The Rise of 5 US Gallon PET Bottles: How Clients Produce Them with PET Technologies Equipment

For clients operating in the bottled water and water delivery markets, it is hard not to notice the steady growth in demand for PET water cooler bottles. At PET Technologies, we see this trend firsthand through a rapidly increasing number of client projects focused on blow molding equipment for water cooler bottle production.

In December 2025 alone, we supported our clients in meeting this growing demand through new orders for blow molding machines. These machines will be installed at facilities in Europe and the Americas dedicated to producing PET water cooler bottles. These projects reflect continued market expansion. They also show the trust clients place in PET Technologies to support their production goals with reliable equipment.

With this rising interest, several key questions follow: 

• What drives growth of 5 US gallon PET water bottles?
• Which formats dominate today’s market?
• Which blow molding solutions are clients choosing for bottle production?

Types of Water Cooler Bottles 

The types most often requested by PET Technologies clients fall into three main categories:

• 5-Gallon (18.9 L): The industry standard and the most widely used 
• 4-Gallon (15.1 L): A slightly lighter alternative 
• 3-Gallon (11.4 L): A smaller and lighter version used in retail

Each type can also be produced with a separate plastic handle for easier handling and delivery.

In practice, water cooler bottles are also divided into these two types:

• One-way (non-returnable): Used for single-use distribution
• Returnable: Collected, washed, sanitized, and reused

PET Technologies clients currently produce both types and handled bottles on blow molding machines.

Reasons for the market change

The global bulk water industry, long dominated by polycarbonate bottles, is now undergoing its most significant transformation in decades! 

This shift is driven by stricter food safety legislation in the European Union, along with advances in polymer processing technologies. At the same time, the industry is accelerating its transition for circular packaging solutions.

The most urgent driver behind PET bottle adoption is legislation targeting Bisphenol A (BPA), the main component used in polycarbonate production.

In late 2024, the European Commission adopted Regulation (EU) 2024/3190, a landmark piece of legislation that prohibits the use of Bisphenol A in food contact materials. Unlike previous regulations that restricted BPA in infant products, this regulation explicitly targets “reusable plastic drink bottles” and “water distribution coolers”.

However, regulatory pressure is not the only factor driving this transition. Outside Europe, PET Technologies also sees growing client interest in blow molding equipment for coolers in the Americas and other regions. This demand is largely driven by the material advantages of PET itself. 

Compared to traditional polycarbonate bottles, PET containers offer similar performance with lower weight:

• Returnable 19 L PET bottles typically weigh 650–710 g, compared to 750–800 g for polycarbonate.
• Lower weight improves transport efficiency and handling, while remaining fully recyclable and BPA-free.

How clients produce water cooler bottles with PET Technologies equipment

PET water cooler bottles are produced using stretch blow molding machines. Clients actively choose PET Technologies equipment to implement these projects at their facilities. They benefit from proven technology, engineering support, and reliable production.

The two main machine solutions used by our clients are:

UPF-30 semi-automatic blow molding machine

• Designed for production of containers up to 40 L
• Widely used by clients to produce 3-, 4-, and 5-gallon cooler bottles
• Productivity of up to 70 bottles per hour
• Suitable for small and medium-sized production facilities
• Allows clients to start cooler bottle production with controlled investment

APF-30 automatic blow molding machine

• Designed for production of containers from 10 up to 40 L
• Widely used by clients to produce 3-, 4-, and 5-gallon water cooler bottles
• Available in productivity configurations of 120, 250, or up to 400 bottles per hour
• Suitable for medium and large-scale production facilities
• Allows clients to expand production capacity and capture larger market volumes

Today, we see growing interest in cooler bottle production equipment through client requests and technical discussions, as well as during industry conferences and meetings. PET Technologies supports these projects with solutions that help clients launch or expand their cooler bottle production.

That is why we invite you to visit the PET Technologies stand at the Watercooler Europe Trade Fair, taking place on 15–16 October in Málaga, Spain, and discuss how your water cooler bottle project can be realized.

Recognized as one of the key global meeting points for the water cooler industry, the event brings together producers, equipment suppliers, and industry experts from around the world. 

We look forward to meeting you in Málaga and helping you turn your next water cooler bottle project into reality!