sidel, the leading global provider of pet solutions for liquid packaging, has announced the creation of new packaging development services to help beverage producers worldwide turn their supply chains into value chains.&ldquostudies in purchasing behaviour suggest that it takes a consumer just three to seven seconds to choose one beverage over another. a welldesigned, attractive and engaging package can help brands win this &lsquomoment of truth&rsquo,&rdquo explains vincent le guen, sidel vice president for packaging. &ldquoalthough very important, however, attractiveness and consumer experience are not the only value that great packaging design can create. long before the product reaches the point of sale, the design of the bottle can create value throughout the supply chain. additional value areas, for example, include improved line efficiency, enhanced product safety, greater sustainability, lower fuel costs, faster industrialisation and speed to market, and reduced costs. great package design can help add significant and genuine value at each phase of the supply chain, from raw materials through to recycling.&rdquoto unlock this value a holistic approach to package design needs to be applied at the beginning of any development project, taking into account brand goals, production capabilities, distribution and storage conditions, among other critical factors. sidel has now launched a new range of packaging services to help beverage producers of all sizes to achieve this. the four new services are packaging and preform design, packaging optimisation, liquidpackage interaction analysisand packaging qualification.packaging and preform designconsumers are engaged by creative and attractive packaging design, interesting shapes and format sizes that fit their lifestyle. as a packaging material petoffers great freedom of shape and can help create a standout brand. it can be moulded into singleserve, multiserve or extended family formats, all of which offer the convenience, resealability and recyclability for which consumers are looking today.from producing the art and technical designs, preform designs, pilot moulds and prototypes, sidel can help producers design a package or range of packages that fit the brand and engages consumers. the company uses digital models, technical drawings and 3dprinted physical models to speed up the creative process, helping to get innovative conceptual designs into industrial production and to get the client&rsquos newlook product to market more quickly.packaging optimisationwhether collaborating on an entirely new product or simply redesigning the bottle of an established brand, sidel can help optimise designs to use less pet and other resources, reduce energy consumption during production, better withstand the rigours of the distribution and transportation process, look great at the point of sale while also delivering a great consumer experience. the contributing factors to that satisfactory consumer experience include the ease with which the cap can be unscrewed and resealed, the feel of the bottle in the user&39s hand, the elimination of the potential for accidental spillage caused by excessive lightweighting and the flow of the liquid through the bottle&39s neck. sidel undertakes optimum lightweighting with a unique approach it refers to as "rightweighting&rdquo. a sidel bottle design that has been produced via this process will weigh and cost less to produce yet will still maintain and protect the quality of its contents throughout the supply chain, saving energy during production and securing an optimum line performance and consumer experience.liquidpackage interaction analysisthe quality of bottled beverages and foodstuffs can be adversely affected by exposure to light, oxygen or the wrong temperatures. sidel has two laboratories for liquidpackagingand aseptic analysis in octeville, france, and twolaboratories for filling and aseptic microbiologicalcontamination analysis in parma, italy. these are in addition to its five packaging centres worldwide in china, europe, india,latin america and north america. the company also has partnerships with universities and otherlaboratories worldwide.to preserve the integrity and quality of products, the company&rsquos scientists perform laboratory tests under simulated supply chain conditions in order to determine the most effective and safe packaging combinations and solutions, including the most suitable packaging sizes, shapes,closures and pet resins.taking the recipe, processing parameters and production conditions of the product fully into consideration, sidel scientists test the package over time. this is done in essentially two ways objectively through physical and chemical testing and subjectively by various sensory analysis techniques such as smelling and taste testing. by gathering such detailed information and understanding the different interactions between the liquid and the package, sidel is able to manufacture and supply equipment that produces packaging that can fully maximise product quality and shelf life.packaging qualificationin order to qualify creative designs for industrial production, sidel carries out full packaging feasibility and performance studies with pilot moulds and sidel equipment to help evaluate bottle stability, rigidity and quality before full production starts. this is done according to the technical specifications provided by the beverage producer or by using sidel&rsquos own inhouse specifications.the company assesses the complexity of each design when compared to the targeted specifications, which cover bottle weight, line output and energy consumption. it then advises thecustomer what is needed to achieve the desired qualification. this proposed packaging validation partnership aims to get customers&rsquo new products to market faster with less cost,while eliminating production issues in advance of full industrialisation.from design to realityonce a new package has been designed, tested and qualified for production sidel can also determine which highquality equipment and complete line production solution is right to achieve the desired production specification for that product. it can provide complete new lines, featuringthe very latest sidel matrix&trade beverage productionequipment, or convert existing lines quicklyand efficiently, with highquality originalmoulds that are intelligently engineered for fast productionand carefully tested to protect productquality. when combined with the company&rsquos packaging development services this enables sidel to provide a complete designtoreality solution for beverage producers who wish to get highquality products to market faster, more efficiently and with less cost.further details on the packaging services offering, which is part of the sidel services portfolio which also includes maintenance, line improvement, training, line conversions & moulds, and spare parts & logistics, are available by visiting sidel.compackaging or by emailing services@sidel.com  
