While halving energy consumption, by choosing sidel matrix combi
9 May 2017
09/05/2017
Following a significant investment in the biggest-everSidel Combi for CSD (carbonated soft drinks) in 2011, Refres Now,the Argentinian producer of the Manaos brand of beverages, hasrecently installed a further blow-fill-cap solution. With the newSidel Matrix™ Combi, Refres Now can expect comparable savings of45% in its energy consumption. It also anticipates a significantdecrease in water consumption and an improvement of 40% in theplant's total production output.
The Sidel Matrix Combi is part of a new line, installed as anextension of the company's production facility in La Matanza. Thisexpansion of the Manaos plant is the result of a 12 million dollarinvestment, which covers also the opening of a new warehouse forfinished product storage. It was officially inaugurated byArgentina's President, Mauricio Macri, at a special event.
The company's working relationship with Sidel first began backin 2005 when Refres Now was originally founded. In 2011 came aworld record, when the Argentinian beverage producer turned toSidel for what was, at that time, the world's largest SidelCombiever built for filling carbonated soft drinks. It was ahigh-tech solution for bottling family pack sizes, which were ingreat demand locally. Looking back to that experience, MarcosPilati, Sales director for Mexico and North Hispanic zones atSidel, comments - "Refres Now has benefitted from the performanceof our integrated solution. The resulting top quality bottles werebetter suited to withstand the pressures of transportation and thechallenges of the entire supply chain. Despite the difficulteconomic situation within the South American country over recentyears, the equipment we have installed has been helping Refres Nowover-perform their objectives. As a result, they now see Sidel as astrategic partner in their bottling operations."
Consequently, Sidel wasthe first choice when the beverage company needed to increaseproduction capacity. The new Sidel Matrix Combi installed at the Manaos plantmarks two milestones. Via the savings made possible by the SidelMatrix blower, it allowed Refres Now to cut energy consumption by45%. This is important to many beverage producers, both in terms ofsustainability and the often-significant cost savings itrepresents, but vital for the Argentinian manufacturer given theenergy issues within the country. Additionally, it features a Sidel MatrixSF300 FM filler with 162 valves - one of the biggest electronicfillers in the world that boasts an output speed of 32,000 bph(bottles per hour). The integrated solution also includes Sidel'sBlendfill configuration, combining mixer and filler in a singlesystem for top quality carbonated soft drinks. Utilising themixer's beverage tank as a shared tank with the filler, theconfiguration avoids redundant pressure and level controlfunctions, while reducing consumption of CO2 as well asthe footprint of the equipment. To answer the customer's needs asfor flexibility and efficiency, the Combi can produce multiplebottle sizes - ranging from 0.6 to 3.0 litres.
The Sidel Matrix Combi is a lexible and hygienic solutionoffering an extensive range of configurations. It is an integratedblow-fill-cap solution within a single, small controlled productionenvironment in which intermediate conveyors and equipment areeliminated to deliver outstanding hygiene performance whilesimultaneously cutting costs. With efficiency levels up to 4%higher than standalone machines, the Combi cuts operating costs byup to 12%, offering faster format changeovers, lower energyconsumption and savings in labour, raw materials, maintenance timeand spare parts. Furthermore, it uses up to 30% less floor space,compared with traditional standalone equipment.
The company now relies on Sidel, its equipment and its services,including, notably, the professional advice and support providedregularly by its personnel. Walter Canido, Operations Director andone of the company owners of Refres Now, said: "We celebrate thestart-up of our line number 9, and for us every new line means agreat success. Sidel has an impeccable trajectory in technology forthe bottling industry, but above all, the magic ingredient for theequation to work is its people and for us that is more importantthan the machine itself. Our next step is line number 10, and thefuture ... is infinite."
Refres Now already has the largest bottling plant in LatinAmerica and one of the largest soft drinks production sites in theworld. The company manufactures the Manaos brand in five differentflavours: cola, orange, lemon-lime, apple, and grapefruit. In adaily production output of over 3.5 million litres, it alsoproduces many more other leading products, which include sodas,waters and flavoured waters.
