July/August 2018
3
Mauser
upgrades
German
IBC
ĨĂĐŝůŝƟĞƐ
Schütz claims breakthrough for wine IBC
Continued from p1
It is here that the Wine-Store-Age IBC can
demonstrate its qualities, says Schütz. The
container is part of the Schütz Foodcert line and is
certified according to the highest industrial food
standard, FSSC 22000. It has an EVOH barrier that
prevents the permeation in and out of oxygen,
nitrogen and other gases, allowing the wine to
mature under controlled exposure to oxygen. All
of these factors were demonstrated in the first
comprehensive study in Australia.
Schütz firmly believes that the demand for IBCs
in the wine industry will continue to increase. For
smaller producers in particular, the certified
containers are a cost-effective and space-saving
alternative for storing, maturing and transporting
wines. This applies in particular to smaller vintages
with lower yields, such as those recorded in 2017.
In order to popularise the use of IBCs for the
maturation of wine in Europe as well as Australia,
Schütz started a co-operation with the Institute of
Oenology at Geisenheim in 2017. The aim of the
series of experiments carried out was to test
plastic containers (ie, IBCs) with an integrated
oxygen barrier in comparison to containers made
of inert materials such as stainless steel. The study
compared the development of a test wine in the
FSSC-certified Ecobulk Wine-Store-Age with an
EVOH barrier with that in a stainless steel
container over a period of three and six months,
respectively.
The results of the study showed that, compared
with stainless steel tanks, there was no perceptible
oxygen permeation into the IBC from the outside
through the container walls. In the test a typical,
good quality wine of this variety matured in the
container, which passed the sensory tests of a
board of experts. Due to the design of the plastic
IBC, there was a slight increase in oxygen
permeation into the wine because of the small
volume of air that remained in the shoulders after
filling. This led to a slightly higher reduction of the
B ULK D ISTRIBUTOR
Industrial Packaging
to-transport container is suitable for the
maturation and flexible short- and medium-term
storage of finished wines. It is also an efficient
container for commercial selling and serving, eg,
at large events.”
Other factors in favour of using the containers
include the small footprint and the stackability,
which allows optimum use to be made of the
often limited cellar, storage and transport space.
Two other major advantages were also
confirmed in the test: almost complete residual
emptying and easy cleaning. For microbiological
reasons, residual amounts in the container must
always be avoided. The Schütz IBC can be
emptied easily via an outlet valve. Residues, such
as yeasts, can be rinsed out with ease. www.schuetz.net www.mausergroup.com
Left; Thanks to the Security-Layer Technology, where up to six
functional layers can be extruded at once, fine wines are optimally
protected, says Schütz
free and total sulphuric acid content in the first
2.5 months compared to the wine in the stainless
steel tank. However, as maturation progressed,
the EVOH barrier effectively prevented further
permeation of oxygen, so that the measured
values remained stable in the Ecobulk during the
following 3.5 months of testing
Professor Jung, who is deputy head of the
Institute for Oenology at Geisenheim, summarised
the test series: “The results obtained in the
experiment open up application possibilities for
IBC containers in oenological practice. This easy-
M
auser Group is continuing to invest in
its IBC operations in Germany.
The Erkelenz production campus, which
combines manufacturing and reconditioning of
composite IBCs, installed a new state-of-the-art
blow moulder and increased process reliability by
automating material workflows.
Considering the growing demand from various
end-user markets in Germany and the nearby
Benelux region, Mauser opted to update its
production equipment to increase flexibility in
customer service and enhance supply reliability.
The Erkelenz plant, 40km west of Dusseldorf, is
well-located to deliver to various chemical industry
clusters and transport hubs.
The latest generation of IBC blow moulders from
in-house machinery builder Mauser Mac hinery
enables the operations team to produce all
current IBC types offered by the group. The
installation was flawless, the firm says, and
provided customers a seamless transition as well
as ‘business as usual’.
Above: The EVOH barrier prevents the permeation of gases, ensuring
controlled exposure to oxygen