In April 2021, DNP’s aseptic PET bottle juice filling machine began operation at the Nagoya factory of Asahi Breweries. Our machine offers three key features:
・It can fill both carbonated and non-carbonated beverages.
・The changeover time for the aseptic system is less than two hours.
・It operates at a speed of 54,000 bph (bottles per hour).

In summary, this system is a highly productive filling solution for a wide variety of beverages, maintaining Japan’s high standards of aseptic quality and contributing to a reduction in environmental impact.

• Overview
• High-speed line
• Advanced technologies
• Validation
• Future

Location: Aichi Prefecture, Japan – Asahi Nagoya Plant (existing facility)
Start-up: April 2021
Products: Mitsuya Cider, Wilkinson, Calpis (Calpico), Calpis Soda
Line Speed: 54,000 bottles/hour (≤ 500ml PET), 20,000 bottles/hour (1.5L PET)
Aseptic Validation:
Commissioning: 3× media-fill tests, over 30,000 bottles → 0 spoilage
Annual overhaul: ≥ 10,000 bottles → 0 spoilage
Technology Highlights:
Aseptic PET system for carbonated and still beverages
In-line energy-saving blow molder
H₂O₂ gas sterilization with 40% reduction in H₂O₂ usage
CSIP (simultaneous CIP & SIP) enables changeover in under 2 hours
Chamber sterilization mode for high-acid beverages
Pasteurizer-free aseptic filling for high-CO₂ carbonated drinks

Generally, in the case of aseptic filling systems, production of a large number of varieties reduces productivity. This is because the Sterilization-In-Place (SIP) process is required after the Cleaning-In-Place (CIP) process. DNP has developed an advanced aseptic processing technology that enables simultaneous SIP (Sterilization-In-Place) and CIP (Cleaning-In-Place) operations. This innovation allows manufacturers to skip SIP after CIP, significantly reducing downtime and improving production efficiency in beverage filling systems. This patented technology that performs CIP and SIP simultaneously is called “CSIP".
At the Asahi Nagoya factory, CSIP was installed across the UHT sterilizer, aseptic tanks and the juice filling machine. As a result, these systems were cleaned and sterilized within two hours, resulting in a significant reduction in production intervals. Needless to say, shorter changeover times, high operation rates and high-speed machines directly lead to lower TCO.

In 2008, DNP installed the first aseptic filling system for Calpis at Asahi’s Gunma factory.
At the time, most aseptic filling systems in Japan were designed for low-acid beverages such as tea and milk-based drinks. These systems were over-specified for high-acid beverages like Calpis, resulting in unnecessary complexity and inefficiency.
To address this, DNP developed a specialized PET bottle juice filling machine called High Acidity Aseptic, optimized for high-acid beverage production. This system successfully reduced Sterilization-In-Place (SIP) time by one-sixth compared to conventional low-acid aseptic systems.
Today, DNP’s aseptic filling technology has evolved into smart systems that can automatically switch sterilization modes between high-acid and low-acid beverages.
This automatic switching capability is based on DNP’s patented technology, offering beverage manufacturers enhanced operational flexibility, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

Since 1994, DNP has been conducting sterility verification during commissioning of aseptic filling machines through media-fill tests, a method now expanding across China and Southeast Asia.
In media-fill tests, adding CO₂ to the test media lowers the pH and inhibits bacterial growth, which can compromise the accuracy of sterility verification. To address this, the Asahi Nagoya factory switched from CO₂ to sterile air, ensuring reliable test conditions.
During commissioning, over 30,000 PET bottles were filled and incubated at 30 °C for one week. The result: zero spoilage, confirming sterility and allowing production to begin as scheduled.
In Japan, DNP continues to uphold strict standards by conducting annual media-fill tests of more than 10,000 units after each aseptic system overhaul, ensuring that sterile conditions are fully maintained before restarting production.
This rigorous verification process reflects DNP’s commitment to food safety, quality assurance, and long-term reliability — helping our customers deliver safe and secure beverages to consumers.

DNP began developing aseptic filling machines for UHT-sterilized coffee creamer in 1972.
Since then, our aseptic filling technology has continuously evolved to meet the changing needs of customers and society. This evolution has led to the launch of aseptic systems for a wide range of packaging formats, including Bag-in-Box, cups, paper cartons, pouches, and PET bottles.
DNP will continue to research and develop advanced aseptic technologies to address the evolving social and environmental challenges of each era, contributing to the realization of a safe, secure, and sustainable society.