the transition toward higher rPET percentages without compromising efficiency or bottle strength.
Operational performance gains that redefine efficiency
The industrial deployment of EvoBLOW Laser has produced several measurable operational improvements:
Instant start-up capability
Unlike halogen ovens that require warm-up and cool-down phases, the laser system enables cold starts. Production lines can begin operating immediately, increasing overall equipment effectiveness and reducing energy waste during idle periods. Refresco and Sidel Revolutionize PET
Scrap reduction
Precision heating minimizes thermal inconsistencies, reducing preform waste by up to 50 percent compared to traditional systems. Lower scrap rates directly decrease material costs and environmental impact.
Energy optimization
Because energy is delivered exactly where needed, the system avoids unnecessary heat dispersion. This targeted approach improves energy efficiency and contributes to lower carbon emissions across the production cycle. Refresco and Sidel Revolutionize PET
For large beverage operations, these gains compound over time, delivering both financial and environmental returns.
From laboratory concept to industrial reality
The success of EvoBLOW Laser is rooted in a close technical partnership between Refresco and Sidel. With more than 45 production plants worldwide, Refresco provided a demanding industrial testing environment that accelerated the transition from development phase to full-scale deployment.
This collaborative validation process ensured that the technology could withstand real-world operating conditions, including high-speed lines, diverse bottle formats and varying material compositions.
After decades dominated by halogen-based systems, the adoption of EvoBLOW Laser represents a structural transformation in PET blow moulding technology. Industry leadership at Refresco views this as the beginning of a new era in sustainable beverage packaging. Refresco and Sidel Revolutionize PET
Implications for the future of PET manufacturing
The industrialization of EvoBLOW Laser signals broader implications for the beverage packaging sector. As regulatory pressure increases and sustainability metrics become central to procurement strategies, manufacturers must deliver lighter packaging, higher recycled content and lower emissions without sacrificing performance. Refresco and Sidel Revolutionize PET
Laser-based heating directly addresses these challenges by combining material efficiency, design flexibility and operational stability. For companies scaling rPET integration, the ability to maintain consistent results across varying recycled blends offers a significant competitive advantage.
If widely adopted, EvoBLOW Laser technology could redefine PET production standards globally, accelerating the shift toward circular packaging models. Refresco and Sidel Revolutionize PET
Conclusion: a new benchmark in sustainable bottling
After one year of continuous operation, Refresco and Sidel have demonstrated that EvoBLOW Laser is not merely an incremental upgrade. It represents a fundamental rethinking of PET blow moulding.
By enabling lighter yet stronger bottles, reducing scrap rates, optimizing energy consumption and supporting up to 100 percent rPET, EvoBLOW Laser establishes a new reference point for sustainable beverage packaging.
As the beverage industry seeks scalable solutions that align operational efficiency with environmental responsibility, laser heating technology is positioned to become the next standard in PET production.
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