An assessment for plastic container manufacturers still operating hydraulic technology and considering the transition to electric
Techne has been producing exclusively electric blow moulding machines for over twenty years. This reflects the direction the industry took during the 2000s — a shift our customers have progressively embraced over time.
Yet hydraulic blow molding machines from that first generation are still in operation today: robust, reliable machines that continue to deliver consistent production. Their longevity — often exceeding twenty years — is the main reason the switch to electric keeps being deferred. If the machine works, replacement is rarely seen as urgent.
The issue, however, is not reliability. It is operating costs.
The real cost of a hydraulic blow molding machine
A hydraulic blow moulding machine generates two distinct energy consumption items that, when analysed separately, tend to be underestimated. The first is the machine’s direct consumption. The second is the chiller required to dissipate the heat produced by the hydraulic power unit — a continuous load, independent of the season, proportional to the installed power.
When both items are combined and compared against an equivalent electric machine, based on a standard operating schedule of 7,200 hours per year, the difference amounts to between €70,000 and €125,000 per year per machine, depending on the format produced.
The full analysis — including kW/kg consumption data, reference configurations, and the breakdown of the two savings components — is available in the technical datasheet.
Further advantages of switching to electric
- Maintenance. Removing the hydraulic power unit significantly reduces routine operations: purging, oil management and disposal, filter replacement. The result is lower downtime costs and simpler day-to-day management.
- Production quality. Electric parison control delivers greater precision and repeatability compared to hydraulic technology, with more uniform material distribution and a concrete opportunity to optimize container weight.
- Certified energy efficiency. Techne blow molding machines meet the requirements of Euromap 40.6 Class 10 — the European benchmark for energy efficiency in plastics machinery.
The transition to electric: how we manage it
Techne supports its customers throughout the evaluation process: analysis of the existing machine’s consumption, identification of the most suitable configuration, and return-on-investment assessment. With over 1,100 machines installed in more than 60 countries, our accumulated experience allows us to build a precise analysis for every specific situation.
For a personalised assessment of your machine: sales@technepackaging.com
