Tata Steel Nederland has commissioned a new can-making machine at its R&D facilities. This state-of-the-art bodymaker uses a dry forming process to produce food cans like those commonly found on supermarket shelves.

It is faster than its predecessors and will be used to help further develop the latest technologies in packaging steel.

In a typical can-making line, small steel cups are first punched out, then stretched to form the sides of the can. In conventional processes, this generates heat due to friction, requiring cooling water that must then be washed off the cans; an energy- and water-intensive process. Tata Steel’s new line doesn’t need any of that. 

Thanks to the use of innovative Protact steel and advanced internal cooling of the tooling, cans can now be formed in a dry process. This eliminates the need for emulsified water, reducing energy use and cutting the investment costs for customers.

Food safety for the future

Protact is a polymer-coated steel that reduces friction during forming. “The polymer layer also ensures that the can meets all future food safety standards,” says Hans van der Weijde, Director of R&D at Tata Steel Nederland.

“There’s no need to apply a lacquer to the steel. While lacquer is still allowed under current regulations, we see a clear trend toward phasing out these chemical coatings. Lacquered cans also often contain tin. Protact allows for a shorter and cleaner production line.”

Working with customers

The new line can produce up to 400 cans per minute – 25% more than the industry standard of 320. The machine at Tata Steel serves as a proof of concept, where customers can see the dry forming process with Protact in action at full industrial speeds. “That collaboration with the customer is crucial,” says Joris Essing, Marketing Manager for packaging steel at Tata Steel Nederland. “We have the expertise in the dry process, but the customer has to make it work on their own production lines. We work closely together to make that happen.”

That collaboration has already delivered results in the packaging market. One example is Tata Steel’s partnership with Grupo Calvo, which led to the development of an innovative Protact tuna can. The polymer layer applied to the steel reduces the need for oil to keep the tuna fresh and make it easy to remove from the can. The packaging is also lighter, due to more efficient material use, which brings transport benefits.

Champion of recycling

Steel food cans offer several advantages; long shelf life even without refrigeration, reduced food waste, and excellent recyclability. Thanks to their magnetic properties, steel cans are relatively easy and cost-effective to separate from other waste streams. In the Netherlands, steel packaging such as cans for beans, corn, or fish, is the country’s recycling champion. More than 95% of all steel packaging used in the Netherlands is recycled into new steel, making steel the most recycled packaging material.