KHS converts Rhodius line for resealable aluminium bottles

KHS has completed the conversion of an existing beverage production line at Rhodius Mineralquellen in Burgbrohl, Germany, allowing the contract bottler to manufacture resealable aluminium bottles alongside its established packaging formats.

The nine-month project introduced new filling, container handling, labelling and inspection equipment while retaining much of the existing production infrastructure. Commissioned in July 2026, the converted line has regained its previous maximum rated output of 50,000 containers per hour, according to KHS, with the first saleable products already manufactured.

Rhodius is initially using the 400 ml Alu Bottle for its own mineral water and a Halloween edition of the Bluna soft drink range. Further product launches are planned before the end of the year, while discussions continue with other national and international beverage brands interested in adopting the format.

The aluminium bottle incorporates a resealable screw closure, distinguishing it from a conventional beverage can. Its introduction required changes to several connected production operations, particularly filling and empty-container handling, because the new format could not simply be introduced through the existing can filling arrangement without modification.

Rhodius selected the KHS Innofill Glass DNRF for the new filling application. Although normally associated with glass bottling, the machine uses a long filling tube that introduces beverage close to the bottom of the container. As the liquid level rises, gas is displaced upwards, helping to limit oxygen incorporation during filling.

Thomas Hüser, technical sales representative at KHS, explained that this filling arrangement was selected to achieve low oxygen levels in the product. The machine also uses volumetric flow measurement to control filling quantities, providing flexibility across the different beverages processed by Rhodius, which operates both its own brands and contract manufacturing programmes.

The chosen process is particularly relevant where oxygen exposure can affect beverage quality, although KHS has not disclosed comparative dissolved oxygen measurements from the converted line. Its announcement establishes the operating principle and the equipment selected, rather than a quantified improvement against the previous can filling machinery.

Space within the existing production building imposed another constraint. KHS evaluated alternative configurations using three-dimensional planning before relocating the existing depalletising equipment and a new Innopal AS 1 HZ unit to the basement. The project also involved separating two existing can fillers, rearranging the container supply system so that cans and aluminium bottles could be delivered through a common receiving area.

Moving the depalletising equipment below the filling level created a requirement to transfer empty containers vertically through the building. A vacuum transport system supplied by KHS partner H.F. Meyer now conveys the lightweight bottles from the basement to the production line above, avoiding the need for a more extensive conventional conveying arrangement within the available space.

The movement of empty containers is integrated with the surrounding machinery so that bottles arrive in the correct orientation for subsequent filling. The line arrangement also preserves the ability to handle existing can formats, allowing Rhodius to introduce the new aluminium bottle without replacing the entire established production system.

The bottles are supplied from Japan with their external lacquer already applied. Rhodius subsequently adds the identification required by Germany’s deposit return system using a KHS Innoket Neo labeller, which also allows customers to specify different branding for individual beverage products.

Label application is followed by inspection using a KHS Innocheck LIS system. Its camera checks whether labels are present and correctly positioned, providing an automated control over the identification and presentation of the finished container. The supplier has not released rejection rates or comparative data on inspection accuracy from the installation.

Operators were involved during installation and commissioning, with KHS providing equipment training and further maintenance instruction. Rhodius also has access to the supplier’s ReDiS remote maintenance system for selected servicing and smaller maintenance activities, supporting operation of the revised line after the project team completed commissioning.

The conversion took place while production continued at Burgbrohl. Rhodius managing partner Hannes Tack said the nine-month delivery period was shorter than normally expected for a project of this scale, reflecting the companies’ detailed knowledge of the facility and their long-standing working relationship.

Retaining an existing line reduced the need to establish a completely separate production operation, although the investment still required substantial changes to machinery and building layout. KHS has not disclosed the capital cost or the effect of construction activities on overall site output during the conversion.

The supplier describes the installation as Germany’s first high-performance bottling line for this particular resealable aluminium format. The stated maximum throughput has been restored, but longer-term performance will depend on operating reliability and the mix of products manufactured as additional brands adopt the container.

With commercial production already under way, Rhodius now has an operating line capable of supplying the format rather than a development-stage installation. Its next planned launches will provide further evidence of demand for the bottle and the converted line’s performance across a broader range of beverages.