Bottle washing is one of the most resource-intensive processes in beverage production – especially when it comes to returnable containers. In this video, Marcus Wagner from Krones’ Cleaning Technology department presents Lavasonic HI, a newly developed double-end bottle washer that redefines efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability.

The Lavasonic HI system introduces a demand-oriented cleaning approach with five selectable programs tailored to different bottle conditions. Whether dealing with lightly soiled bottles or heavily contaminated ones, the system adapts in real time – reducing unnecessary energy and water usage.

Key innovations include:
• Ultrasonic pre-treatment for loosening dirt and labels
• Unique bottle locking mechanism that allows higher jetting pressure while reducing mechanical stress
• Up to 40 percent shorter treatment time
• Lower cleaning temperature (from 80 °C to 70 °C)
• Savings of up to 35 percent CO₂ emissions, 30 percent thermal energy, and 20 percent fresh water
The result: Bottles stay in circulation longer, cleaning becomes more precise, and operational costs drop significantly.

Sounds interesting? Our expert shares more insights in the video – take a look!

What do beer, cultured meat, and insulin have in common? They are all products that originate from one of the fields of biotechnology. This means: Living cells or their components, such as enzymes, are used to convert a substrate into specific products.

For beer, this is the fermentation process – and this is where Steinecker comes into play. With 150 years of experience, the Krones subsidiary knows beer and the brewing process probably better than any other company in the world. Since a few years, this experience has been adapted to alternative proteins. Here, cells are propagated in a bioreactor which was developed on the basis of the fermentation unit Poseidon, known from the brewing technology.

But it cannot be used for food or beverages only! During his lecture at drinktec, Alexander Scheidel from Steinecker explained how the know-how from producing beer and alternative proteins can also be adapted to other bioprocesses, e.g. in the agricultural, marine, or pharmaceutical industries.