A new capping technology can accommodate food and beverage industry demand for larger bottles and cartons, whilst preventing damage to the containers during repeated torque applications, its manufacturer claims.

New England Machinery says that its latest NEHSC single headed capper has been designed specifically for manufacturers wanting to sell their products in larger containers.

In addition, the device can also be adjusted for both single and twin pack carton containers.

The capper, designed as a free-standing unit, can be placed over an existing continuous motion conveyor to adapt to existing operations, according to the manufacturer.

New England Machinery says that the technology also allows for a customer friendly changeover that does not require tool use.

In Europe, markets like Turkey and the Netherlands are increasingly relying on larger packaging to boost sales for some of their beverage and dairy goods, says consumer analyst Euromonitor.

In Turkey, a major growth area for food and beverage production, there has been steady growth for both large and small polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging solutions between 2000 and 2005, the analyst said.

Even in more commercially developed markets like the Netherlands, dairy products coming in larger containers were found to have become increasingly popular with Dutch consumers, Euromonitor added.

Similar findings by Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarkt -forschung, a German research association for the packing market, indicate that in some emerging Eastern European markets like Hungary, larger bottles have dominated drinks sales in recent years.