SIG has expanded its SIG Neo filling machine portfolio for aseptic cartons with two new machines: SIG Neo XSlim 32 Aseptic for single-serve cartons and SIG Neo Midi 15 Aseptic for multi-serve cartons. The company said the machines respond to the food and beverage industry’s need for high output and flexible production without costly facility expansion.

According to SIG, SIG Neo XSlim 32 Aseptic can fill 32,000 SIG XSlimBloc single-serve cartons per hour in nine pack sizes. SIG Neo Midi 15 Aseptic fills 15,000 SIG MidiBloc or SIG MidiFit multi-serve cartons per hour, with each format available in three pack sizes. The company said the new machines raise both total output and output per square meter by one-third, while pack size or format changes can be done in minutes.

“Many food and beverage producers have reached the physical limits of their existing plants. SIG Neo filling machines deliver the highest output per square meter in the industry and therefore add capacity to our customers’ factories, not buildings,” said Christoph Wegener, chief markets officer at SIG.

The machines use SIG’s sleeve-based carton technology and open-sleeve filling process. SIG Neo XSlim 32 Aseptic can handle up to nine single-serve pack sizes on one machine, while SIG Neo Midi 15 Aseptic runs two formats, SIG MidiBloc and SIG MidiFit, each in three multi-serve pack sizes. According to the company, operators can switch between pack sizes and formats in less than 15 minutes without changing any machine parts, and the machines keep the same compact footprint as SIG’s standard filling machines. SIG said this enables quicker SKU changes, reduced downtime, lower investment costs and greater responsiveness to market demand.

Both machines have a waste rate of less than 0.5%, offer digitalization features for operations, and have lower total filling costs than SIG’s standard filling machines for these formats, the company stated.

The machines also include the SIG Neo HMI (human-machine interface), designed for intuitive operation and performance insights, and SIG Neo Shield, which improves sterile airflow and shielding during bottom sealing and pre-folding. SIG said the shield removes up to 95% of particles from the air.

“The latest additions to our SIG Neo platform demonstrate how innovation can translate directly into operational value,” said Gavin Steiner, chief technology officer at SIG. “By combining speed, flexibility, digital capabilities and aseptic expertise, we have created filling solutions that not only increase productivity but also simplify day-to-day operations.”