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Inspired in part by the increased attention to blow molding at NPE2018, signified by the new 65,000-ft² Bottle Zone in the South Hall, encompassing more than 80 exhibitors and its own Technical Forum, Nissei ASB Co. is aiming to make its biggest impact ever at an NPE. “We want to show we are multifaceted,” says Jamie Pace, the newly appointed president and CEO. “We felt this is the time to bring all of our capabilities to the show.”

In its largest-ever NPE booth (S19045), occupying nearly 8000 ft², Nissei ASB has the largest collection of operating blow molding machines at the show. Five stretch-blow systems, both single-stage and two-stage (reheat), are molding a broad spectrum of containers—from 50-ml airline liquor miniatures to 500-ml, wide-mouth hot-fill/pasteurizable jars with twist-off metal lug caps. And there’s more: machines producing 650-ml, tunnel-pasteurizable beer bottles, thick-wall, glass-like bottles for cosmetics (two different designs in a family mold), and refillable 700-ml sports bottles in high-clarity Tritan copolyester.

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All of these are eye-catching enough, but Pace thinks two of them will draw the biggest crowds this week: One is the hot-fillable jar. “It achieves the “Holy Grail” of the PET industry in two ways. Our double-blow heat-setting technology makes it tolerant of hot filling and pasteurization; and with the metal lug cap, this jar is a drop-in replacement for glass in existing filling lines for pickles, jams, jellies and the like.”

For the other star of the booth, Pace picks the new ASB-150DPX, the world’s first triple-row, one-stage injection stretch-blow machine. That third row of cavities is “a huge advance in productivity,” says Pace, demonstrated here by running airline miniatures in an “unprecedented” 48 cavities for output of 20,000 bottles/hr.

Something else on display that Pace considers important is “our first working prototype of a machine control oriented toward Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things, or the Smart Factory.” Shown on the new ASB-12M v2, the new control “opens a window into remote service, guidance and monitoring,” Pace explains. “It will help factory personnel—or our own technicians—determine remotely that a machine is due for servicing or maintenance. If a machine drifts outside its specified operating window, the system will flag somebody to attend to it. Customers are always looking for ways to make their existing personnel more productive, especially those expert technicians that are always in short supply. This will help them get there.”

Although you can’t see it at the booth, Pace wants to make sure visitors are aware that Nissei ASB moved its offices 17 months ago to Smyrna, Ga., where it now has a technical center that has three machine bays for design, testing, and prove-out. “We also have a substantial machine shop there, with 10 CNC mills and lathes to do mold modifications, make spare parts for tooling, and—most importantly—make single-cavity tooling for product development and quick sampling.” Pace is particularly proud of this new capability. “All that work was formerly done overseas. But by the end of this year, my goal is to be able to go from concept to sample bottles in just four weeks.”