ABInBev starts using Ritrama’s linerless labels

Core Linerless Solutions (CLS) technology has been developed by Ritrama in collaboration with Omet, Spilker and Ilti with the aim of combining sustainability and cost reduction. The products of the series eliminate the problem of the liner disposal and offer reduced reel changes thanks to a greater number of labels per roll.

Flying Fish flavored beer is the first product to adopt this technology. The project started in 2017 and entered a pilot phase in the fourth quarter of 2018 with large-scale production started in April 2019. At the end of the testing and control phase of the Flying Fish beer labelling line, the CLS technology will be extended to the entire product portfolio, allowing the environmental impact to be reduced by 57 tons of waste per year, in South Africa alone.

To adopt the linerless labels ABInBev has invested in an ILTI linerless dispenser that enables the application of 36,000 labels per hour. Thanks to the reduced thickness, each reel contains twice as many labels as comparative standard material. This results in fewer reel changes during the production process as well as a reduction in the volumes transported and handled.

‘The project with South African Brewery was an exciting team effort that marked an important development in industry innovation, giving Ritrama the opportunity to assert its capabilities worldwide. We look forward to further extending this technology to the benefit of the environment and society,’ said Sergio Veneziani, product manager of Ritrama’s Core Linerless Solutions.