IMI’S INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION SECTOR BOOSTS PET BOTTLING EFFICIENCY WITH BESPOKE TECH-LONG SOLUTION
17/06/2026 IMI plc
IMI’s Industrial Automation sector has developed a customised PET (polyethylene terephthalate) blowing block solution for Tech-Long, delivering a 10% increase in production capacity while reducing compressed air consumption in PET bottle manufacturing.
The collaboration, focused on improving performance in high-speed bottling environments, saw IMI’s Industrial Automation team develop a configurable four-valve blowing block system incorporating a Px/AR single valve. The solution is designed for the efficient production of PET bottles and can operate in both aseptic and non-aseptic conditions.
Tech-Long, a leading supplier to the global bottling industry, had been experiencing limitations with its legacy system, including high energy use and constraints on output. IMI’s Industrial Automation application engineering team in China worked closely with the OEM to redesign the blowing block architecture, addressing both efficiency and hygiene requirements.
The new system has reduced compressed air demand - one of the most energy-intensive aspects of PET bottle production - while simultaneously increasing machine output by 10%. The new system also meets stringent requirements for sterile, aseptic environments, making it suitable for sensitive beverage applications such as dairy, juice and functional drinks.
Tim Chen, Business Development Manager, Industrial Automation at IMI, said: “By working closely with Tech-Long, our application engineers developed a new concept for PET blowing block applications used across the bottling industry. The solution overcomes previous challenges around production capacity and energy consumption, while ensuring reliable operation in sterile environments.
“The results have delivered measurable efficiency gains, supporting Tech-Long’s operational performance goals.”
For more information on IMI’s Industrial Automation solutions available to OEMs in the PET bottling industry, visit: www.norgren.com/en/industries/food-and-beverage/pet-bottling
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